Welcome back to episode 6 of The Weekend Route’s very own Adventurer Club Series! This week, fellow intern Harry and I explored the depths of the Thousand Islands and discovered TONS of hidden gems that are perfect for your friends, family, and more. Keep reading to learn more about these incredible spots!

To kick our journey off, we left the Cobourg offices around 9 a.m. and headed towards our campsite at Woodlands Campground, located along the Long Sault Parkway after hearing about some incredible secrets of the Parkway that we just needed to see for ourselves. However, being the teenagers that we are, it quickly came to our discovery that we were thoroughly unprepared for our 3-day excursion to the unknown areas of South Stormont County. Let’s be honest though, were we worried? Not a chance! How could we be worried when we have something like The Weekend Route Trip Planner, including featured routes filled with one-of-a-kind gems catered specifically for your liking! Be sure to check that out here!

Anyhow… 

After promptly planning our route out through TWR, we set our first spot on the GPS; 

Upper Canada Village – Morrisburg, ON

This infamous heritage park is truly a one-of-a-kind absolute GEM. Renowned as one of the largest living-history sites in Canada, this unique experience shows you just what it was like to live as a Canadian pioneer born in the 1860s. Filled with more than 40 Historical landmarks like homes, mills, & trade workshops, you are GUARANTEED to be busy for hours. Trust me, Harry and I only planned on staying for an hour & ended up being there for almost 5! Be sure to check out Upper Canada Village whenever you’re around Morrisburg!

Woodlands Campground – Long Sault Parkway, ON

When it came to deciding which campground to stay at, Harry and I quickly came to the conclusion of Woodlands Campground, located along the Long Sault Parkway. This beautiful campground is completely surrounded by water and FILLED with spots from left to right. Secret beaches, unreal swimming spots, and hours of exploration. Just look at this hidden private beach we found just behind our campsite! 

Next time you’re looking for a great spot to set up camp, be sure to add Woodlands Campground to your list of considerations! Stunning scenery, warm blue waters, what more could you ask for?

Lost Villages of the St. Lawrence Seaway 

During our time at Upper Canada Village, we learned about the incredible history that South Stormont County’s Long Sault Parkway encapsulates. According to locals approximately 60 years ago, ten communities were permanently submerged in a man-made flood during the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Luckily for us, some of those communities happened to be directly below the waters surrounding our campground! 

Mike & Jenny’s Paddle Fit – Mille Roches Island, Long Sault Parkway

Knowing now of the secrets that were resting beneath our campsite, it was practically impossible to not get out onto the water to see what we could find for ourselves. After a quick search on The Weekend Route, we discovered Mike & Jenny’s Paddle Fit, only a short walk away from our campsite. We ended up purchasing an hour’s worth of a stand-up paddleboard along with a tandem kayak for a more than fair price of $40. Both Mike & Jenny were incredibly friendly people and told us about the old highway 28 freeway that lies beneath the waters of the beach. 

Once we were out on the water, we paddled out in search of that same freeway and saw it for our own eyes. Unfortunately for you readers, our cameras just weren’t quite capable enough for capturing this hidden wonder of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Meaning, this spot should be essential for your itinerary when visiting the Long Sault Parkway. After all, there’s no better way to fully enjoy this experience than being there to experience it for yourself. 

Sol de Acapulco – Ingleside, ON 

Following all of that exploring around the Thousand Islands, we found ourselves craving some good food. Located on 1526 Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry County rd. 2, in Ingleside, This one-of-a-kind Authentic Mexican/German fusion restaurant was sounding PERFECT for our taste buds. With Ingleside being the town connected to the Long Sault Parkway, it took less than ten minutes for us to drive to this incredible restaurant from our campsite. I ended up getting the softshell beef tacos, while Harry went with the same, just with chicken instead of beef. We both quickly ended up agreeing on a 10/10 quality all around. Extremely friendly staff, AMAZING food, a lovely patio, and an all-around great atmosphere! This hidden gem is truly a must-visit when driving through Long Sault Parkway. I mean, who wouldn’t want to enjoy a great meal after a day at the beach? 

Butler’s Restaurant – Ingleside, ON 

After our meal at Sol de Acapulco, we realized that Ingleside had quite a lot to offer when it came to good food. With this in mind, we made it a mission to find another top-tier, low-key restaurant fit for our readers here at TWR. So, for breakfast the next morning, we discovered Butler’s Restaurant, located at 23 Thorold Lane. This breakfast, lunch, & dinner family-run pub truly does it ALL!  Amazing food, great menu with tons of choices, great vibes, and all-around incredible service, Butler’s is most definitely a go-to spot on the list for the next time that I’m passing through Ingleside. I personally ordered the classic club sandwich, and I can confidently say – no other club sandwich has ever compared to what Butler’s put on my plate that day. For that, I say please, do yourself a favor, and give Butler’s a shot the next time that you’re heading east of Gananoque. 

