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From a huge display of carved pumpkins and a haunted fort to studio tours and comedy, there are lots of great reasons to take a fall road trip to the region stretching from Kingston to the Ontario border along the St. Lawrence River. In fact, autumn is one of my favourite times for a day trip or weekend getaway. Days are often bright and warm (rather than hot and humid), the changing leaves make for great photos, and the summer crowds have largely vanished. Plus, you can nosh on apple pie, turkey and all sorts of other comfort food!
Looking for inspiration? Here are five great destinations—including tips on how you can get to some of them without a car.
Fort Fright in Kingston
As if wandering around a reconstructed 19th-century fort in the dead of night weren’t scary enough, the folks at Fort Henry in Kingston transform the place with installations, animations, sound effects and music every October for Fort Fright (October 4 to November 2). I’m not usually a big fan of haunted houses, but Fort Fright is well worth your time. When I visited a few years ago, I screamed in genuine fear quite a few times. I don’t know if it was the dark stone corridors, the windswept location by the lake or the storytelling skills of the guides from the Haunted Walk of Kingston, but it all worked. And, I gather, they’ve augmented the installations quite a bit since then. So, as they say in the old movies, you have been warned.
What else can I do in Kingston? Lots! Kingston is one of my top weekend getaway destinations. My fave restaurant, hands down, is Tango Nuevo. Bring a group and try a bunch of the shareable small plates, such as spicy sambal shrimp or Moroccan meatballs. I love to drop into Cooke’s to browse the endless shelves of gourmet foods and kitchen gadgets (if you’re a coffee drinker, which I’m not, I’ve heard their beans are pretty good, too). And I always try to pick up a loaf of fresh bread at Pan Chancho Bakery & Cafe.
Where can I stay? The Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront and the Delta Hotel Kingston Waterfront both have nice downtown locations overlooking Lake Ontario; the Delta is a bit posher and priced accordingly. For vintage charm, try the Rosemount Inn, a boutique hotel in an Italianate Victoria mansion on a residential street near downtown.
Can I get there without a car? Yes, easily. There are multiple VIA Rail trains a day from Ottawa. Greyhound has daily service to Kingston as well, with one bus a day most days and three buses a day on Fridays and Sundays.
The New Canadian Curling Club in Gananoque
It seems like a good idea: a learn-to-curl club for new Canadians. However, when the woman who came up with the idea breaks her hip and the curling club’s former star curler has to step into her shoes, things get a bit, um, rocky. That’s the premise of The New Canadian Curling Club, the last show of the 2019 season at the 1000 Islands Playhouse in Gananoque. It runs from September 27 to October 20.
What else can I do in Gananoque? Raise a glass at the Gananoque Brewing Company, housed in a former carriage factory, or try the delicious sandwiches and pizzas at the Purple House Café (open seasonally from spring through fall). If games of chance are your thing, check out the Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands. Cruises of the gorgeous 1000 Islands with Gananoque Boat Line are also popular. (And here’s a post with more ideas for fun in Gananoque and Chaffeys Locks.)
Where can I stay? The Gananoque Inn and Spa has a charming, low-key vibe and a central location, not far from the 1000 Islands Playhouse and overlooking the St. Lawrence River. (Can you tell I’m a big fan of staying near water?) If you’re looking for something basic and pet-friendly, try the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Gananoque. It’s far from fancy, but it’s clean, affordable and not far off the 401.
Can I get there without a car? Yes, but you’ll have to stay over if you want to see the play. Once a day, VIA Rail connects Ottawa to Gananoque and vice versa. The only problem is, VIA gets you to Gananoque at 2:22pm (too late for the 2pm matinée) and leaves at 9:38pm (which doesn’t leave you enough time to get to the station after an evening show).
Tunnel of Terror in Brockville
When I first heard about the Brockville Railway Tunnel, I was a bit puzzled. Even though it was Canada’s first railway tunnel (it opened in 1860), I wondered, “How interesting could it be? It’s just a tunnel.” Well, when I visited, I got it. The tunnel has been fitted up with a very cool sound-and-light show that runs daily from spring through fall (it’s officially free, but the site’s managers welcome donations to help them maintain the structure).
And once the regular show ends on October 14, the tunnel is home for the next two weekends to the Tunnel of Terror (October 18 to 20, and October 25 to 27). The Halloween-themed installation is actually two shows: the “mild” version on Saturday afternoons for kids and the easily frightened (that would be me), and the full-scare version in the evenings.
