Create Memories That Will Last A Lifetime.
If you’re looking for new ways to make Thanksgiving even more memorable, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite activities that you can add to your family traditions!
Outdoor Activities
1. Take your little ones out for some of the best birding experiences you could have! The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory is the caretaker for the Prince Edward County South Shore Important Bird Area. This banding site is located along a major migratory route and is a focus for passerines, waterfowl and raptors with yearly reports of rare and unusual species.
2. Go star gazing: It’s hard to believe that just a short drive north of the 401 is a place so serene that the skies are very much like they were 100 years ago! Create family memories at the Lennox and Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area.
3. If you have an adventurous clan, have some fun by paddling the Rideau Canal: Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 1000 Islands & Rideau Canal Waterways offer an unforgettable kayaking experience. Bring your own or rent one from local outfitters like Frontenac Outfitters orTrailhead Kingston.
4. Go fishing: Most of the region is MNR Fisheries Management Zone 18, with the exception of Prince Edward County, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, Wolfe Island and Howe Island, which is Zone 20. Remember to follow all fishing regulations, including having a valid Outdoors Card!
5. Lace-up and hit the trails! Experience nature up close and personal, by walking trails among rock, trees and wildlife. Frontenac Provincial Park provides extensive hiking and paddling routes, through more than 100 km of looped backpacking and hiking trails, and through 22 lakes! The Landon Bay Centre, part of Thousand Islands National Park, has an amazing view high above the St. Lawrence River.
6. Hop on your bikes and watch the fall colours unfold before your eyes while biking along the Waterfront Bike Trail, spanning the length of Cornwall and the South Dundas Glengarry Counties.
Sightseeing & Tours
7. Take a ghost walk…if you dare: Haunted Walks of Kingston is an award-winning and bone-chilling walk through the city’s historic streets. Your guide tells ghost stories during your stroll and we’ve heard of ghost sightings too!
8. Have a family day at the Aquatarium. Discover what makes The 1000 Islands so amazing as you and your family learn about local species of fish & animals and explore replicas of long-lost ships.
9. Take a helicopter tour: Seeing the 1000 Islands by helicopter is an adventure you will never forget. Soar above the waterways and castles with 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours.
Entertainment, Culture & Heritage
10. Try an escape room: If you and your family have a thing for mystery, puzzles and creative thinking, then this is your jam! Test your problem-solving skills at Kingston’s Improbable Escapes, or the fairy tale theme game cafe Wonderland.
11. View how Pumpkinferno takes over these historic sites!
Upper Canada Village turns it into a breathtaking assortment of handcrafted pumpkin lanterns, that transform the village into a visual journey. This spectacular outdoor art exhibit of 7,000 handcrafted pumpkins is all lit at night along a kilometre long path in a picturesque 19th-century backdrop.
See Fort Henry transformed into a spellbinding experience filled with glowing pumpkins of all sizes, shapes and designs to fill your heart with Halloween Spirit. This event is family-friendly and children aged 4 and under can join in the fun for free!
12. Visit Prince Edward County Arts Trail. If you and your family are into art galleries then this is a must! Meet artists and curators, and experience great art throughout The County.
13. Get Creative: Have fun with your fam jam and make your own scarecrow at the Prince Edward County Scarecrow Festival. This year, you will be able to pick up all of the supplies and create your masterpiece in your home.
Food & Drink
14. Create the perfect family adventure and go apple picking! Grills Orchards will soon be the apple of your eye as a visit guarantees fun for the whole family. Pick some apples, sip hot cider, and hop on board a tractor ride! Looking for some evening fun? Or heard to Wynn Farms in Greater Napanee and decipher their ‘Under the Sea’ corn maze!
15. Cook up a harvest-inspired feast! Visit Wendy’s Country Market for produce from over 70 local farming operations. Campbell’s Orchard is another fantastic destination for a range of harvest goodies. Not only do they grow over 19 varieties of apple, but they also have a robust selection of fruits and veggies and an on-site bakery!
Share your Thanksgiving weekend adventures with us on Twitter and Instagram by tagging your pictures with #SouthEasternOntario!
