Family Fun

NOTE: Please visit individual websites and/or contact businesses and attractions to confirm current services and hours of operation.

Northumberland County has indoor and outdoor family fun so you can walk inside the world's largest apple, go for a hike on a wooded trail or play in our many waterways. 

Download accessible and printable version of Family Adventures 2021 eBook

Go on 3 Family Adventures With Ready-to-Print Maps

Tasty Flavours and Discoveries

(North: Hastings, Campbellford, Northumberland Forest)
• Taking this tour, even in the winter months, can be a ton of fun! Visit chocolate and cheese outlets, a donkey sanctuary, and experience the thrill of walking on a suspension bridge over the Trent River.

Sweets, Treats and Trails

(South: Colborne, Brighton, Lake Ontario)
• Apple country is celebrated along the north shore of Lake Ontario. Take the opportunity to hike a conservation area in Brighton or walk a short looped trail that ends with a small, covered bridge at the Nawautin Nature Sanctuary.

Adventures and Swimming

(West: Port Hope, Cobourg, Rice Lake)
• Cool off in Rice Lake or Lake Ontario or go Treetop Trekking zip lining through sky-high white pines in the Ganaraska Forest. A picnic at the Harwood pavilion offers shore breezes and you can learn about the ill-fated Cobourg to Peterborough railway over Rice Lake.

Looking for More Adventure?

We are surrounded by Rice Lake, the Trent River, Ganaraska River and Lake Ontario so there are lots of chances for family fishing. There are even more waterways inside our public conservation areas. You and your family can fish from shores, docks or other public areas. If you haven't experienced fishing, Ontario Family Fishing events are a great, license-free way to experience Ontario fishing at its best. Over the Ontario Family Day Weekend, try ice fishing on Rice Lake (license free). At the Golden Beach Resort there is daily fishing available. For a per-person fee you can fish all day and night off the shores of this resort. Located in Roseneath off Rice Lake, there are tons of fish just waiting for you to drop a line.  

On the topic of water, Northumberland has both manmade and natural waterparks. At Cobourg's sandy beach you can play in the water at the shoreline or enjoy the splash pad near the canteen. In winter, before snowfall, walk the beach between Cobourg and Port Hope in search of beach glass for craft-making when you get home. A long sandy beach can also be found at Presqu'ile Provincial Park in Brighton. If you want to be high above the water, head to Campbellford and walk the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge above the Trent River.

Kids love animals and Northumberland is full of wildlife and farm animals. Haute Goat, north of Port Hope, offer a 'shmurgling' (hugging) experience that's full of fun and laughter (the folks at Narcity can attest to this). Their alpaca walks are also popular and a fun way to experience amazing views. Old Mill Alpacas has started offering alpaca walks, as well. Trickle Creek Farms offers trail riding in a forest setting for 14-year-olds or over. Another interesting animal attraction is the Primrose Donkey Sanctuary where more than just donkeys roam the barn. Have fun looking for wildlife at Ferris Provincial Park, Presqu'ile Provincial Park, Ganaraska Forest, and Northumberland Forest. For winter fun, you can visit Presqu'ile Provincial Park in Brighton and try your hand at being a Winter Wildlife Detective. Explore to find animal tracks and identify them using snapshots on their blog.

Cultural experiences are great for keeping kids' minds active over the summer holidays. Visit Alderville First Nation and introduce your children to the stories and legends of Ontario's Aboriginal past. Take part in a traditional Pow Wow in July, or tour the rare and endangered eco-system of Alderville Black Oak Savanna. Have your kids climbing at TreeTop Trekking north of Port Hope. Climb the interior stairs of the world's biggest apple, at The Big Apple Theme Park, on Highway 401 at Colborne. Read about our great growing climates for apples and then enjoy the views of Lake Ontario and the rolling countryside when you reach the top. VIA Rail is also part of our culture with a station stop at Cobourg. Kids delight in walking up to the pedestrian bridge to watch trains passing below.