NOTE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many attractions are closed or have altered hours of operation and services. Please visit individual websites and/or contact businesses and attractions to confirm.
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 fun with chocolate and cheese outlets, a donkey sanctuary, and 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, with a chance to hike a conservation area in Brighton, and a short looped trail ending 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 a chance to learn about the ill-fated Cobourg to Peterborough railway over Rice Lake.
Looking for More Adventure?
Family fishing is abundant in Northumberland as we are surrounded by Rice Lake, the Trent River, Ganaraska River and Lake Ontario. There are even more waterways inside our borders and featured in our public conservation areas. You and your family can fish from shores, docks or other public areas. If you haven't experienced fishing, the 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 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 that line in the water.
On the topic of water, Northumberland has both man made 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. Sandy beaches 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.
It's a known fact that kids love animals and Northumberland is full of a variety of both wildlife and farm animals. Haute Goat, north of Port Hope, not only offers a 'shmurgling' (hugging) experience that's full of fun and laughter (the folks at Narcity can attest to this), but their new alpaca walks are gaining in popularity. Old Mill Alpacas has started offering alpaca walks, too. Trickle Creek Farms offers trail riding in a forest setting for 14 year olds or over and Healey Falls Quarter Horses offers summer camp for children ages 6-15. Another interesting animal attraction is the Primrose Donkey Sanctuary where more than just donkeys roam the barn. Many species of wildlife can also be found in Northumberland's forests and parks, including 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. A mega dinosaur and dragon made of recycled parts awaits at Primitive Designs in Port Hope; an excellent photo opp for sure.
Cultural experiences are great for keeping kids' minds active over the long 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, or at The Big Apple Theme Park, on Highway 401 at Colborne. Climb the interior stairs of the world's biggest apple, read about our great growing climates for apples and then reach the top for a view of Lake Ontario and the rolling countryside. 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.
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