Whether you are looking for a family-friendly experience, outdoor adventure, an exploratory road trip, or peaceful relaxation, there’s a version of The Kawarthas the fits your style.
To help you find it, Peterborough County Tourism has designed four traveller personas — The Otter, The Bear, The Fox, and The Bee — that highlight different ways to experience The Kawarthas based on what you enjoy, what inspires you, and how you like to spend your time while you’re visiting this region. To discover your traveller persona, complete the quiz at thekawarthas.ca/quiz/.
This story is for Bees — cultural travellers who go from place to place, eager to collect and share every story they find. Seeking authentic experiences, Bees enjoy local food and are drawn to culturally rich destinations such as museums and arts events, as well as destinations that reflect Indigenous voices and perspectives. Bees want to learn about the people and the stories that make The Kawarthas more than just a place to visit.
Here are some not-to-be-missed destinations to travel like a Bee in The Kawarthas.
EXPLORE
4th Line Theatre
Experience Canada’s cultural heritage like you never have before by taking in an outdoor play at 4th Line Theatre in the Township of Cavan Monaghan.
Founded in 1993 by Robert Winslow on his family’s rustic fifth-generation farm just outside Millbrook, the not-for-profit theatre company presents original plays about Canadians written by Canadians, sharing little-known small-town stories or national sagas that have a local connection.
Every summer, 4th Line Theatre brings regional rural history and culture to life on the barnyard stage at Winslow Farm with two plays that feature large casts of both professional actors and community volunteer actors of all ages.
Performances run throughout July and August every year, staged from Tuesdays through Saturdays at 6 p.m. To learn more and to order tickets, visit 4thlinetheatre.on.ca.
Rice Lake Arts
Discover the artist in you at Rice Lake Arts — “where art and nature meet.”
Located east of Bailieboro on a five-acre property in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan, Rice Lake Arts is home to a dedicated creative space where expert-led workshops are held throughout the summer. From storytelling and improv to stone and wood carving to craft and design, there’s always something to learn whether you’re an experienced artist or just looking for a creative outlet.
When workshops are running, visitors are also invited to stroll through the grounds, rolling hills, and sculpture gardens for a tranquil experience.
Rice Lake Arts is only open to the public for workshops on specific dates. Check the workshop schedule at www.ricelakearts.ca for opening dates and times.
Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Learn about 19th-century settler life in The Kawarthas by visiting Lang Pioneer Village Museum in the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan.
At the living history museum located on 25 acres on the banks of the historic Indian River in Keene, costumed interpreters will welcome you into over 30 restored and furnished historic buildings constructed between the 1820s and 1910, as well as several replica buildings.
You can visit a working grist mill from 1846, a weaver shop, a blacksmith shop, a carpenter shop, a tinsmith shop, a schoolhouse, a hotel and general store, and more, with costumed interpreters showing you how settlers lived with demonstrations of traditional chores, trades, and pastimes.
Find out how settlers interacted with the region’s Indigenous peoples by visiting the Aabnaabin Camp and the “Aabnaabin: Looking Back to Where We Come From” exhibit, a partnership with Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations.
Lang Pioneer Village Museum also hosts workshops, presentations, and special events throughout the year, including the Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show, Transportation Day Car & Motorcycle Show, Applefest, Spooky All Hallows’ Eve, and Christmas by Candlelight
To find out more, visit www.langpioneervillage.ca.
High Spring Trading Post
Step into a frontier town from the 1800s at High Spring Trading Post on Highway 7 in the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen.
Located east of Havelock, this unique shopping destination offers an Instagram-worthy exterior — complete with a saloon, barbershop, mercantile, and jailhouse — that will have you pretending you’re in one of your favourite Western films.
Inside, you’ll find an eclectic variety of Canadian-made leather products including moccasins, wallets, belts, jackets, canteens, and more, as well as jewellery. You can even find custom-made saddles and chaps, and High Spring Trading Post can also repair your existing leather products.
To learn more, visit www.highspringtradingpost.com.
Wiigwaas Crafts Supplies & Gifts
Pick up some authentic Indigenous craft supplies and traditional medicinal tea at Wiigwaas Crafts Supplies & Gifts.
