Don’t let high gas prices cut road trip fun short this fall. Instead, find a closer-to-home destination filled with activities that will make you feel like you’re a million miles away.
The six perfect autumn drive destinations that follow are just a quick trip away from most of southern Ontario. Each article has helpful links to sensational suggestions for outdoor fun, unexpected attractions, nearby farm finds, cool local shops, craft breweries and cideries in the area, buzzed-about restaurants, and neighbouring towns you can add to your day trip.
Fancy a leisurely fall afternoon exploring unique shops and a fabulous fall cycle followed by an over-the-top meal? Point your vehicle toward the charming towns of Dundas and Ancaster.
Prefer some hip urban exploring with a tasty restaurant row, a farmer’s market that gives St. Lawrence Market a run for its money and a network of waterfalls, underground caves and streams that you have to see to believe? Head to Hamilton.
If a perfect fall day for you involves digging into the beauty of Canada’s largest botanical garden, setting out on a walking tour filled with historic buildings, scoring a stylish new autumn outfit and then resting your feet on a picture-perfect patio, Burlington beckons.
Add sparkly Lake Ontario views, a fun game of disc golf when it’s time to stretch your legs, and sensational specialty food shops to the menu if you make time for an afternoon of exploring in Oakville.
Stunning Niagara Escarpment vistas, the home of one of Canada’s most beloved authors, incredible outlet shopping and farm-to-table fun that features some of the country’s best baking are in store for you and your crew when you set out for a day of exploring in and around Halton Hills.
A road trip through Grand River country offers unexpected finds around every twist and turn, like a lazy paddle along a Canadian heritage river, the chance to spot rare birds, shopping for incredible handmade Indigenous items, and a meal that will make you feel like you’ve been whisked away to France.
