So long, summer! The temps are slowly dropping, and we wait all year long to fill our bellies with pumpkin pie and apple cider. Here are 9 activities to make the most of fall in the Bay of Quinte.
As you go out and about on your next adventure, please keep it up with physical distancing (6 ft or 2 m) and good hand hygiene! Check out Hastings-Prince Edward Public Health and check with individual businesses about updated COVID protocols.
Explore A Corn Maze
Have an a-maize-ing (a-maze-ing! amazing!) time and choose your path wisely as you make your way through a corn maze. Local businesses come up with awesome designs to make the adventure different every year (how awesome is the one below?!). Cricklewood Farm in Brighton even supports a local organization each year with proceeds from the maze admission fees! You can also weave your way through the maze at Campbell’s Orchards.
Follow along with each biz on social media to see when the mazes will open!
Pop By the Pumpkin Patch
Pick the perfect pumpkin for your porch at a nearby pumpkin patch! (Then say that five times fast.) This annual fall tradition is a sure sign that summer is behind us. Keep an eye on Cricklewood Farms in Brighton or Crews Country Market in Quinte West for updates on when pumpkins will be ready.
Do It Al Fresco
Patio season doesn’t end when September arrives! It’s still Al Fresco season in Belleville’s Downtown District. Be a part of it on:
- Twilight Thursdays, where shops are open later
- Music In The Air Fridays, with live music along Front Street
- Saturday Breakfast Club, so you can grab a coffee, croissant or crêpe this weekend
Go For A Paddle
The evenings are getting chillier, but the days are still plenty warm for some fun out on the water. Mindful Movements Studio is offering SUP for kids, or you can rent paddle boards, canoes and kayaks at the Trenton Rowing & Paddling Club.
Explore the Outdoors
Pick up an Activity Bucket from the Nature Centre at Presqu’ile and become a nature explorer at the park! The buckets include a net, collection jars and info sheets to keep track of all the cool stuff you find.
Here in the BoQ, we’re also spoiled with beautiful hiking spots. Catch all of the beautiful fall colours on your next trip to the great outdoors! Check out our blog for suggestions on where to take a hike.
Shop at All Three Farmers’ Markets
Bushels of apples, piles of pumpkins, baked goods packed with cinnamon and spice — there’s no doubt that autumn is here at our local farmers’ markets! Growers and producers are finding ways to get us the season’s freshest produce, flowers and homemade treats with new safety measures in place. Find out below how you can get the (local) goods in Belleville, Brighton and Quinte West on our guide to shopping farmers’ markets during COVID-19.
Reel In Some Fun
In a boat or from the shore, there’s no shortage of places to try fishing around here! Check out our blog for more fishing fun:
Tips for Fishing With Kids
Kayak Fishing on the Trent-Severn Waterway
Shore Fishing on the Moira River
Sip The Harvest
The summer is a busy time to visit nearby wineries, so why not schedule your next trip during the slower fall months? See for yourself what all the buzz is about, and check out our list of featured breweries, cideries and wineries in the region.
Pick Apples
Did you know it takes about 4 apples to make a glass of pure apple juice? #applefacts
Depending on the week, local farms, orchards and country markets will have different sorts of seasonal goodies ready to pick (and eat!). Here are a few local places to explore with your social bubble:
Apple Gates Orchard
Campbell’s Orchards
Cheer Farms
Coates Orchards
Crews Country Market
Cricklewood Farm
Dunnett Orchards
Grills Orchards (order ahead, no PYO this year)
McCaw Farms
Keep in mind that your annual trip to the orchard will be a bit different this year. Farms like Cricklewood are sanitizing shared surfaces and asking visitors to use hand sanitizer before entering the orchard, maintain physical distancing and wear a mask while indoors. Check with each business to see what COVID-19 protocols they have in place.
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