29 Summer Date Ideas In South Eastern Ontario
Chill out with your special someone and do summer dates differently! In South Eastern Ontario there are memorable and safe experiences to leave you both smiling at the fun you can have together. See how many you can check off this summer!
Please visit each location’s website, or connect with their staff via email and telephone, for updates on COVID-19 procedures and operations.
Kingston
1. Kingston PumpHouse
Kingston’s first waterworks in operation for 99 years, now serves as an innovative public museum! Look for a new exhibition here when it opens for the season – and a continuation of fantastic programming. Private, curated family experiences were popular here last year, with exclusive programs guided by a highly-trained museum staff member. Nothing like learning a few new tidbits about the city and its history during a date!
2. Kingston Trolley Tours
Learn about Kingston’s remarkable history and see the city’s most popular sites from an iconic red trolley! Cuddle up to your partner and enjoy the one-hour guided trolley tour through the downtown that showcases Kingston’s heritage dating over 300 years. Guaranteed you’ll both learn something new!
3. Walkable Kingston
Grab a coffee and put on your comfy shoes for a hand-in-hand stroll around Kingston. The city is conducive to getting around on foot and is ripe for exploring! Between Lake Ontario Park, Sydenham Ward, the waterfront pathway, Barriefield Village and Portsmouth Village, there is lots to discover.
4. Take A Hike, Kingston
Get outside! After being cooped up all winter, discovering a new trail and spending time in the woods connecting with your special someone is rejuvenating for relationships. Get adventurous and lace up to enjoy trails with scenic lookouts, and hidden gems like out-of-the-way beaches.
1000 Islands Gananoque
5. Trail Ride With Fort Garry Stables
Now that’s a fun summer idea – horsing around with your date! Take a leisurely trail ride through the backcountry of the 1000 Islands region with Fort Garry Stables. Their hour-long, hands-on horseback rides will give you an overview of equestrian care, as well as all the equipment required. The groups are private and accommodate any riding comfort level from beginner to expert!
6. Soar Into Summer
Take a romantic helicopter ride over the breathtaking 1000 Islands. Tours are private to your group and will take you flying high over the islands and world famous Boldt Castle on Heart Island. Many people have gotten engaged on a helicopter tour, high above the St. Lawrence River and the lush islands. Fly first-class always!
7. Hiking In The Islands
The 1000 Islands region is home to some amazing trail systems with eye-opening beauty. There are trails for every adventure type including accessibility trails to ensure that everyone gets a chance to get outside and enjoy the weather.
Frontenac County
8. Lace Up And Take On Frontenac Provincial Park
Set your course for adventure! Frontenac Provincial Park offers more than 100 km of hiking and backpacking trails in interconnected loops. Get back to nature with intriguing trail features to see along the way like beaver ponds, century old remains of homesteads and even abandoned mica mines. Trail lengths and difficulty vary; be sure to plan ahead. If you need help preparing, get in touch with Walt at Firefly Adventures who will create an amazing wilderness experience for you and your date.
9. Frontenac K&P Trail
Explore the wilds of Frontenac – and it’s small towns – on the K& P Trail. This mixed use trail passes through several communities on its way to Sharbot Lake and further. It’s a fully developed stone dust rail-trail that is also part of the The Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail). It’s a wonderful way to explore rural villages like Harrowsmith, Tichbourne and more while partaking in some outdoor time with a loved one. Check out this virtual tour of the trail through Frontenac!
Brockville
10. Book A Private Museum Tour
Is your special someone a local history buff? This is the perfect date option! The Brockville Museum is currently booking private tours for up to five people. Dive into Brockville and 1000 Islands heritage through professional interpretive exhibits and have a tour guide all to yourself to answer questions along the way. Tours are available hourly and visitors must book in advance.
11. Cruise Into Spring
Hop aboard a 1000 Islands & Seaway Cruise and set off for a day on the water. Departing from Brockville’s waterfront in the city’s historic Downtown District, visitors see legendary sights on the water with intriguing stories. The 1000 Islands are a feast for the eyes – get on board! Please refer to the website for up-to-date booking information.