The Indigenous-owned shop is located in Hiawatha First Nation, on the north shore of Rice Lake adjacent to the Township of Otonabee-South Monaghan.
Open Tuesday through Sunday, Wiigwaas Crafts Supplies & Gifts is stocked with supplies used in Indigenous crafts, including beads, buckskin, drum kits, and more, as well as a wide range of gift items. The store also carries a large variety of traditional medicines/teas and salves that the Miississaugii people have used for many hundreds of years.
Plan your trip around a craft workshop at the store, where you can pick up a new skill while learning more about Hiawatha First Nation.
Find out more by visiting Wiigwaas Crafts Supplies and Gifts on Facebook.
Vintage Inspired
Whether you’re an antique hunter or looking for a one-of-a-kind Canadian-made souvenir during your travels, you’ll find it at Vintage Inspired in the Township of Asphodel-Norwood.
Located in the heart of Norwood, Vintage Inspired combines the past and the present by offering a curated collection of vintage and antique items along with modern-day home and cottage décor, gifts, textiles, dishware, and bath and body products.
Vintage Inspired has been supporting Canadian small businesses for more than 40 years, and you’ll discover a wide range of Canadian-made artisanal products including urban folk art, seed paper cards, hand-poured soy candles, all-natural handcraft soaps, and much more.
For more information, visit www.vintageinspired.ca.
EAT
The Grape and Wedge
Twin sisters and a love of The Kawarthas are behind The Grape and Wedge, a gourmet food shop and deli located in Apsley in the Township of North Kawartha.
Sit down and enjoy freshly made meals, artisan sandwiches and wraps, soups, salads, and other daily specials and charcuterie options, or fill your picnic basket for the road — and don’t forget to include some baked goods. Take a taste of The Kawarthas home with you by stocking up on gourmet groceries (including gluten-free and dairy-free products), home essentials, and gift baskets.
You can even book a private wine and cheese tasting event at your home or cottage, where you and your family and friends will learn how to pair artisan cheeses and charcuterie with wine and beer from Canada and around the world.
Visit thegrapeandwedge.ca for more details, including menus and upcoming special events.
Chemong Lodge
Enjoy a gourmet meal during your travels in The Kawarthas while connecting with locals at Chemong Lodge in Selwyn Township.
Overlooking Chemong Lake, the historic family-owned restaurant in Bridgenorth is popular among residents and visitors alike. That’s because there’s always something happening at Chemong Lodge, from weekly Thursday pub nights and regular live music to the famous Sunday brunch buffet and special annual events, including the annual Oyster & BBQ Festival, Margaritaville, Lobsterfest, and more.
Regular visitors can join The Lodge Club, which offers members complimentary VIP access to special annual events and parties, free food on pub nights, discounts on catering, complimentary use of the meeting space at Chemong Lodge, and more.
As for the food, the menu by renowned Chef Gregory Couillard offers authentic smoked BBQ and a variety of dishes using locally sourced seasonal ingredients, with many grown on site.
To learn more and make a reservation, visit www.chemonglodge.com.
The Peddler
Experience a small-town bistro with a visit to The Peddler in historic downtown Millbrook, a charming and picturesque town in the Township of Cavan Monaghan that has served as the backdrop for many movies and television shows.
The Peddler is a community hub not only for Millbrook residents but for visitors as well, including cyclists on a popular cycling route who stop to refuel. In 2021, the Ontario By Bike network named The Peddler as one of the best bicycle-friendly businesses in The Kawarthas.
Best known for its pastries, coffees, soups, and breakfast and lunch menus, The Peddler recently expanded their hours to offer dinner as well.
Open seven days a week, The Peddler has an internationally trained chef who serves globally inspired meals made with local ingredients. With rotating specials and regular live music and other special events, a visit to The Peddler will give you plenty of stories to share when you get back home.
To learn more and view the menu, visit www.thepeddler.ca.
STAY
Lake Edge Cottages
A trip to The Kawarthas wouldn’t be complete without a stay at a cozy cottage on one of the region’s many stunning lakes, and that’s what you will find at Lake Edge Cottages in the Township of Douro-Dummer.