What else can I do in Brockville? Don’t miss the Aquatarium, an interactive centre delving into the ecology of the St. Lawrence River where you can see otters at play. The Brockville Museum showcases the history of the city; this fall, the museum is offering heritage skills workshops where you can learn to make cheese, holiday ornaments or a hand-painted Victorian sign. The Brockville Arts Centre presents a wide range of live music, dance and theatre productions, along with movies. Check out the O’Mally Kourt Fudgery for sweet treats, or Buell Street Bistro or The Noshery for a great meal featuring local ingredients. For a light snack or a caffeinated pick-me-up, I’m partial to Cosies British Tearoom and the retro Spitfire Cafe.
Where can I stay? A couple of years ago, I had a lovely stay at the Sir Isaac Brock B&B Luxury Suites. Ida and David Duc have created a charming haven in an 1824 home on a residential street a short walk from downtown. Right in downtown Brockville, I also had a great time at the one-of-a-kind Noble Suites, where my huge two-bedroom apartment (the Senator Suite) would have easily accommodated six people. We all could have amused ourselves by reading the plaques and hand-written notes throughout the quirky hotel, highlighting the history of various artifacts.
Can I get there without a car? Yes, easily. VIA Rail offers multiple connections daily, and Greyhound offers service on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Pumpkinferno in Morrisburg
Like the Brockville Railway Tunnel, Pumpkinferno (select nights, September 27 to October 27) makes much more sense once you see it. It’s not just that it involves 7,000 artificial pumpkins, which a team of students spends the entire summer carving. It’s not just the artful, glowing installations, with themes ranging from wild animals to vintage cars (as well as witches, Dracula and other traditional Halloween characters). And it’s not just the spooky lighting trained on the heritage buildings at Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, accompanied by eerie music that wafts over the large site. It’s the whole combination, with the added fun of watching small children’s (and not a few adults’) jaws drop at the spectacle.
Pumpkinferno regularly wins awards and draws busloads of visitors from all over Ontario, Quebec and New York state. Get your tickets early for this one—it’s always packed. And if you or someone you’re travelling with has a physical disability, check out the three Accessibility Nights on October 1, 8 and 15 (you must reserve in advance for Accessibility Nights).
What else can I do in Morrisburg? The Upper Canada Playhouse presents professional theatre from April through December; fall shows in 2019 include Same Time, Next Year and Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Here to Stay. You can rent kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards at the Crysler Park Marina, which is open until October 6. The area is also home to numerous golf courses and nature trails.
Where can I stay? I haven’t stayed overnight in Morrisburg, but here are some suggestions from Booking.com.
Can I get there without a car? I haven’t been able to find any scheduled public transit between Ottawa and Morrisburg, but Ottawa Valley Tours is offering a bus trip from Ottawa to Pumpkinferno on Thursday, October 24 (scroll down to page 8 on the linked page).
Cirque du Soleil in Cornwall
Be the first in your crowd to see the latest Cirque du Soleil show! The famous circus company is premiering its new ice show, Axel, at the Ed Lumley Arena in Cornwall on October 4 and 5. It promises the usual Cirque combination of daring acrobatics, soaring music and fantastical storytelling.
What else can I do in Cornwall? That same weekend, the Cornwall Comedy Festival is presenting standup comedian Greg Morton at the Aultsville Theatre on Friday, October 4. Speaking of which, the Cornwall Comedy Festival itself runs from October 17 to 20. Highlights include a taping of the CBC Radio show The Debaters on October 20.
Where can I stay? Again, I haven’t stayed in a hotel in Cornwall, but Booking.com has some recommendations.
Can I get there without a car? Yes and no. Greyhound offers service three times a week (on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays), but you can’t use it to get there and back on the same day, as it leaves Ottawa at 11am, then turns right around and returns to Ottawa. On the Greyhound site, use “Cornwall (e)” as your destination if you’re searching for tickets. (Alternatively, you could take VIA Rail to Brockville or Kingston, then switch to a Montreal-bound train to get to Cornwall, but that seems like a lot of hassle.)
If you’re seeking more fall road trip ideas, check out these posts on why you should see the Finger Lakes in fall or six fun things to do in fall in the Laurentians.
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