Fort Wellington National Historic Site – Prescott, ON 

To conclude our trip to Long Sault Parkway, we decided to make a stop at Fort Wellington on our way back home to learn more about the crazy history of eastern Ontario. Fort Wellington was built in the war of 1812, made to defend the St. Lawrence River shipping route. Unfortunately for us, the fort was closed when we arrived so we were unable to get inside, but it was still such a cool experience being able to walk around a historical battlefield.  

After about an hour of walking around the outsides of Fort Wellington and reading about all of its histories, we finally gathered back into the car to head back home after a wonderful 3-day excursion to Long Sault Parkway. Tired and sore from constantly being on the move, Harry & I drove back home with high spirits knowing that the pain was only temporary, while the memories and experiences that were made in those 3 days, will be with us forever. 

I am personally a firm believer that if possible, everybody should take some time to explore what this wonderful world has to offer. Thanks to this internship here at The Weekend Route, I was able to do just that this summer – and I wouldn’t want to trade that for the world. The memories and incredible things that I have learned from working here will truly be with me for life. If possible, I would say please, BE SURE to take a step outside and spend some time with nature. You’ll never know just how much this beautiful world has to offer until you allow yourself to accept its offerings! 

To that – I say this, 

Happy Adventuring to all! And remember, feel free to send in suggestions if you want to see some of your favorite spots featured in one of our weekly blogs!

Fall is in the air, and The Weekend Route is dedicated to providing you with the best fall-themed one-of-a-kind eats, off-the-beaten-track experiences and natural wonders.

Clarington is picturesque in the sense that it resembles a town out of a classic Halloween movie, therefore the curated route “Apples, Corn Mazes, and Sweet Treats” is the cure to your fall eager “shivers of antici…pation” (Rocky Horror Picture Show). 

For many, the fall season starts September 21 but when you are an avid fall movie fanatic and tend to try and match your life to a Hallmark Fall Classic, fall starts on September 1st and prep begins the last week of August. Griffin and I, both suckers for fall, packed ourselves into the car, tried to catch a fall breeze by rolling the windows down, and set off! 

First stop…

Archibald’s Orchards & Winery: 6275 Liberty St N, Bowmanville

After a short drive, the straight highway became winding roads and canopies of trees and I could tell we were almost there. We pulled to our right to enter the parking lot of the orchard and were greeted by a beautiful storefront decorated with charming plants and warm orange highlights on the building securing the ever-growing feeling of fall. 

Upon stepping into the store our nostrils were greeted with a combination of warm cinnamon, apples, and a hint of a fire burning as if someone roasted apples over a fire.

Griffin and I wandered through the orchard trying to make sense of the incredible amount of fresh apples before us.  Griffin and I stopped to gaze (and try!) at the Jonagold apples, perfectly robust and bursting with flavour. 

There are many things available at Archibald’s, of course, there are the U-pick apples, but they also have wine tasting tours, gift baskets for sale, and award-winning wines for purchase. It is safe to say that Archibald’s Orchards & Winery was the perfect spot to kick off our “Apples, Corn Mazes, and Sweet Treats” route. 

Bragg Farms: 3048 Concession Rd 3. Bowmanville

Eager to continue our farm visits the next stop was Bragg Farms, only a 7-minute drive from Archibald’s. I was drawn in by their “pick your own potatoes”. When we first walked into the farm we were greeted by the entire Bragg family, who were all cheery and pleasant. 

There was a beautiful sunflower patch that you could stroll through; their own version of a corn maze, and, of course, they have pick-your-own potatoes. We were lucky enough to say good morning to the hens and roosters on our way out, which came running up to the fence as we approached.

The scenic sunflower experience as well as pick-your-own potatoes if not enough to convince you of its worthiness, their free-range chickens and free-range Omega 3 eggs should be more than enough. The estate was massive and the drive through the farm itself was an amazing experience as there were beautiful views of the sprawling farm. This is an incredible stop on the “Apples, Corn Mazes, and Sweet Treats” route.  

Watson’s Farms: 2287 Durham Regional Hwy 2, Bowmanville

After our time at Bragg’s Farms, Griff and I decided our next stop was Watson’s Farms. I had been looking forward to this stop all day as I was excited to relive core memories from my childhood. I vividly remember visiting this farm with my cousins and leaving with a heap of berries and apples as well as the memory of feeding goats out of my hand. 

After purchasing an unimaginable amount of apples from the market for the reasonable price of $20 we made our way through the fields. Before stopping by the fields, the loud “Baaaah” of a goat caught my attention and I dragged Griffin over to the happy animals. We placed 25cents in the corn machine and held our hands spilling off corn through the fence and letting the goats eat directly from our palm. 

There was a wide assortment of produce for picking; raspberries, apples, pears, squash, pumpkins, beans, strawberries and much more. It was wholesome watching the many families walk through the farm fields picking their own beans and produce. There was also a playground or kid fun zone where kids could play while watching the goats nearby. This farm has many suitable options for families and is definitely a destination worth visiting. 

Once getting in the car Griffin and I did an apple taste test, Check out our “Apples, Corn Mazes, and Sweet Treats” vlog to get a full apple review! 

Algoma Farms: 201 Durham Regional Rd 42, Newcastle 

We walked into the market portion of the establishment and were blown away by the local produce supplied by the farm and the thousands of apples to choose from. We purchased yet another bundle of apples and set off to try them. Griffin and I thoroughly enjoyed our apples and would recommend this location if you are looking for a one-stop-shop for all local foods and great apples from the orchards. This farm is a large supplier to many grocery stores and for good reason, the apples are to die for. 

Sift Bakery: 109 King Ave W, Newcastle

In downtown Newcastle there lies a sweet bakery full of fresh baked goods. They have a new menu each week and add some surprise treats on the weekend. Griffin and I were eager to stop by this bakery but inevitably because we are teenagers and have no concept of time showed up 30 minutes before close and most of their baked goods were put away or sold out for the day. 

We made up for our lack of communication and resourcefulness by talking with the managers and workers about what some of their favourite menu items were. They were quick to answer with their fan favourite fudge brownies and their famous cinnamon rolls. They pulled out some of their cinnamon buns to show us and holy cow they were massive. 

Sift bakery is a bakery we will be sure to visit before close next time as the decadent treats were too good to pass up. 

Roam Coffee: 109 King Ave W, Newcastle

“Morticia: ‘Wednesday’s at that very special age when a girl has only one thing on her mind.’

Ellen: ‘Boys?’

Courtesy of the Sophie Cunningham rewrite of this Adam’s Family line, there was an executive decision made to change Wednesday Adam’s initial response (homicide) to…

Wednesday: ‘COFFEE!’

Like many teenagers nowadays Griffin and I have what may seem unhealthy to others but perfectly reasonable to us; a caffeine addiction. We decided our next stop had to be a coffee shop and what better place than Roam Coffee? 

We walked into what seemed to be the back of a warehouse and were blown away by a form of market – tons of locally handmade crafts and trinkets aligned the walls. While we thought we were in the wrong place we couldn’t help but gaze longingly at the different keepsakes. We walked all the way through the warehouse until we reached what we thought was the back of the store. There was Roam Coffee attached to the warehouse with a street view of downtown. We don’t know any other coffee shops with locally made gifts in the back, it was truly a pleasant surprise. 

Once in the actual coffee shop, we looked at the menu with so many choices it was almost impossible to decide. We settled for a couple of cold brews and the best chocolate chip cookies known to man. The cookies were massive, decadent, soft yet crispy at the same time, and flavourful.  We sat in complete silence while we ate these, we were at a loss for words. The cold brew washed our massive cookies down and cooled us off in the 30-degree weather we were facing. The coffee was of great quality, it was dark and rich, not at all watered down like the staple chain coffee stores on the corner of each street. Try their Vanilla Rosemary Latte or Espresso Tonic if you are looking for an exciting beverage!

Their fall flavours come out the first week of September and they have a special rollout plan put in place. This is a perfect spot to satisfy a fall sweet tooth. 

Deadly Grounds: 1413 Durham Regional Hwy 2 #6, Courtice

After a long day of coffee tasting and apple picking, we had reached our final destination, Deadly Grounds. I was exhausted and knew that I needed another caffeinated drink. Hidden in the back of a strip mall was Deadly Grounds. Upon first glance, Griffin and I noticed a life-size recreation of Gizmo from Gremlins; this told me all I needed to know, I was going to fall in love with this place. 

We walked in the door and took a look around, there were massive killer clown statues and references to famous Halloween movies around the store. One of their drinks was called “Dammit Janet” and was a pumpkin flavoured drink. As an avid Rocky Horror fan, I knew I had found my people. We asked for the barista’s recommendation and she recommended the caffeinated blue lemonade. It was killer, Griffin almost shouted as this lemonade seemed to bring me back to life after our exciting but long day.

Hopped up on caffeine we could have gone to more stops but it was getting late and what better way to end our day than the ultimate Halloween Coffee Shop. 

For lots more off-the-beaten-track experiences, one-of-a-kind eats, and hidden gems only locals know about check out the Apples, Corn Mazes, and Sweet Treats Featured Route.

Is discovering hidden gems and one-of-a-kind eats only locals know about right down your alley? Why not help us spread the word by becoming an Adventurer Club Member.