Nestled in a 12-acre forested property on the shores of Katchewanooka Lake, Lake Edge Cottages offers one-bedroom and two-bedroom cottages (some with private hot tubs) at competitive rates, along with boat rentals, a captained sunset cruise on the lake, a library, pool or lake swimming, hiking and biking trails, and more.
Lake Edge Cottages is not your typical cottage resort. The award-winning family-owned business is committed to sustainability and preserving the natural environment, including by using solar panels to generate green energy, offering guests free use of an electric vehicle charger, composting and collecting rain water for use on its gardens, naturalizing the shoreline to allow native plants to flourish and to provide a habitat for wildlife, and much more.
Lake Edge Cottages is also committed to ensuring memorable stays for all of its guests with exceptional service and experiences, as well as by creating inclusive spaces where both guests and their pets feel right at home. Pets are not only welcome, but celebrated — in fact, all the cottages boast pet-themed names like “Puppy Love” and “Cat Tails.”
To learn more or to book your stay, visit www.lakeedge.com.
The Trace on Oak Lake
Rest and rejuvenate during your travels in The Kawarthas with a stay at The Trace on Oak Lake, a wellness-centred resort in the Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen.
Located 20 kilometres north of Havelock on a stunning five-acre property with 1,100 feet of waterfront on the shores of Oak Lake, The Trace on Oak Lake offers private cabins and spacious chalets ranging from rustic to luxurious.
With its focus on wellness, The Trace on Oak Lake offers lakeside yoga classes, as well as a sauna, a cold plunge, and an outdoor gym. Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards are available for guests to explore the lake, with boat rentals also available for those who want to spend the day fishing or just cruising the lake with friends.
The Trace on Oak Lake is an adults-only resort during the summer months, although children are welcome during the shoulder season. Dogs are welcome at all times, with a cleaning fee.
To learn more or book your stay, visit thetrace.ca.
Connect with Mobile Visitor Services during your travels in The Kawarthas
When you’re travelling in The Kawarthas, keep your eye out for Peterborough County’s Mobile Visitor Services. Their team will be popping up at events and attractions throughout the eight townships in Peterborough County.
Share your traveller persona by email with tourism@ptbocounty.ca or through Facebook or Instagram @TheKawarthas and you can connect with the Mobile Visitor Services team when you’re on the road and pick up a free water bottle and UV-coated and water-resistant stickers branded with your traveller persona.
Not only will your family get unique keepsakes, but you will also have the opportunity to learn from knowledgeable local ambassadors, receive personalized recommendations, and get insider tips for making the most of your experience in The Kawarthas.
To see where the Mobile Visitor Services team is popping up this summer, check the listings at thekawarthas.ca/findus/.
This story is one of a four-part series created in partnership with the Peterborough County Tourism and Communications Division.
Drawing on national research from the Canadian Tourism Data Collective’s Traveller Segmentation Program, Peterborough County Tourism has identified four visitor profiles that represent the typical travellers who come to The Kawarthas.
Known as traveller personas, each draws its name from wildlife that inhabit the natural landscape of The Kawarthas: The Otter, The Bear, The Fox, and The Bee. Which one are you? Find out by completing the quiz at thekawarthas.ca/quiz/.
The Otter – All Trails Lead Home
The Otter is a purposeful traveller, looking to find meaning in every place they pass by and every face they see on the journey. For the Otter, it is important to move as a unit, because experiences mean more when they’re shared, and memories are more vividly recalled when filled with ones to love.
The Bear – Rest While You Roam
The Bear is a wise, lumbering traveller, understanding that to really know a place, one needs to stop and breathe it in. Appreciating every berry and butterfly around them, they carve out joy from the simplicity of calm days, good food, and beautiful views. In a world of speed, a Bear sees the world for what it is — imperfect, but entirely incomparable.
The Fox – Brave the Unknown
The Fox is an adaptive traveller, ambitious in each new adventure. Their determined spirit means every problem has twice as many solutions. If there can be found a hill to climb, The Fox will climb it. If there exists a gorge to cross, The Fox will be there to leap it. For every great story, you can be sure. A Fox will be behind it.
The Bee – Sweet as Honeycomb
Like moving from flower to flower, Bees make certain to learn from every place and pollinate the next with stories they have collected. For a Bee, it is vital to share the most vast and wonderful parts of the world with every new person they may meet.
