Intentionally immersed: 30 Transformative Travel experiences in South Eastern Ontario
Step beyond regular travel and be immersed in South Eastern Ontario! The region is full of ways to take part in Transformative Travel – grow, learn and stretch your travel wings in new ways. Reveal a new side of South Eastern Ontario by reconnecting with what it means to engage in the surroundings here! Read on for 30 hands-on travel experiences that will have you loving and learning in SEO.
Experinces in Prince Edward County
Equine Soul Session
This is a special on-farm mindfulness experience in Prince Edward County! Connect to calm with these gentle giants as teachers. Activities here include tree meditation, meeting the herd, journaling, reflective grooming of the horses, and more. Following the equine activities share a light meal of locally-made artisan salads, charcuterie, while sipping on a beverage.
County Epicurious
Artisanal wandering! Get off the beaten tourism path and take a walking tour while discovering local cuisine and hidden gems along the way. Choose between a culinary historic walking tour, guided through local eateries, cafes and heritage sites with chefs showcasing their creative dishes; or a wander from market to chef’s brunch, which takes in one of the oldest farmer’s markets in the province before revealing a hidden gem where a treasured local chef is waiting for you! Be sure to ask about Epicurious Boxes, too.
Base 31 Tours
Get your friends or group together and embark on a journey through the Base31 site, uncovering the rich history and exciting future of the restored and re-imagined buildings. From Behind the Scenes to History Tours, both self-guided and chauffeured, this place is alive with intriguing heritage, epic events and immersive experiences. Every Friday and Saturday night until November 2, 2024 grab a lantern and tour through Night Watch. Be transported into the nighttime world of illumination through 10 exhibits brought to life with lights, video projections, and a soundscape.
Experiences in Lennox & Addington County
Topsy Farms
Unique rural experiences from a Canadian Family farm, as well as 100% pure wool blankets, bedding, sheepskin products and more. This farm prioritizes stewardship of the land and harmony with nature above profit, raising happy sheep and creating happy customers. Topsy Farms welcomes visitors to the farm gate shop, The Wool Shed, and to seasonal activities. Look for the 2 km hiking trail to the Sugar Shack which is open all year through. There is even a kids scavenger hunt!
Experiences in the Bay of Quinte
Just Bee Cause Honey Farm
Look inside a beehive, learn about honey bee biology, life cycles, pollination and even hold a frame full of live honey bees! Can you spot the Queen of the hive? This apitourism adventure starts with a tour of the apiary in Plainfield, led by an experienced beekeeper. The amazing world of honey bees unfolds around you as you learn about their importance in the environment.
Toymaker Time Machine at Glanmore National Historic Site
Pull back the curtain and get a behind-the-scenes look at one of Ontario’s most historic homes by experiencing Toymaker Time Machine at Glanmore National Historic Site. See the museum’s prized antique toy collection and get exclusive access to areas of the museum that are normally off-limits to the public and don a toymaker apron to learn how to make your own antique toy replica to take home using tools from the era. Constructed in 1882, the former residence was named a National Historic Site in 1969.
Wynn Farms Flower Farm
Imagine being surrounded by 360 degrees of luscious and colourful blooms. That’s a reality at Wynn Farms – and guests can take home some of the serendipity through the farm’s bouquet and Field and Vase experience. Learn about the flowers and be inspired by the passion of farmer and co-owner Sarah Wynn, as she accompanies guests on a walk through the flower fields. During summer and fall months create your own beautiful mason-jar arrangement on site and then wonder at the vast sunflower fields and enjoy a picnic of carefully curated local-food charcuterie at your own pace. It all combines for an epic day!
Look for other impressive experiences in Bay of Quinte!
Experiences in Kingston
Afternoon Tea at Secret Garden Inn
A delight for the senses! Kingston’s boutique urban retreat is ready to immerse you in a time-honoured tradition of Victorian Afternoon Tea. Think house-made cakes, scones, petit fours and bubbly, served on tiered cake stands made by a local blacksmith and potter. Reservations required.
Glow Spa Retreat Kingston
Enhance your wellbeing at this indoor experience featuring a large hydrotherapy hot tub, soothing sauna, steam room and cold plunge pool. Offering a holistic wellness journey, Glow Spa Retreat leaves you refreshed and revitalized. Couple it with a massage or facial and reap the full reward of distressing.
