Take a Road Trip to Kawartha Lakes

Here's some of what you can see and do in the Kawartha Lakes. 

Butter Tart Trail

What could be more Canadian than butter tarts? The Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour takes the love of butter tarts to another level. The self-directed Butter Tart Tour offers over 50 locations throughout Kawarthas Northumberland, and includes stops at local bakeries, charming cafes, inns and restaurants. In celebration of Canada 150, some of the chefs in the area have created their own "Canadiana Collection" of butter tarts with distinctly Canadian ingredients, including Maple Ice Wine and a take on the Nanaimo Bar.

Petroglyphs Provincial Park

Deep in the forest, the Petroglyphs Provincial Park is home to the largest known concentration of Aboriginal rock carvings (petroglyphs) in Canada. With 900 petroglyphs depicting turtles, birds, snakes, and humans carved into white marble rock, the sacred site is known as "The Teaching Rocks." Explore hiking trails that take you through wetlands and forests, and an interpretive centre where you can learn more about the traditions of the Ojibway people.

You might be interested in

{{type}}

{{title}}

• Dec 31, 1969
• Comments

{{type}}

{{title}}

• Dec 31, 1969
• Comments

Escape Maze

Challenge your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities at the Escape Maze, set on the 130 acres at Cedarbank Farm. The Escape Maze has four escape rooms to choose from, each designed to take you back to the late 1800's when gold rush fever hit the area. Once you've tackled the escape room, there are also two outdoor adventure games modelled after The Amazing Race to test you.

Trent-Severn Waterway

Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes are served by 386 km of canals and locks that make up the Trent-Severn waterway. Peterborough is home to a hydraulic lift lock, which was the highest in the world when it opened in 1904 and is still in use today. Visit the Peterborough Lift Lock National Historic Site of Canada located on the Otonabee River, where you can watch the lock lift boats 19.8 metres using a balance system.

Canadian Canoe Museum

Learn how the canoe helped define the Canadian spirit at the Canadian Canoe Museum. This family-friendly museum has the world's largest collection of canoes and kayaks. There are more than 600 watercraft from coast to coast on display, from dugouts of the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest to the bark canoes of the Beothuk of Newfoundland. The Canadian Canoe Museum also includes hands-on galleries where you can test your canoeing skills, a scavenger hunt, a puppet theatre and crafts.

Fishing 

Whether you're a pro or it’s your first time casting a rod, the Kawartha Lakes are home to some of the best freshwater fishing in the world. Drop a line at Little Lake right by Peterborough for bass and muskie, or the Tri Lakes (Chemong, Pigeon and Buckhorn Lake), which are famous for largemouth and smallmouth bass. There are many places in the area to rent equipment and pick up bait. During the winter months, you can even rent an ice-hut and fish for pickerel. Presqu'ile Bay Outfitters can help arrange guided fishing trips as well as kayak fishing adventures.

Lang Pioneer Village Museum

Delve into the rural history of the area at the Lang Pioneer Village Museum. The outdoor museum features more than 25 buildings restored to resemble a typical 19th-century village. The village is brought to life with costumed volunteers who tell stories and demonstrate what life was like for settlers in the 1800's. Explore the operating Grist Mill, watch blacksmiths at work, see handbills printed at the Register Print Shop, stop for lemonade at the Keene Hotel, and see an authentic Jacquard loom on display at the Weaver shop.