Travel Blog

Vegetarian pizza from the Publican House Brew Pub

Local Food Meets Peterborough Tradition at the Publican House Brew Pub

March 11, 2019

The Publican House is something of a torchbearer for Peterborough culture. The craft brewery recently celebrated its tenth year in business, but its name is so familiar many locals will tell you it feels like it’s always been there. With Publican taps and cans popping up at restaurants, stores, and festivals all over the province, that recognition seems to be spreading. It’s fitting the Publican House’s latest initiative, a brew pub serving local food and in-house pints, has taken up residence in a 170-year-old building with its own longstanding reputation on the Peterborough scene.

A ReFrame poster at the entrance to Market Hall, Peterborough

Lighting up the Darkest Time of the Year: at the 15th Annual ReFrame Film Festival

March 5, 2019

ReFrame Film Festival couldn’t be better timed. At the darkest, coldest time of year, three city blocks of downtown Peterborough come alive with moviegoers hurrying from from theatre to theatre. When the films let out they stumble blinking onto the sidewalk, processing what they’ve seen. Restaurants and bars fill with tables of attendees locked in spirited discussion. Then it happens all over again for the next four days. A mid-sized Ontario town in January suddenly feels like the epicentre of arts and culture.

A selection of dishes from The Mill Restaurant and Pub

The Mill Restaurant and Pub Gets Creative with Local Ingredients

March 4, 2019

You might guess The Mill Restaurant and Pub’s heritage just by looking at it — its stone foundation and weathered brick walls suggest a bygone era. These days The Mill is dedicated to serving up a varied menu of local food options and craft brews.

Couple wearing toques drinking coffee outside

Unique Skating & Comfort Food Destinations in Kawarthas Northumberland

February 14, 2019

Been out skating yet this winter? Colder weather always gets us excited to strap on skates and make the most of the great skating conditions in Kawarthas Northumberland. Many of the options below will be open through to March if the weather holds, and with a mixture of rinks, trails, and speed skating loops on offer, there’s something here for everyone who’s eager to spend some time on the ice.

Drone shot of a snowy forest with a small skier below

Top Cross-Country Skiing Destinations in Kawarthas Northumberland

January 23, 2019

Kawarthas Northumberland offers a tremendous variety of trails year round, with some hiking and biking routes transitioning perfectly to winter sports. A number of dedicated organizations offer rentals and lessons for beginning or occasional skiers so lack of gear won’t keep you from enjoying the season. Whether you’re interested in classic nordic trails or skate skiing, here are our top picks from the region.

North Canoe at The Canadian Canoe Museum

Paddling Through History: A Visit to the Canadian Canoe Museum

January 10, 2019

The canoe is absolutely central to Canadian identity — so much so many of us haven’t stopped to reflect on how deep those roots go. I’m an avid canoeist myself (my canoe, the affectionately named Swamp Bullet, is a regular fixture of the waters around Peterborough), but even so I hadn’t taken the time to

Westben’s “The Little Drummer” Rings in the Christmas Season

November 29, 2018

The Westben Centre for Connection and Creativity Through Music has a reputation in this region. The mixture of high-level talent performing original productions in an eye-catching venue has drawn audiences for nearly two decades now, and each season typically ends on a high note with a festive Christmas celebration.

Cycling Doube's Trestle Bridge on the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail

7 Trails to Try this Fall in Kawarthas Northumberland

October 17, 2018

Hiking is great year round, and depending on who you ask the biking season runs pretty late too. Some spots, though, beg to be visited in the fall when the leaves are at their peak.

A boy in period dress guides apples into an old-fashioned cider press

Step Back in Time at Lang Pioneer Village’s Applefest

October 17, 2018

Lang Pioneer Village Museum is a personal favourite of mine. As a living history museum it’s a remarkably complete and immersive experience. Apart from other guests in contemporary clothes, you’re unlikely to see many anachronisms in this recreation 19th century village.

Drone view of a kayak and canoe paddling through clear, shallow water

Paddle the Trent-Severn Waterway: Presqu’ile Provincial Park

October 5, 2018

Most paddlers can attest that, as soon as you push off and feel your weight buoyed by the boat, you leave behind the weight of your worries on the land. Like the weight of a canoe after a long portage trail, my day-to-day concerns remain mostly onshore and I leave them ever-further behind with each paddle stroke.

Paddle the Trent-Severn Waterway: The Gull River & Coboconk

October 5, 2018

The Trent-Severn Waterway has no shortage of poetically-named communities lining its banks from Scugog to Omemee, Bailieboro to Buckhorn, but my favourite of all is Coboconk. I’m hard-pressed to think of another place in the world that contains more alliteration in one name!

Drone view shows two distant canoes approaching Lakefield

Paddle the Trent-Severn Waterway: Lakefield

October 5, 2018

I recently came across a clever design that superimposed a public transit network map over the Trent-Severn Waterway. In the same way the TTC subway map is separated into various routes, this metaphorical map includes such lines the “Scugog Connector” and the “Kawartha Line.”

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