Autumn adventures span generations – The Globe and Mail

Every fall, the season’s biggest enthusiasts hit the road in search of new adventures. Increasingly, these trips are bringing multiple generations together, as parents, children, grandparents and extended family members look for ways to spend quality time together and create lasting memories. Fall’s crisp weather, delicious harvest and engaging activities make it an ideal time for family bonding.

Celebrating the harvest season in Central Counties

Just a short drive from Toronto, the regions of York, Durham and Headwaters (YDH) are a draw for travellers and day trippers across the Greater Toronto Area. Susan Boyle, director of marketing and communications at Central Counties Tourism, which is dedicating to supporting and promoting tourism in YDH, notes that demographics have shifted, with increasing numbers of South Asians and Asians exploring the area.

“These particular demographic segments are very big on family travel and family adventure,” Boyle says.

Hiking, exploring and agritourism are popular with all kinds of travellers to YDH. Visitors can bike, hike and stroll the area’s many conservation areas, parks and trails, while taking in the gorgeous fall colours. Kortright Centre for Conservation in Woodbridge, Rogers Reservoir Conservation Area in East Gwillimbury, Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby, and Darlington Provincial Park in Bowmanville are just a few popular destinations for road trips.

Foodies and farm lovers have plenty of options, too. They can visit Sheldon Creek Dairy just outside Shelburne, where they can meet the cows and watch them get milked, and visit the on-farm store. Heartwood Farm and Cidery is a regenerative farm in Erin that offers educational tours, cider tastings and overnight stays. At Pingle’s Harvest Festival near Oshawa, kids can enjoy the mini corn maze, playland, animals and wagon rides, while adults will enjoy the larger, 6.5-acre corn maze and live music. The farm also offers pick-your-own apples and pumpkins.

“Fall is the harvest season and there’s a focus on where your food comes from,” Boyle says. With the area’s many orchards, pumpkin patches and farms, autumn brings “an opportunity for families to teach their children about the value of things they don’t necessarily learn in school.”

Discovering fall’s bounty in Ontario’s Southwest

Joanne Wolnik, executive director at Ontario’s Southwest, says that the travel adventures of multigenerational families are often tied to special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and graduations.

“There’s more interest in giving experiences versus things, as people become more conscious about consumerism and what they’re acquiring,” she says.

A big draw for families to Ontario’s Southwest region are outdoor activities, biking, birding, food and wine, and agriculture, Wolnik says.

“There’s not only the opportunity to visit farms, but there’s the culinary piece that goes with it. We’ve got a longer growing season than the rest of Ontario … and the outputs are pretty incredible.”

For those seeking farm experiences, Clovermead Adventure Bee Farm in Aylmer has activities for the whole extended family, including feeding farm animals, navigating the corn maze, picking pumpkins, enjoying tractor rides and tasting local honey.

Jireh Hills Family Homestead is a unique, hands-on learning adventure focused on sustainable farming. Located in Glencoe, the family farm offers experiences such as alpaca and goat encounters, classes in making cheese and yogurt, flower picking, farm tours and farm stays.

At Apple Land Station in Thorndale, visitors can pick their own apples in the orchard, visit the fun farm, buy scratch-made pies at the bakery, and shop for pot pie, gourmet foods, home décor and gifts at the store.

Nature adventures and sweet indulgences in Perth County

Clara Leney, tourism officer at the Corporation of the County of Perth, says that area in Southwestern Ontario has always been a family-friendly destination. But nowadays, there are a lot more multigenerational families who are all living together and travelling together.

“For grandparents, parents and kids, [fall activities] are interactive for everybody, whether you want to experience the scenic beauty, get your hands dirty and pick out pumpkins, or go to a farm and pet some goats,” Leney says. “It can spark a lot of joy at any age and a lot of our activities are accessible to any generation.”

Located around two hours west of Toronto, Perth County is home to many scenic conservation areas. Wildwood Conservation Area, for example, features hiking and biking trails ranging in length from 1.2 kilometres to 25 kilometres.

“Wildwood Conservation Area is a really popular one for families,” Leney says. In addition to trails and camping, there are workshops and activities geared to all different age groups, she adds.

For those seeking sweet treats, Perth County has a bakery trail with more than a dozen stops in charming small towns, such as Anna Mae’s Bakery in Millbank and Country Roots Fresh Market in St. Marys.

More culinary adventures can be found at Applebottom Orchards in North Perth. Families can pick their own apples at this experiential orchard focused on food production, agriculture, education and community.

“There are also tons of opportunities for animal encounters in Perth County, which is always a hit with everybody,” Leney says. At The Perth Farmhouse in New Hamburg, visitors can meet miniature goats and enjoy wine, cider and snacks. At TLC Alpaca in Mitchell, visitors can take alpacas for a walk through the countryside.

Learning and exploring in Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is known for its awe-inspiring beauty and family-friendly activities.

“We’ve always been family oriented… but we are seeing more generations coming together,” says Mackenzie Rockbrune, communications co-ordinator at Niagara Parks.

A big attraction is Niagara Parks Power Station. “There’s really something for everyone,” Rockbrune says. “There are interactive exhibits for children to play and learn, as well as long-form copy and audio devices where people can learn about the history of the Power Station in Niagara Falls and how hydroelectric power started on the Canadian side.” The facility is fully accessible and wheelchairs are available for guests.

The White Water Walk is a quarter-mile boardwalk that runs along the shoreline of the Niagara River. An elevator takes people down 70 metres to Niagara Gorge’s base, where the self-guided boardwalk tour begins. People can immerse themselves in the roar of the Niagara River and observe stretches of white-water rapids from viewing platforms. Rockbrune says it’s a popular activity with families and it’s stroller friendly as well.

The Butterfly Conservatory features more than 2,000 free-flying butterflies in a tropical rainforest setting. “We have a lot of seniors that will explore the butterflies and tropical plants and then a lot of children will chase the butterflies inside the conservatory,” Rockbrune says. “It’s just a really good intergenerational family travel option.”

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