12. Tempt Your Taste Buds and Stroll The Waterfront – Prescott
Prescott’s pubs beckon! Indulge in dinner at O’Heaphy’s or the Red George Pub followed by a romantic, moonlit stroll along Prescott’s RiverWalk Park. If daytime is your thing, enjoy a lunch date at Katarina’s outdoor patio followed by a picturesque walk along the river to discover spring blooms in Shakespeare’s Gardens, which is part of the 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail.
13. Share A Blanket Under The Stars – Prescott
Create your own evening to remember! Get romantic and share a blanket, bottle of local wine and delicious wood fired pizza take out from the Prescott Turkish Restaurant under the stars and watch the ships passing by on the St. Lawrence River. Extra points for practicing some constellation names before you go!
Bay of Quinte
14. Bird Is The Word
Get a pair of binoculars and do something to chirp about! Birding in the Bay of Quinte is an exciting hobby that is growing by leaps and bounds during the pandemic. Bay of Quinte is a dream spot for ornithologists as it has so many natural spots – more than 10 conservation areas! Take the 5th anniversary Bay of Quinte Discovery Guide outside and try spotting some birds in the wild.
Lennox and Addington
15. Stars In Their Eyes
Want to be Lance Romance? Book in for dinner at the Waterfront River Pub & Terrace in Napanee and then drive up to the Lennox & Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area. Bring some lawn chairs, cuddle under a blanket and be prepared to be awed by the night sky. Rediscover the night sky as it looked 100 years ago at the most southerly dark sky night viewing area in the province. Extend your stay by enjoying a night away at Bon Echo Suites in nearby Tamworth. It’s a summer date night for the books!
16. Pedal Into Their Heart
Tired of the same old, same old? Rewrite your go-to date ideas and rent bikes to discover island beauty on two wheels! Take a fun ferry ride over to Amherst Island and search out Amherst Island Bicycle Rental for daily, hourly and group rates. Helmets are even included in the rental to make things super easy. Amherst Island itself is a favourite cycling destination known for its scenic, unpaved roads, as well as its artisans, birdwatching, music, and beach. Explore at your own pace while making memories with your special someone.
Rideau Canal
17. Get Active Outdoors In Westport
Start the day playing a round at the Evergreen Golf Course in late spring where there’s a two-for-one spring special on green fees. Then head up to Foley Mountain Conservation Area to have a picnic lunch. Enjoy hiking trails and spectacular lookouts over the water and the Village of Westport. See beaver hard at work in the pond or even dip your toes in Upper Rideau Lake at the natural swimming area. The day is yours!
18. Fall In Love With This Small Town Gem
Spend the day in Merrickville, where charm, history, and creativity are melded into one along the Rideau Canal. The result is one of the most memorable villages you’ll ever explore. Make a day of it and start by walking a trail that loops through natural and historical surroundings – spy osprey, painted turtles, and even a 100-year-old cedar forest! Get mouth-water takeout from one of the unique restaurants or food trucks in the village then spread out a blanket and enjoy a picnic at the beach along the Rideau Canal or sit in the Blockhouse Park Gazebo to take in more nature. Push off in a kayak or canoe at the beach after lunch and experiencing locking through an internationally recognized World Heritage Site. Take a walking tour of the Merrickville Lock Station to learn more about the fascinating history here and how it all works. Finish the day with some shopping and visiting historic houses in the village with the historical society’s self-guided walking tour.
Your day won’t be complete without this one-of-a-kind farm experience: snuggling with goats. At Chatterfield Farm The Goat House Shop & Apothecary near Merrickville, visit the barnyard to get and give affection to the resident goats. Have you ever cuddled with baby goats? Guaranteed smiles for days! Be sure to ask about booking the special Goat Therapy Lunch, where you and your date can spend an hour playing with the goats, sitting with them, and feeding them treats – and then enjoy a farm lunch served to you. Visit the shop to take home goat milk soap or natural body products!
Prince Edward County
19. See Some Feathered Friends
Prince Edward County is known as a birding paradise for the rare and wonderful species found there. Typically, the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory welcomes visitors as they participate in migration and banding programs, but this season comes with restrictions, of course. Instead, take along a birding map of the county and plan a day seeing how many of the birds you encounter.
