Come wander in Ontario’s Highlands and discover a little something for everyone. Whether you seek out the open water or blue sky, the wild countryside or the quaint village, this vast region has surprises around every corner.
Whether you’re looking to relax, indulge, discover, adventure, or simply ponder, we invite everyone to come wander with us.
“Food brings people together…the experience of dining makes people happy, way beyond the food.” – Chef Ian Carswell, Black Tartan Kitchen Black Tartan Kitchen owner and chef, Ian Carswell, is a study in contrasts. He’s passionate about food but he wasn’t raised in a culinary-focused household. He’s traveled the world but chose to open his […]
This content is part of the broader Our Connections campaign, and is intended to broaden the understanding of Indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their histories in Ontario’s Highlands. The next time you are outdoors, take a moment to stand and truly feel of the land beneath your feet. If you concentrate really hard you may be […]
This content is part of the broader Our Connections campaign, and is intended to broaden the understanding of Indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their histories in Ontario’s Highlands. On my mother’s side, I am Algonquin Anishinabek, an original inhabitant of Turtle Island, known today as North America. The traditional homelands of the Algonquin people are the […]
This content is part of the broader Our Connections campaign, and is intended to broaden the understanding of Indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their histories in Ontario’s Highlands. – Amber Hein is Algonquin Anishinabek, an original inhabitant of Turtle Island, known today as North America. Read her perspective on how to give back to the land […]
This content is part of the broader Our Connections campaign, and is intended to broaden the understanding of Indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their histories in Ontario’s Highlands. Canadians are becoming more aware of the injustices perpetrated against Indigenous Peoples since settlers arrived on the shores of Turtle Island (North America). Still, many of us aren’t […]
This content is part of the broader Our Connections campaign, and is intended to broaden the understanding of Indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their histories in Ontario’s Highlands. Canada is home to more than 630 First Nations, representing over 50 sovereign nations with their own lands, culture, language, creation stories, language or dialect. With such a […]
*Wander safe, wander local. Check your region’s local health guidelines before heading out. The beauty of Algonquin Park doesn’t end at the South Gate. Close to the southern border of Algonquin Park, the area around Harcourt and Kennebec is a beautiful untamed region that attracts hundreds of visitors each year on their way through to Algonquin Park […]
When you hike, is it to experience nature? Perhaps catch up with friends? Whether if it’s one or the other – or maybe both! – nothing trumps taking a pause to listen to nature’s ‘music’. There is beauty is listening to bird songs, frogs’ choruses, and the wind through the trees. In fact, it’s an […]
“In every season, Haliburton is inspiring – the pace, vibe and cottage feel creates the perfect setting for creativity.” ~ Nick Russell & Benton Brown, Haliburton musicians Picture this: You are at the cottage seated with friends and/or family around a roaring bonfire, the low murmur of voices competing against a chorus of crickets and […]
*Wander safe, wander local. Check your region’s local health guidelines before heading out. We all want to be able to make beautiful music, paint stunning works of art or write beautiful prose, but if it were easy, everyone would be doing it, wouldn’t they? It’s fair to say that fostering creativity is difficult to achieve in a […]
Local’s Take is a series highlighting the staycation experiences available close to home this summer. The experiences featured in this series were hand curated to highlight fun insider spots in our region. Use these stories as your launchpad to create your own staycation in Ontario’s Highlands. Local: Ardith Racey From: Hastings County Travelling: Hastings County If recent times have kindled […]
I love setting goals on the bike; It seems like this happens on a micro and macro level constantly. The first 50-kilometres, then the first century, the first overnight. On the ride, you have these little checkpoints. Energy bars, swims, coffees, calories, hours in the saddle, kilometres in a day. It’s a constant. This became […]
If there’s one thing we can agree on it’s that few of us will turn down an opportunity to see a waterfall. Whether it has something to do with the mesmerizing whitewater cascade or the white-noise that comes with it, a waterfall is a universal attraction. It can be the reason for a hike or […]
*Wander safe, wander local. Check your region’s local health guidelines before heading out. Getting to know a river is almost like embarking on a wet and wild love affair. You forge a connection, learn everything you can, and then strengthen it over time. Sounds like a relationship, doesn’t it? The connection you have with a body of […]
Learn how you can get the most out of your river experience, while being a responsible tourist in Ontario’s Highlands.
“The river is where I’m my best self. It doesn’t care who I’m pretending to be.”- Stefi Van Wijk, avid paddler. It’s no exaggeration to say that water is in the blood for whitewater paddler, instructor, and paddle school manager, Stefi Van Wijk. Most days Stefi looks like she’s coming straight off a paddling trip […]
*Wander safe, wander local. Check your region’s local health guidelines before heading out. The game is on to make the most of summer 2021 and the winner gets to spend the summer soaking wet and grinning from ear to ear. Are you up for the challenge? It goes without saying that the best warm-weather activities centre around […]
When was the last time you discovered a local landmark or business that you didn’t know was there? In Ontario’s Highlands, we have some amazing spots and experiences that you might be surprised to hear about. For example, did you know the longest canopy boardwalk in the world is located in Haliburton Highlands? Or that […]
Pull off the gravel road that leads to Jeff and Jenna Fenwick’s small Frontenac County farm and you are greeted with a quintessential small farm scene: a cozy farmhouse, rustic barn, small orchard and garden. The setting on the shores of the Mississippi River is pastoral and idyllic. At first glance it may appear that […]
Meet Marc Bru, owner of Square Timber Brewing Company who is taking beer to the next level in Pembroke, Ontario.
From the day we burst into the world, mothers mean safety, warmth, and unconditional love. Mothers are almost superhuman, virtually able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and cure all ills with the sweep of a hand. Moms know when you need a hug, when you need to be left alone, and are […]
*Wander safe, wander local. Check your region’s local health guidelines before heading out. These days the warm weather is telling us summer is here and we don’t need to be told twice to get out and embrace the outdoors and the freedom it offers through physical distancing. The best summer hikes not only take us into the wild […]
Haliburton artist, Wendy Wood, has lived everywhere from Kapuskasing to the shores of Lake Erie, but says nothing can compare to the creative atmosphere in Haliburton, particularly when it comes to fostering art and artists. “There’s a little bit of everything here,” Wendy explained. “The art school here draws everybody…you have top-notch teachers then people […]
This year the key to exploring is to keep it local; this is the time to explore our own backyards, and the regions close to home that have so much to offer us in the way of exhilarating outdoor experiences, fantastic food and drink, and blissful relaxation. If you’re exploring a new corner of Ontario’s […]
Break a sweat in Ontario’s Highlands with these top hiking and biking destinations.
Discover the benefits of Wandering and why the place to do it is Ontario’s Highlands.
Meet Chris Hinsperger, wandering caveman and owner of the Bonnechere Caves in Eganville, Ontario
Do you have an unquenchable wanderlust? Check out these 10 signs that show that you’re a Wanderer at heart.
Laurel Cook reflects on life in Lanark County, Ontario’s Maple Syrup Capital.
From Bed & Breakfasts to manors, Ontario’s Highlands is dotted with unique accommodations options for a memorable night stay.
Molding clay. Blowing glass, Painting water colours. Discover these unique art workshops in Ontario’s Highlands.
Top 4 summer treats that are worth the stop on your next Ontario’s Highlands road trip.
Seven charming museums in Ontario’s Highlands.
Fresh healthy food and local produce are summer staples in Ontario’s Highlands.
7 Locations that will relax the most stressed out traveller.
Meet Joe Gilker, astrophotographer and host of dark sky viewing events at the Dark Sky Viewing Area.