Sweet Maple Escapes
There is no better place to celebrate spring's sweet bounty than a maple sugarbush in Ontario’s Highlands. The warm days and cool nights of spring mark the sweetest season as sap flows from our maple trees and fresh maple syrup can be found around almost every corner.
Every year on the first weekend of April, sugarbushes across the province open their gates to celebrate Maple Weekend, inviting visitors to learn more about sugaring off and maple syrup production and its fascinating history, to sample different grades of syrup, explore the sugarbush, and try the famous treat of maple taffy on snow.
Whether you’re visiting April 6-7 in 2024 for Maple Weekend, or another time this spring, check out our ideas below to celebrate the season with a truly sweet escape.
Maple Moments in Madoc & Marmora
Where to Stay: Brimming with old-fashioned charm and tucked along a quiet street in Marmora, Marmora and Lake Inn B&B is a prime location for a break from any hustle and bustle. The Baron on 7 is their on-site restaurant that is well known in the area and promises a good, hearty meal that will fuel your maple adventure.
Sweet Escape:
Travel back in time to explore an 1850s Sugarbush for a hot pancake breakfast at O’Hara Mill Homestead on March 16. Learn more about maple syrup production, sample syrup and watch a blacksmith demonstration while you're there.
Sweet Getaway in Haliburton County
Where to Stay: There are so many options for accommodations that will keep you within a one-hour drive of a sugarbush to fully immerse yourself in maple. The world-class resort, Nomi, is newly opened in Haliburton and offers everything you need on-site, with a wellness perspective to keep it real. A little further south, The Rockcliffe in Moore Falls is another good option for a relaxing spring getaway.
Sweet Escape:
Visit Wintergreen Maple Products on a weekend in March or April to watch the production of maple syrup happen and sample tasty treats in The Mercantile onsite. Here you'll find unique barbecue sauces, colourful fruit syrups, and classically canned preserve, not to mention maple syrup! On April 6-7 you can visit a Maple Weekend sugarbush at Wintergreen, Colour of Wood in Carnarvon, or Waverly Brook Farm in Haliburton.
Recharge in Pembroke
Where to Stay: Escape to the elegant and historic Grey Gables Inn & Spa for a break from the every day. With a spa onsite, you can opt for some extra pampering to recharge your spirit this spring before recharging your body with the help of a little sugar rush from a visit to a local sugarbush.
Sweet Escape:
Stop in by chance or call ahead to visit Mapleside Sugarbush to see how sap is collected and transferred to the shanty and indulge in pure Canadian maple products. On Maple Weekend (April 6-7) the sugarbush will be open both days with maple sample, demonstrations, and more!
Celebrate Spring in Ompah
Where to Stay: Book a stay at Silent Valley Alpacas Ranch and see if you can contain your smile when you step out your front door and see fluffy alpacas roaming the pasture. Enjoy a little slice of country paradise, let the owners take you on a visit to the barn (if you’re lucky, you might even see an adorably young cria), and stock up on some cozy finds in the farm gate store.
Sweet Escape:
In Frontenac County we can recommend a detour past Cardinal Café + Shop in Sharbot Lake to try the sinfully delicious maple bacon donut.
A Sugarbush Stay in Lanark
Where to Stay: Tuck in for the night at the luxurious Clyde Hall B&B, located on a working maple forest. Indulge with a hearty breakfast featuring their very own maple syrup, and soak in the hot tub to wash away any worries. Nearby, Wheelers Maple not only holds the Guinness World Record for maple artifacts, but they also offer a cute and cozy 1880s farmhouse where you can spend the night dreaming of syrup and pancake breakfasts.
Sweet Escape:
A visit to Lanark County means staying in the Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario, and Maple Weekend (taking place the first weekend in April each year) offers the chance to explore a lot of sugarbushes nearby. Luckily for those not able to make it for this main weekend event, sugarbushes like Fulton’s Sugar Bush & Maple Shop, Temple’s Sugar Bush, Fortune Farms, and Thompsontown remain open during the maple season in March and April, and Wheelers Maple is open year round.
The full list of Maple Weekend participating sugarbushes in Lanark & District include:
