12 Places to Visit in Ontario This Fall (+ Why They’re Worth it in Fall)
Ontario is beautiful in fall, and you can enjoy spectacular fall colours just about anywhere in our province. Some places though, offer a special experience during the fall months that makes them a bit more worth it to go out of your way to see.
I’m not going to tell you why these are great places in general, but why they’re particularly special in fall specifically. Not just reasons like ‘it looks pretty in fall” because almost everywhere in our gorgeous province is pretty at this time of year. Here are some great places to actually go out of your way to visit in Ontario during fall in particular.
1. Niagara on the Lake
Downtown Niagara on the Lake is gorgeous in fall, and some of the places have special decorations. The Olde Angel Inn does special Halloween decorations inside and outside their restaurant. The old court house downtown was draped with red poppines last year for Remembrance Day, and maybe they will do it again this year.
The many mature trees that Niagara on the Lake has means lots of grown in foliage. The wineries in Niagara are in their harvest season which means you may see some of the actual grape making in action. It would be a great time to do a wine tour to be able to witness part of the process. If you walk out into the vineyards, its also the time of year where you’d see the large ripe grapes hanging from the vines.
Niagara on the Lake also run really good ghost tours (we did one last year), although its a thing to do anytime of year, its especially fitting leading up Halloween and even after. The Prince of Wales hotel is a vintage hotel with a haunted and eerie feel to it, and I’d recommend their Afternoon Tea there which has delicious food, tea and baked goods.
2. Bruce Peninsula.
Many restaurants in Tobermory and boat cruises to Flowerpot Island are still running until Thanksgiving weekend. Its much quieter in the Bruce Peninsula than in the summer and you can visit the Grotto with way fewer crowds, especially if your visit is towards late October or after. After October 31st, reservations at the Grotto are no longer required!
Plus, the colourful leaves against the turquoise blue lake is a gorgeous combo. Fall season also means earlier sunsets and the sunsets over Lake Huron are absolutely stunning. We rented a cottage last year on the west shore of the Brunce Peninsula, and got to enjoy views like this each evening we were there.
3. Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto with so many grown in mature trees, has lots of spots to enjoy fall foliage – High Park area is one of them. Glenlake avenue, just north of High Park is known for having elaborate Halloween decorations on its Victorian homes. (Side note, my grandparents used to live on this street and I can tell you its a gorgeous walk anytime of year – but fall is especially worth it. 27 Glenlake Ave in particular tends to go all out.
There’s also special Toronto Haunted Walks in several different parts of the city – the Distilery District, Black Creek Pioneer Village, University of Toronto, and the harbourfront. So, even if you’ve done a haunted walk in Toronto before, there may be a one that you haven’t done yet. See all the options here.
There’s a also a Toronto Oktoberfest running through the most colourful month. Casa Loma does a special Halloween event called Legends of Horror. The 800 foot tunnel that the original owner of the castle built is all decked out and made to look especially creepy for this season.
4. Barrie
There are Oktoberfest events every year in Barrie that happens in different places throughout the city. If you’re into hockey or sporting events, the Barrie Colts start playing mid September and games run all through the fall and winter.
Ghost tours are being offered in downtown Barrie through a company called Scary Company, and they’re intended for an older audience. Mmm Donuts is opening up its 3rd location on Grove st and it always festive Halloween and fall themed flavours on their donuts.
5. Hamilton Waterfalls
The Hamilton waterfalls, and nearby towns (Hamilton city plus the town of Dundas) are very worth it in the fall. I recommend Webster Falls, Tiffany Falls and Sherman Falls as the top 3 waterfalls to check out, although there are a handfull of other Hamilton waterfalls that I recommend on my blog post. The fall colours at this time are especially pretty, and fall is a good chance to enjoy the falls with fewer people there.
Many of the trails that lead to the waterfalls are apart of the Bruce Trail, so you’re getting the foliage plus the waterfalls. The town of Dundas puts up really cute Halloween decorations, and has several cozy cafes to duck in for a hot drink. Dundas is a convenient place to stop before or after visiting any of the waterfalls.
If you venture into the city of Hamilton, they are running ghost tours to explore Haunted Hamilton and the stories behind Hamilton’s past. Dundurn Castle, near Hamilton is also hosting a pie making workshop during last weeknd of September
6. Hockley Valley and Mono area
Being right on the Niagara Escarpment, the Mono Cliffs and Hockley Valley area are gorgoeus at this time of year. Mono Cliffs Provincial Park has stunning fall foliage lookouts with a fraction of the driving distance (from Toronto) of Algonquin.
The Bruce Trail Conservatory is offering a special unique Halloween hike at Mono Cliffs where you can wear costumes on a hike through Mono Cliffs, its called the Boo-tiful Trails in Mono Cliffs and its a 7km hike that is held on the day Halloween. The spots are very limited and already filling up. But if you organize your own hike and see a group of people wearing costumes – then at least you’ll know what it is!
You can also do the Town of Manora Pumpkin Trail which starts Nov 1st (a trail illuminated by people’s dropped off jack o lanterns!)
7. Huntsville
Huntsville is such a charming town in Muskoka, definitely one of the cutest towns in Ontario. It has a Fall Forest of Light which is a night event that begins on weekends September 24th and runs until October 31st, where you can walk through mature forest seeing dazzling light displays.
The main street of Huntsville is always decorated for fall and Halloween, and the colours up here are gorgeous. You can easily drive to Algonquin or Arrowhead (even closer) for some great hiking from town, between 10 to 30 minutes from town.
There are also lots of other fall events in Muskoka. Oktoberfest events throughout all of Muskoka during October, and there are different harvest and fall fairs in different towns on different dates, like Port Severn, Bracebridge, and other locations. See a list of events in Muskoka here.
8. New Tecumseth
New Tecumseth is not usually a huge tourist draw, but there are some very good reasons to visit here during this fall in particular. We have some incredible farms to visit that have pumpkin patches, corn mazes, fresh harvested produce, and fall festivals. I recommend Murphy’s, Lauras Farm Stand, and Drysdales. All of these places are hosting fall events that run primarily through the month of October.
You should also drive by the 12th Line Creepers, which is a family owned property that puts up extremely elaborate Halloween displays, and it gets more and more elaborate each year. It’s free to check it out, but they sell pumpkins onsite via cash or e-transfer so you can support their cause by buying a pumpkin!
9. Creemore.
Creemore is a cute town to visit year round. It’s just 30 minutes south of Collingwood, which is a small city on Georgian Bay that has such a great food scene that there are even food tours offered there now. But there are some good reasons to stop in the town of Creemore there this fall in particular. There is some great nearby fall foliage hiking at Nottawasaga Bluffs, and the Creemore Nature Reserve.
Creemore has a ton of cute cafes, my favourite being the Bank Café which is right beside the Creemore Village Green. Curiosity House bookshop (the cute pink bookstop in town) is hosting some book events this fall, one being a book called Unseen Things about Mulmur Hills hauntings, with the author Christopher Dodd.
10. Canada’s Wonderland
Canada’s Wonderland has a total of three events in fall. They host Oktoberfest, Halloween Haunt, and Tricks and Treats (formerly called Camp Spooky.)
Halloween Haunt is family friendly, and designed for parents to bring their kids. The park is decorated all harvest themed. At night, it turns into Halloween Haunt and that is more targeted at an older audience, ages 13 and above. Oktoberfest, since it includes beer, is mostly targetting adults but its held during weekends in September when families can visit.
11. Burks Falls
Visiting Screaming Heads during the month of October would be a really special Halloween activity, and the nearby town of Burks’ Falls is a really cute place to stroll through in autumn. I recommend popping into Savour This, an amazing bakery that serves hot drinks and baked goods. Their apple strudels are really good and one of their best sellers.
The Heritage River Walk in Burk’s Falls will be really pretty with the changing colours, and you can walk over the bridge of the large dam that looks like a waterfall. There’s a smokehouse called Pulled Smokehouse overlooking the canyon which is always a hit in summer but will be especially pretty in fall (its open until Thanksgiving!)
12. Algonquin Provincial Park
I wanted to avoid suggesting Algonquin, but I just can’t. The views and lookouts in Algonquin are so spectacular. Yes, it gets crazy busy in fall, especially on weekends. But I think its worth coming here at peak fall season at least once.
The most popular lookouts are Booth’s Rock summet (pictured above) Track and Tower summit, the Lookout Trail, and Beaver pond. All offer amazing views, but getting here early is very necessary. For Booth’s Rock, you need to book the hike 5 days in advance, and pay extra because thats how popular it is. See my tips for visiting Algonquin in fall here.
My husband and I visit Algonquin every year (on a weekend) for our wedding anniversary which falls at the end of September. So, we know how busy it gets but we usually navigate it by staying nearby overnight, there are so many cabins, glamping, and places to stay that really have those cozy fall vibes.
I hope that these suggestions give you some ideas of ways you can see Ontario. Some of them are popular, and some are not. If you like these suggestions, check out my suggestions on places to visit in winter in Ontario.