Tuesday marks the first day of fall, and as Ontario turns more orange and red, Toronto residents can take several road trips to welcome the autumn season.
Southwestern Ontario is filled with greenery that makes the change to colder months, allowing lush road trips to have a second scenic life in the fall.
Ontario Parks’ latest fall colour report shows that many southwestern parks are set to change colour closer to the end of September and early October, so now is the best time to plan as the season progresses.
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Here are some southwestern Ontario road trips to add to your fall bucket list.
Caledon and Shelburne
Length: around 2.5 hours of driving
If rural views are your cup of tea, be sure to drive northwest toward Caledon, where you’ll drive past hills, farms, and forests.
To continue the outing, Highway 10 will take drivers through Caledon toward Orangeville, before continuing toward Shelburne.
The roads around the Niagara Escarpment in Caledon are a forested limestone ridge, which is extra beautiful once the leaves begin changing.
This drive won’t take the full day from the Toronto area and will give drivers their fall fix.
Niagara
Length: around 3 hours of driving
This route also takes you next to the Niagara Escarpment, with many opportunities to see fall colours along the way.
Head toward Hamilton from Toronto, before driving through Dundas and Ancaster.
If you have extra time, Dundas Peak has a popular lookout point to view that shows visitors beautiful fall scenery. Just be sure to reserve your visit before heading there.
From there, drive toward Niagara while taking smaller roads if possible. This will give the best experience visually.
There are also waterfalls and the escarpment lookouts along the route that drivers can make quick stops at, without turning the trip into a hiking day.
Grand Bend
Length: around 2 hours 40 minutes of driving
Grand Bend takes you west through more countryside, allowing drivers to see farmland, forests, and even small communities – a stark difference from the Greater Toronto Area’s (GTA) hustle and bustle.
If you want to keep the good vibes going, continue driving north along the Lake Huron shoreline and visit Kincardine, which perks up further in the fall.
Kincardine
Length: about 3 hours
The drive to Kincardine takes you through farmland, forests, and small communities near Lake Huron.
It’s a nice route for the fall because you get a mix of changing leaves, rural roads and Great Lakes scenery.
If you’re looking to stop in Kincardine, the community has a popular lookout spot called Queen’s Lookout, which gives visitors multiple scenic views, including a higher-up, panoramic view of the Penetangore River, the Kincardine Harbour, the marina, the historic Kincardine Lighthouse, and Lake Huron
Elora, Fergus and St. Jacobs
Length: about 1.5 hours to 2 hours depending on the route to St. Jacobs
If you’re more of someone who likes to take photos along the way, there are many picturesque communities and views when driving through Elora, Fergus and St. Jacobs.
Starting with Elora, just west of Toronto, the community is known for its beautiful gorge and lush forest surrounding it. During the fall season, be sure to check out Victoria Park!
Drive up to Fergus, before swinging back down to St. Jacobs and Elmira.
The scenery on these routes is extra colourful when you drive through some of the smaller roads in the countryside.
The landscapes are quickly changing through this route, giving drivers a mix of bodies of water, farmland, and forests.
If you stop in St. Jacobs, you might be able to stop in one of Ontario’s most popular farmers’ markets and grab the highly sought-after apple fritters from Apple Fritter Co.
This day trip is close enough to home in Toronto, but also gives drivers the opportunity to explore several communities, making it feel like a proper fall road trip.
Kawartha Lakes
Length: around 3.5 hours of driving
This easy fall road trip from Toronto gives views of colourful backroads without driving towards the west of the province.
Drivers can head northeast toward the community of Port Perry, which is nestled next to Lake Scugog and has multiple trails to walk down.
To continue the road trip, head further east toward Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes region, both of which are surrounded by lush forests.
Take the relaxing route on the smaller roads that connect each community to take in the orange hues.
