The words 鈥渃ottage country鈥 conjure a whole array of images, summery, scenic and sylvan. And roughly two hours northeast of Toronto, in , you鈥檒l find yourself in the middle of them all. Picture: cool waves lapping a granite shoreline; canoes gliding across boreal lakes; fresh food, best enjoyed al fresco.
And the best news: You don鈥檛 even need your own cottage to enjoy it all. Start in Peterborough, a small city divided by rivers, canals and locks on the famous Trent-Severn Waterway, which connects Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay. Then explore the surrounding Kawarthas, where more lakes (hundreds!) await.
Here are some of the best things to do on your next road trip to the region.
At the Canadian Canoe Museum, the Canoe Swirl in the 鈥淗eadwaters鈥 exhibition welcomes visitors.
Justen SouleSee the buzzy new museum.聽There鈥檚 no bigger collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft anywhere else on Earth 鈥 more than 650 in safekeeping. That鈥檚 why the , opened in May 2024, earned a shout-out on The New York Times鈥 list of 52 Places to Go in 2025 (and National Geographic鈥檚 Best of the World list last year). And the setting couldn鈥檛 be more perfect. It鈥檚 directly on the shores of Little Lake, and steps from the multi-recreational Trans Canada Trail, as well as an urban beach in Beavermead Park, and Lock 20, a key link on the Trent-Severn.
Canoeing is one of the best activities in this part of Ontario cottage country.
Canadian Canoe MuseumFloat your boat. Watercraft aren鈥檛 just museum artifacts; Peterborough鈥檚 a place where you can paddle your own. Option one: at (where else?) the Canadian Canoe Museum. Then use their sheltered, multi-level launch to glide onto the Otonabee River, which offers calm waters and lovely views of bridges, Del Crary Park and the downtown Clock Tower. Or just sit back and relax on a sightseeing tour with , sailing from the Peterborough Marina. Slide past the Centennial Fountain, the tallest jet fountain in Canada, shooting water 76 metres in the air. Then proceed through on Earth, the monumental symbol of the city.
Lunch al fresco.聽Come summer in Peterborough鈥檚 downtown Hunter Street Caf茅 District, sidewalks widen along a few blocks (narrowing the actual road to just one lane), and dining moves outside. The district encompasses more than 30 food/drink spots, but highlights include , an authentic Mexican spot. Try their specialty: the pollo con mole, with sauce slow-simmered the right way, with chiles, spices and dark chocolate. Then walk down the block to for one of the from-scratch pastries, perhaps an indulgent lemon meringue 鈥渃ruffin.鈥
叠濒补肠办鈥檚 Distillery is one of the places you鈥檒l find in聽the聽Ashburnham neighbourhood, a.k.a.聽鈥淓ast City.鈥
叠濒补肠办鈥檚 DistilleryVisit the next-door neighbourhood. Established as a separate village in 1858, but a part of Peterborough since 1903, Ashburnham sits on the opposite side of the river and retains a distinct character. Everyone here calls it 鈥淓ast City.鈥 The primary thoroughfare, Hunter Street East, still feels like a small-town main street, and you鈥檒l find plenty of personality among the stores, as well as great bakeries and caf茅s. For example: , a vintage home furnishings and decor shop; , a distillery making gin from Red Fife wheat, a heritage grain; and , which is legendary for their sourdough. (They even have a 鈥渂read schedule鈥 on their website, so you know what鈥檚 available each day.)
Learn about Lakefield鈥檚 history and聽notable locals at聽Christ Church Community Museum.
St. John the Baptist Anglican ChurchLearn about literary legends. Take the scenic River Road about 20 minutes north of Peterborough, winding along the Otonabee, to . Small, pretty and friendly, the village has been home to multiple renowned Canadian authors, including Margaret Laurence, Catharine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie. Each summer, the celebrates this legacy 鈥 and Canadian authors more broadly 鈥 but if you miss it, the festival also hosts year-round talks and readings. Visit the small but excellent (open seasonally), which features historical exhibits on its notable locals. Nearby, you can walk past the private home where Laurence worked on some of her best-known books, including 鈥淭he Diviners.鈥
The forest in Mark S. Burnham Provincial Park聽has changed little since the early 1800s, so you鈥檒l see older-growth features while hiking here.