20. Enjoy A Cold Craft Beer On A Patio
Sounds pretty good, am I right? County breweries are where it’s at this summer, and it’s the perfect time for you and your date to explore and discover your new fav. Gillingham Brewing offers seven rotating taps featuring unique brew styles inspired from all over the world: IPAs, ales, lagers, and porters. As if that isn’t enough incentive to go immediately, its outdoor beer garden and fire pit area overlooks acres of vineyard. Slake Brewing also boasts some pretty sweet views so your eyes can feast on panoramas of the County while your mouth gets treated to easy-drinking lagers and ales. Lastly, relax, sip and savour at Parsons Brewing Company which incorporates a beautiful bottleshop and taproom. Find hand-crafted beers at this family-owned and operated, County-proud brewery.
21. Bee Curious: Farm Stand Or Adventure?
See the world through a bee’s eyes! Interactive and immersive experience about how complex colonies pollinate our food. Taste seasonal honey, make a balm and play in the dirt. What an amazing date day idea. Several times a week, guests also have the option of adding a County-proud charcuterie-forward brunch.
22. Stand Out From The Herd
A unique agri-enriched date idea that will leave you better for the experience! Visit the beautiful Farm 77 where you’ll get a sense for herding and shearing sheep, carding, categorizing and spinning wool. Enjoy a meal outdoors on the back lane!
23. Ignite Your Spirit With Horses
Slow down and discover a new world at Heal with Horses with your special someone. Experience therapeutic programming using horses and small social animals. Their human-interactive animal therapy is available for individuals looking for personal growth and spirituality, as well as those struggling with neuro-psychiatric conditions, mental illness and physical disabilities. Guests walk back to a clearing in the woods where they’ll be introduced to a tree meditation and horse activities.
24. Alpacas Unplugged
Noble Beast Farms has the quirkiest date ideas yet! Set out on an extraordinary trek and tour, sharing the alpaca love. Bookings are now open for the farm’s 2021 program starting in June. Disconnect from the everyday and reconnect with nature in this half day immersive farm experience. Plenty of alpaca time, encouragement for learning how the farm works and giving back to the land, interspersed with creativity and a chance to make something to take home.
Cornwall SDG Counties
25. A New Way To Tour The Waterfront
New on the scene and ready to mingle! Experience a different date night and be one of the first to take a Waterfront Tour. These tours are human-powered by a guide in a velo-tour cab taking you on a magical journey along Cornwall’s beautiful waterfront. Combine your tour with dinner at one of Cornwall’s restaurants to make it an outing to remember!
26. Share The Love Of Food
This is our kind of date night – Cornwall Food Tours is all about showcasing amazing food in Cornwall. The tours highlight the best spots in Cornwall to grab a great bite to eat, learn some interesting history and most of all have fun! Sign us up!
27. Couples That Create Together…
If you and your S/O are beginner creatives or even if you’re looking to level up your art game, then Priest’s Mill Arts Centre in Alexandria will be your new haven. With classes in stained glass, glassblowing and much more, this arts education and exhibition space strives to support and promote regional artists. Book an art class for the most inspiring experience!
28. Lock Up Date Night Plans
Want to impress on the cheap? Grab a coffee and go to the Iroquois Lock to watch the ships going through. Iroquois Lock is one of five short canals on the Seaway system, including 15 locks which are filled and emptied by gravity. The locks make up the world’s most spectacular lift system, with ships measuring up to 225.5 metres in length are routinely raised as high as a 60-storey building to above sea level. That’s something to see!
29. Beer Is Fun
Get your craft on! Craft beer, that is. Wood Brothers Brewery is a small batch farm brewery on 65 acres of rolling countryside in Glen Robertson. These quality and hop-forward beers have earned a loyal following for a reason. Check online for taproom hours and enjoy speciality batch suds with your date.
No matter where you go in South Eastern Ontario for a date there are so many special experiences that will create lasting memories. Unique times spent outdoors, on farms, with food and drink, and reconnecting with nature are sure to give you both something to look forward to this summer.