This is you ultimate guide to enjoy Fall in Calabogie. Located just an hour from Ottawa, Calabogie is the ultimate Fall getaway with stunning hikes, tasty eats, and the coziest boutique hotel! If you’re looking for recommendations of what to do in Calabogie this Fall, look no further: this curated itinerary features my top picks for what to do and where to stay to make the best of your visit.
When I posted about Calabogie on my Instagram page I was surprised by how many people said they had never heard of it before. If you have, it is most likely because you like skiing or because you’ve hiked the famous Eagle’s Nest Lookout. But let me tell you, Calabogie is so much more than a day-trip from Ottawa.
Let me convince you to book your next Fall weekend getaway here! Why is Calabogie worth a visit? It is a great escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and offers a perfect nature gateway in all seasons. With a ski hill in the Winter and numerous hiking trails in the summer, it is definitely going to please the outdoors lovers out there.
I’ve put together this itinerary to help you hit all the highlights, taste the best food, and make the most of your time here.
Read More // Don’t forget to check out my review of Calabogie Peaks Resort in the Winter.
YOUR ULTIMATE WEEKEND GUIDE TO FALL IN CALABOGIE
What to know before visiting Calabogie?
- Calabogie is located in eastern Ontario, specifically in Renfrew County. It is about 90 kilometers west of Ottawa, along the Calabogie Lake.
- Calabogie has a rich history that dates back to the early 19th century. The area was initially settled for timber and agriculture.
It’s located 5 hours from Toronto, and 2.5h from Montreal. - Calabogie Lake spans about 10 kilometers in length and has a maximum depth of approximately 33 meters, making it a sizable body of water in the region.
- In the Winter, it is home to the Calabogie Peaks Ski Resort.
Where to Stay?
If you’ve been following my social media for a while, you’ll know that I’m a sucker for renovated motel. And I owe that love to Somewhere Inn in Calabogie which was my very first experience in a boutique motel.
This 1970s motel was completely renovated and reopened its door in 2021 with the goal of creating a basecamp for adventures and exploration. The 11 rooms and commun spaces are the perfect mix between a cozy cabin in the wood and a modern nordic inspired hotel. In their design, they’ve prioritized local artist and producers. All the fourniture was custom made by Toronto woodworker Jeremy Kehoe and their wine bar is filled with local wines and beers for you to taste.
Their cabin-inspired guest rooms feature some of the must comfy bed I’ve ever slept in and their signature fire places. If you want to spoil yourself a bit I highly recommend getting the Calabogie King with soaker tub room. You’ll be able to enjoy a bath next to the fire place. How perfect right? And during your stay here, forget about watching TV; they’ve purposefully decided not to put any TVs in the rooms to encourage connecting with nature instead of the screen.
On site, you also have access to the Wine Bar in the Lobby building, the lounge and the lawn filled with games, long chairs, fire pits and hammocks. Since my visit, they even added a thermal cycle with a Sauna at 80C and a Cold Plunge at 4C.
Travel Tip // Somewhere Inn just opened their second boutique-hotel – this time in a historic house – in the heart of Collingwood. I can’t wait to check it out and I’m sure you will to.
THE DETAILS
Where | Find Somewhere Inn Calabogie here on google map.
Price | 290$ a night
Reservations | Book your room here
What to do during Fall in Calabogie
Hike to the Eagle’s Nest Lookout
Located just 5 minutes from the Motel, Eagle’s Nest is an absolute must do if you love hiking. The lookout is absolutely stunning! It quickly took a top spot in my favorite Ontario lookouts. It’s also definitely one of the busiest lookouts on this list so make sure you either go during the week or arrive early (the parking often gets full in the afternoon).
Read More // Top 11 Best Lookouts in Ontario
There are many different way to get to the lookout (8 to be precise), but the easiest is straight across the parking lot. That trail is a 2km trail straight to the lookout – so expect some heavy climbing at the beginning. On the way back, you can retrace your steps or choose one of the other many trails if you want to keep hiking. You might also be interested to know that he site is considered sacred by the Anishinaabe and got its name because it used to be a nesting area for bald eagles.
THE DETAILS
Where | Find it here on google map.
Parking | There is a parking lot at the trail head. The fee is 10$ + Tax. Pay with your phone (no cash).
Difficulty | The trail is easy to moderate depending on your fitness level.
Trail | You can find the trail details here.
Hike to the Wabun Lake and Sugar Mountain Loop
Lesser known then the Eagle’s Nest Lookout is the Wabun Lake and Sugar Mountain Loop. This one also has a gorgeous lookout, although maybe not as spectacular as Eagle’s Nest. If you’re up for a challenge, you can opt for the 16km loop which will bring you along the Madawaska River. But if like me you are a bit short on time, you can also take the 3km shortcut to the lookout – just be ready for a climb!
Finding the trail head and park here can be a bit tricky. Luckily the Adventure Report Blog has all the info and I used their coordinate to find my way there.
Travel Tip // Do not hike here during hunting season which usually starts in early November.
THE DETAILS
Where | Find it here on Google Map.
Parking | The parking is free but a bit hard to find. Please read the Adventure Report Blog to find all the details on how to get there.
Difficulty | The trail is easy to moderate depending on your fitness level.
Trail | You can find the trail details for the 18km loop here and for the shortcut here.
Take the chairlift at Calabogie Peaks
For my non-hiker friends, the chairlift at Calabogie Peaks is the perfect way to soak in the scenery with zero effort! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride! Pro tip : the best views are on the way down—trust me, you won’t want to miss it!
And if you want to stretch your legs? There are trails to explore all around the resort if you feel like adding a hike to the mix!
THE DETAILS
Where | Find it here on Google Map.
Price| $20 per person (free for kiddos under 6!), and you can ride up and down as many times as your heart desires!