Ontario ParksHit the trails. You don鈥檛 have to be a serious hiker to appreciate the hundreds of kilometres of paths in the Kawarthas. Your many options include the (within the small provincial park of the same name), on the eastern edge of Peterborough. The trail rolls through part of 鈥 drumlins are large hills created by retreating glaciers 鈥 past some of the oldest hemlock, beech and elm groves in Ontario. And in the , southwest of the city, a whole network of walking paths (13 kilometres in total) traces a cold-water creek through the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The moules frites at St. Veronus Cafe and Taproom, a favourite pub among Peterborough locals.
Chantel StovellDine at a local institution. Located in a former 19th-century bank building, has been a favourite downtown pub for decades. It鈥檚 atmospheric and comfortable, with dark woods and cosy corners. There鈥檚 even an annex space called the Bijoux Bar, inspired by Belgium鈥檚 traditional brown bars. On tap is a nice variety of Belgian Trappist ales, to go along with the really delicious food. Try the P.E.I. mussels, served with hand-cut, twice-fried Belgian frites and house-made bread.
If you stay: Situated on a scenic stretch of Stoney Lake, the family-friendly feels like summer camp, but with more amenities and way better beds. Stay in the 28-room lodge or one of 16 cottages, then fill your days with guided hikes, tubing behind a boat, canoeing and kayaking from the beach, or just relaxing by a pool.
WHERE CHEFS EAT: Chef Simon Brown鈥檚 favourites in and around Peterborough
Simon Brown is the chef at 础尘补苍诲补濒补鈥檚, right.
础尘补苍诲补濒补鈥檚Want more food and drink recommendations for聽Peterborough? With more than two decades in fine dining under his belt, chef Simon Brown runs the kitchen at one of Peterborough鈥檚 best restaurants, , where the seasonal New Canadian cuisine makes the most of the cornucopia available in the Kawarthas. 鈥淲e are so fortunate to be surrounded by farmland and nature,鈥 Brown says. 鈥淲e are constantly inspired by fresh ingredients and adapt our menu accordingly and seasonally.鈥 Here are five places he recommends in and around his city.
The Food Shop, Peterborough: 鈥淚t鈥檚 basically a farmer鈥檚 market across from 础尘补苍诲补濒补鈥檚, so it鈥檚 super convenient to grab whatever fresh produce I need for the menu and specials, or to get a salad or sandwich for a quick bite. They sell seasonal produce, dry goods and everything in between, from local farmers/artisans. They also do baked goods and have a cool espresso machine, with a handful of seats in the front to enjoy lunch and coffee.鈥
Brown鈥檚 recommendations include聽Agave, which runs happy hour from 9 p.m. until close.
Agave by Imperial, Peterborough: 鈥淎uthentic Mexican, lovely atmosphere. Love the choriqueso dip and fish tacos. They also have an extensive tequila selection and make a good margarita. Great spot to go late night, with happy hour from 9 p.m. until close.鈥
, Douro-Dummer: 鈥(This food truck) is 10 minutes out of town, but worth the drive! Owners John and Nik are wonderful and really do barbecue right. The best poutine around 鈥 I cannot go there and not order it. Love the brisket and blackened chicken sandwich, too.鈥
At聽Fresh Dreams, where Brown goes for聽Spanish聽tapas, the scallops are his go-to.
Fresh DreamsFresh Dreams, Peterborough: 鈥淭his is where I go for a nice night out or special occasion. The owners, Monica and Alvaro, originally from Spain, are wonderful people, doing authentic tapas. Delicious, fresh food, and a warm, inviting atmosphere, with a fantastic patio! The scallops are my go-to, always seared to perfection.鈥
, Peterborough: 鈥淔antastic tacos! But I really love their condiments, specifically the habanero shallots. They鈥檙e also present at the downtown farmer鈥檚 market, where they sell some wonderful chorizo and egg pastries that we eat quite often.鈥
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