Kingston Food Tours
Fall in love with Kingston on a fun, educational and delicious tour! Kingston Food Tours provides a walking tour of the city’s hip and historic downtown that blends tastings at local restaurants with a specialized insider tour of the city. With a passion for food and travel, Kingston Food Tours focuses on farmers, restaurants, artisans and unique shops that make Kingston a thriving foodie haven.
Tett Centre
The Tett is a true arts hub. It’s home to arts organizations, Creativity Studio Artists, and includes Cultural Creativity Workshops, Kids Creativity Club, Open Studios, school of dance and even a mineral club. The Tett Centre originally formed part of the Morton Brewery and Distillery Company, which was built in the mid-19th century and renovated but the city five years ago. Stop by to see it all in action and to participate in an arts session or two.
Improbable Escapes
Enchanting collaborative games, intriguing entertainment - perfect for all ages! Improbable Escapes has indoor, outdoor, and online games, where each experience is uniquely different. For indoor games, choose between two locations: Improbable Escapes HQ offers games inspired by movies, while Improbable Escapes Wonderland includes games inspired by fairytales and storybooks. The games are known for taking set design and theming to the next level! Enter a world of puzzlement and possibility, expertly immersive and over-the-moon creative.
Experiences in Frontenac County
Big Sandy Bay
The likeness of a tropical island right in Frontenac County! Big Sandy Bay is known as extraordinarily beautiful and an ecological jewel with white sand dunes and clear blue water of Lake Ontario out to the open horizon. Feel the sand in your toes on this long secluded beach on Wolfe Island perfect for rejuvenating and relaxing. The entrance fee required for visiting the beach is cash only – and there is a 1.3 km walking trail from the parking lot to get to the beach itself. Keep an eye out for birds and wildlife, here too - Big Sandy Bay Conservation Area is also home to nationally vulnerable species.
Experiences in Rideau Canal 1000 Islands Waterways
Stone Manor Studios Newboro
Inspiration can be found at Stone Manor Studios in Newboro. Offering a setting for exploring passions and discovering new talents, Stone Manor Studios is located in a renovated carriage house which has been repurposed as an exclusive art studio – all on the grounds of an 1860s stone manor house in the picturesque village of Newboro. Find the right workshops for you: whether a beginner or veteran artist the Studio holds promise of learning creatively and new artistic beginnings!
Helping with the Harvest
Volunteers assemble every fall to help several vineyards in South Eastern Ontario harvest their grapes! Scheuermann Vineyard & Winery in Rideau Lakes and Green Gables Vines Winery near Oxford Station typically welcome community help each fall. Dates change each year depending on harvest timelines, but keep an eye on their social media for a call out. Some require advance registration, but most offer a tasting or bottle of wine to take home for your efforts!
Equine Experiential Learning at Rideau Breeze Stables and Wellness
No horse experience is required, but you will gain so much. Sessions are mostly outdoors, up to 90 minutes for one-on-one, or two hours for couples. Kathy Moffatt and her healing methodology offers workshops and retreats combining horse connection with other energetic modalities such as sound bathing, reiki, energy healing, yoga, forest bathing and more!
Pure Lotus Wellness Retreat Kemptville
Rest and renew here, find healing and relaxation! Holistic sessions, private healing day retreats, or group sessions help bring peace and balance. Look for energy and reiki shares as well as Mystic Fire Circle Group Psychic Readings and find yourself around a bonfire with Psychic Medium, Carrie-Leigh Stockwell, receiving channeled message from spirit to partake in energy exercises like meditations, burning ceremonies and roasting marshmallows!
Ship watching at the Prescott Port of Call
See and identify big ships on the Seaway! The Port of Call in Prescott in the The RiverWalk District offers an exciting vantage point to watch St. Lawrence Seaway shipping traffic. Stop by the Visitor Centre at 202 King Street West for resources to help you identify the passing ships and learn more about the history of the shipping trade in Prescott!
Wintergreen Studios
This off-grid education and retreat centre situated on 200 acres of woodlands inspires people to live harmoniously and become more resilient. Look for special occasions to experience this unique and thoughtful wilderness property and its buildings like equinox and solstice labyrinth walks, open houses and biodiversity events, workshops, music, herbal medicines, and even creative writing sessions.