When| The chairlift runs on weekends only (weather permitting) until 14 October. So don’t wait too long for your visit!
Where to Eat?
Believe it or not, Calabogie is also a great foodie destination! Here are some of my favorites:
Oh-El-La Café | Perfect for a cozy coffee break!
Calabogie Brewing Company | Grab a local brew to unwind and try one of their delicious pizza.
On the Rocks | If you are looking for something a bit more upscale, try On the Rocks. The food is delicious and the views are even better.
* P.S. This adventure was part of a collab with Ontario Tourism but all opinions (and obsessions) are 100% mine!”
Travel Photo Tip!
Why a wide-angle lense is your best friend for landscape photography!
- The wide field of view is ideal for showcasing expansive landscapes, fitting more of the scenery into the frame and giving a sense of the scale and beauty of the environment.
- Wide-angle lenses exaggerate the distance between the foreground and background, adding a sense of depth that makes the photo feel more immersive and three-dimensional.
- Getting close to foreground elements while keeping the background in view helps add layers and guides the viewer’s eye through the image, creating a more engaging and dynamic composition.
Check out my Instagram page for more photography tips and don’t forget tag me if you try these tips on your own photos!
READ THESE BEFORE VISITING MORE OF ONTARIO
ONTARIO GUIDES | The Ultimate Weekend in Beaver Valley ; The Best In and Around Niagara Falls : A Complete Guide; How to spend the Perfect Weekend in Bracebridge
ONTARIO TOP 10 | Top 11 Best Lookouts in Ontario
WHERE TO STAY IN ONTARIO | Tiny Stays: A Unique Stay in Prince Edward County; Spend the night with Alpacas at Haute Goat Farm
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Smiths Falls is officially one of the most underrated day trips in Ontario, and I can’t believe no one told me sooner.
Cute downtown? Check. Water views? Check. A dentist train car you didn’t know you needed to see? Weirdly… also check.
If you’re looking for a chill little day trip with just the right mix of outdoors, food, and quirky history, here’s exactly how I’d spend the day:
🛶 Start with a paddle through The Swale and pass under the old bascule train bridge
🥪 Grab a sandwich at The Pickled Pig (get the Pickled Pig sandwich!)
🥐 Pick up something sweet at C’est Tout Bakery
🚤 Bring your lunch to the Rideau Canal locks for an easy picnic by the water
🚂 Visit the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario (the train cars are wild, including a dentist train that now lives rent-free in my head)
☕ Wander downtown and grab an iced coffee from The Sweet Scoops Lighthouse Café before heading home
It’s walkable, it’s peaceful, and it’s full of surprises. Save this for your next sunny Saturday and thank me later.
📍Smiths Falls, Ontario
👯♀️ Tag someone who needs a day off and a dentist train in their life
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#SmithsFalls #OntarioRoadTrip #ExploreOntario #HiddenGemsOntario
Summer in Ontario means one thing: Prince Edward County.
The moment the weather hits 25°, I’m mentally halfway to the beach with a bag of roadside strawberries in the passenger seat.
There’s just something about PEC in the summe… those wide-open roads, sun-bleached grass, swimsuits drying on a fence post, and a slow buzz of “do whatever you want” in the air.
You spend the day chasing swims, tasting wine like you know what you’re doing, and wandering into tiny farm stands just because the sign looked cute. By golden hour, you’re barefoot, slightly sunburned, and wondering if it’s too soon to come back. (Spoiler: it’s not.)
If you’re dreaming of that windows-down, toes-in-the-lake, wine-in-a-mason-jar kind of weekend—start here.
📍Prince Edward County, Ontario
💾 Save this for when you’re ready to romanticize your own summer
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#PrinceEdwardCounty #SummerInOntario #OntarioGetaways #PECVibes
Ever wanted to walk on the ocean floor and kayak over it, all in the same day?
That’s the magic of Hopewell Rocks. Located along the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, this park lets you experience one of the most mind-blowing natural phenomena on earth.
It’s wild to see just how much the water moves here (we’re talking over 50 feet!), and even wilder to paddle through rock formations that completely disappear a few hours later.
Whether you’re a geology nerd, a casual hiker, or just chasing a truly unique Canadian adventure, this spot is unforgettable.
📍 Save this for your East Coast bucket list
💬 Already been? Tell me what time of day you went?High tide or low tide?
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#HopewellRocks #BayOfFundy #NewBrunswickAdventures #ExploreCanada
Here are 7 places in Jasper that live in my head rent-free… and honestly, I think they’ll move into yours too.
1. Athabasca Falls – powerful, dramatic, and SO loud in the best way
2. Old Fort Point – a short climb with one of the best panoramic views in the park
3. Maligne Lake – classic Jasper beauty, especially right before sunset.
4. Medicine Lake – surreal, calm, and shaped by underground rivers
5. Downtown Jasper – cozy, local, and full of post-hike treats
6. Sunwapta Falls – don’t stop at the first viewpoint, go down to the lower falls
7. Pyramid Lake – the most gorgeous mountain views.
📍Don’t forget to save this for later
💬 Been to Jasper? What would you add to the list?
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#JasperNationalPark #CanadianRockies #ExploreAlberta #TravelCanada
Some trips are planned around a destination… others around a stay.
This one? 100% built around a tiny cabin and it ended up being one of my favorite little escapes of the summer.
Between cozy coffee stops, forest lookouts, small-town art moments, and homemade gelato (non-negotiable), Huntsville delivered that perfect mix of outdoorsy and relaxing. Add a spa cycle in the forest and, well… you get it.
📍Save this for your next Muskoka weekend
👯♀️Tag your cabin getaway crew
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#HuntsvilleOntario #MuskokaGetaway #ExploreOntario #SummerInMuskoka
