Travel Blog

Read about the people, places, businesses, and history that make Kawarthas Northumberland special

Two smiling kids skate towards the camera

Things to Do on Family Day 2023

After the new year, the lights and the excitement of the holidays fade and winter doldrums can set in. But there’s hope! Family Day weekend provides a welcome pick-me-up and a reminder of the fun to be had in the colder season. In 2023, businesses and organizations throughout Kawarthas Northumberland have organized family-friendly events that

Read More »
A couple lean in together, silhouetted against the sun

9 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Kawarthas Northumberland

Love is in the air this February—have you made plans to celebrate? Throughout Kawarthas Northumberland, businesses and organizations are looking forward to Valentine’s Day and planning special events to mark the occasion. Whether you’re looking for a traditional romantic dinner for two, a Galentine’s get-together with good friends, or a bracing outdoor experience with a

Read More »
A child plays with blocks of coloured ice

Polarfest: A Selwyn Township Tradition Comes Roaring Back

Forty-three years ago, a group of brave souls jumped into Chemong Lake on a chilly February weekend. Little did they know the tradition would not only be alive and well four decades later, but their little gathering would grow into a community-wide festival featuring dozens of events and businesses in and around Selwyn Township. On

Read More »
A person bends to fix their traditional snowshoe

Where to Snowshoe in Kawarthas Northumberland

People who don’t like winter probably haven’t tried snowshoeing—there’s a quiet beauty to the woods on a snowy day that makes the season all worthwhile. If you’ve already got a pair of snowshoes, you’re ready to strike out for any one of Kawarthas Northumberland’s hiking and skiing trails. For those who want to give the

Read More »
Drag queens pose against a brick backdrop

Drag Bingo: Betty Baker and Sahira Q Hit the Jackpot

Bingo isn’t usually this rowdy. It’s a game associated with retirement homes and second-language classrooms, but tonight the crowd is hooting and hollering, laughing at bawdy jokes between each call. That energy has everything to do with Betty Baker and Sahira Q, two drag queens on stage at Farmhill Weddings outside Keene. Drag queens aren’t

Read More »
Drone view of Hastings in winter

Holiday Guide: Shopping in the TSW Trail Towns

The holiday season is here, and many of us are wondering how to find memorable, meaningful gifts for friends and loved ones. Sure, you could fill up the cart faster at an online megastore, but shopping locally offers the chance to support artisans and entrepreneurs in your area while choosing gifts that are genuinely unique.

Read More »
Three cyclists in a snowy forest

Riding the Snowscape: Fat Biking in Kawarthas Northumberland

Until last winter, I’d never been on a fat bike. I’d cycled Kawarthas Northumberland thoroughly in the warmer months—the region is crisscrossed with rail trails and backroads that make for shady, serene riding in the summer. Then I was invited to ride some Northumberland County trails on a borrowed fat bike, and my conversion into an all-season rider happened almost instantly.

Read More »
Exterior of Escape Maze, a set that looks like a Western movie

Peterborough’s Escape Maze: Gold Rushes, Games, and Zombies

“Observation is probably the biggest thing—noticing small details,” Fred Preddy says. He’s sitting in an evocatively lit parlour, wearing a waistcoat that would have been the height of fashion a century and a half ago. As one of the owner-operators of Escape Maze south of Peterborough, Fred’s used to fielding questions about how the experiences at his interactive gaming facility are designed.

Read More »
VIntage weigh scales at Lang Pioneer Village

Meet the Farmers: The Story of Red Fife Wheat

The David Fife cabin is far from the grandest building on the grounds of Lang Pioneer Village. It’s a rustic 18’ x 14’ room, built in the 1825 by new immigrants racing to complete their shelter before the cold hit. Apart from a window into life two hundred years ago, however, the cabin is significant for another reason—it was the first Canadian home of a family that that would leave an indelible mark on agriculture in North America.

Read More »
Tessa and Kumiko Uchikura pose for a portrait on their farm

Meet the Farmers: A Taste of the Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market

Maicey Benjamin “doesn’t do titles”—but as a founding member of the Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market, he’s been a driving force for one of the area’s most important local food destinations for over a decade. Every Saturday from May to October, the Bobcaygeon Farmers’ Market sets up on the Bobcaygeon Fairground, selling goods grown or produced within

Read More »

Meet the Farmers: Moore Orchards and Market & Smør

Nothing compares to the taste of fresh fruit—and for a few weeks in summer, Northumberland’s Moore Orchards is like an all-natural candy store. When their pick-your-own strawberry patch is in season visitors come from across the region and beyond, drawn by the quality produce and the chance to connect with the places their food comes from. What doesn’t get picked by customers goes into the local food scene in other ways, including helping Cobourg’s zero-waste grocery store Market & Smør achieve their sustainability goals. It’s a virtuous cycle that benefits both producers and entrepreneurs, not to mention consumers looking to eat healthy and eat local.

Read More »