Nature’s Element Wellness
Reset and restore balance with this serene retreat experience featuring a thermal spa and nature-based wellness activities. Look for a complimentary meditation each Friday morning and evening Fire and Ice events, as well as yoga, breathwork, forest bathing and sound baths - all set in harmony with nature’s beauty. Nourish your soul!
Stealing the Bloom Farm Tours
Take part in an immersive and educational experience to get a firsthand glimpse into the workings of small-scale agriculture! Meet the animals and learn about biodynamic gardening, rotational grazing, animal husbandry, farm systems, and more.
Experiences in 1000 Islands Gananoque
1000 Islands Helicopter Tours
Soar like a bird in a 1000 Islands Helicopter Tour! Feel the excitement and become mesmerized by the richness and beauty of the 1000 Islands only seen from the air. Watch as the river and lush landscape fan out below – even see world-famous Boldt Castle from above! A unique way to connect to the region offering new perspectives.
Have a donkey day
Visit the friendly donkeys at Berry Homestead Farm near Lyndhurst for an unforgettable, caring farm experience! Book ahead for your donkey experience: brush them and learn about the donkeys – they will even pose for pictures. A soothing activity during times of stress, Berry Homestead Farm is open for visits, mediation with the donkeys and workshops.
1000 Islands Kayaking
Weave among the grand islands with 1000 Islands Kayaking for an unparalleled 1000 Islands experience. Perfect for those looking for an adventure, 1000 Islands Kayaking has all the equipment and instruction you need to set off. Share an intimate guided tour of the islands by kayak to explore the magnificence in a new way. Check out the intriguing channels of the Thousand Islands and find something to fascinate you around every bend: sunken ships, historic castles, and a landscape steeped in history.
Experiences in Brockville
The Brockville Railway Tunnel
Walk through history at the Brockville Railway Tunnel! Canada’s first railway tunnel is brought to life every day with a colourful light and sound show. Stroll through this piece of history and be amazed at the remarkable example of Canada’s pre-Confederation industrial heritage dating back to 1860. Open seasonally.
Maison Maitland
Experience an authentic cooking class on the banks of the St. Lawrence River at the lux Maison Maitland Cooking School & Villas. Maison Maitland offers a wide array of classes led by owner and experienced chef, Cynthia Peters. Spend an afternoon cooking and learning new skills in the kitchen before enjoying your gourmet meal on the terrace or in the dining room. Join a scheduled cooking class or book privately with your crew for an intimate culinary experience.
Experiences in SDG Counties
Step back in time
History is alive at the engaging Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg where everyday life in the 1860s is re-enacted in meticulous detail. Inspire awe at the village’s authentic buildings and activities, farming methods and costumes.
Upper Canada Creamery Tours
Did you know that the Upper Canada Creamery offers group tours? Experience a unique farm to fridge tour through our open greenhouse-style barn, a visit to the pasture to see the cows and learn about our organic farming practices and then visit the new rotary milking parlour following the milk trail from the parlour to the Creamery. Lastly, inside the creamery, learn the process as well as marketing, retailing and of course sampling the product. A unique behind-the-scenes look!
Harvest time experiences
Connect with local growers and food by picking your own apples, pumpkins and more in season. Experience Avonmore Berry Farms with wagon rides, a play structure, hay mow and photo props, and the market store - it’s a great day for the family. Make sure you grab a pie on your way out; open daily until October 31. Mountain Orchards is another go-to where families can pick many varieties of apples and then enjoy fun activities like wagon rides, corn maze, straw jump, playground, and forest trails.
In the springtime, visit a local sugarhouse to watch sugaring in action. Enjoy the sweet taste of maple syrup made right before your eyes at Sand Roads Maple Farm. During the syrup season you can learn about the process of making maple syrup, enjoy a horse drawn sleigh ride through 75 acres of mature sugar bush, and warm up with a serving of warm pancakes. A pure Canadian heritage experience!
Looking for more hands-on or healing activities that incorporate our animal friends in the region? Peek at our blog about experiences with furry friends.
South Eastern Ontario is a mecca for unique travel experiences that allow visitors to connect to local stories through participation and interaction!