Nestled near the Beaver Valley River near the quaint village of Kimberley, Beaver Valley is still off the beaten path, but not for much longer. If you’re looking for recommendations of what to do in Beaver Valley, this curated itinerary features my top picks for what to do and where to stay to make the best of your visit.
If Beaver Valley was not on your radar before, I’m sure it is now that The June Motel has made it the home for it’s newest baby. Since it’s opening in the Spring of 2024, Beaver Valley has become one of the new hot spots to visit in Ontario. But new destinations means that if you google “What to do in Beaver Valley”, you won’t find much… yet.
So why is Beaver Valley worth a visit? The June Motel in and itself is worth the trip. But more than that, Beaver Valley 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.
Beaver Valley is also the perfect base to explore the Georgian Bay. You a short drive away from places like Blue Mountain, Collingwood and Thornbury.
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.
YOUR ULTIMATE WEEKEND GUIDE TO BEAVER VALLEY
What to know before visiting Beaver Valley?
- Beaver Valley is located in southern Ontario, Canada, at the southern end of Georgian Bay.
- It’s a thriving agricultural region, known for producing a large share of Canada’s apple crop.
It’s located 2 hours from Toronto, 6 hours from Ottawa and 2 hours and a half from London. - The main towns in the valley are Flesherton at the south end, Kimberley, and Thornbury.
- If you are a hiker the Bruce Trail winds around the edge of the valley, taking hikers past notable natural landmarks such as Old Baldy, the Duncan Crevice Caves, and Eugenia Falls.
- In the Winter, it is home to the Beaver Valley Ski Club.
Where to Stay?
I’ve already mentioned it in the intro, but I’m almost 100% that if you are visiting Beaver Valley you will be staying at the very new June Motel. Am I right?
The June Motel is the dream of two best friends, April and Sarah, who, in 2016, left everything behind to purchase their first rundown motel in Prince Edward County. Since then, they’ve become household names in Ontario and even got their own Netflix series, Motel Makeover which documented the renovation of their second location in Sauble Beach. In the Spring of 2024, they opened their third motel in Beaver Valley.
Situated amidst nature along the Beaver River, this motel has 8 rooms all uniquely decorated. Each room has a king bed, robes and a full bathroom with shower.
On site, you also have access to the Parlour with stone fire place and tables, a studio perfectly equiped for all of your yoga sessions, a large patio with two fire pits and a barrel sauna. A small breakfast – cakes and coffee – is served every morning between 7am and 10am. And in the evening, you can serve yourself to their S’mores kits!
Travel Tip // Unlike traditional hotels, there is no staff present on site (except for the maintenance crew that comes every day). For your check-in you will need to text the number given with your reservation and they will give you the code to enter your room and the Parlour. Someone is always available to answer any of your question via text.
THE DETAILS
Where | Find The June Motel Beaver Valley here on google map.
Price | 380$ a night (sleeps 2)
Reservations | Book your room here.
What to do in and around Beaver Valley
Hike to the Old Baldy Lookout
Located just 5 minutes from the Motel, Old Baldy Conservation Area 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.
Read More // Top 11 Best Lookouts in Ontario
Travel Tip // The trails are dog friendly, but all dog must be on leash.
THE DETAILS
Where | The trail heads are located on Sideroad 7B. 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.
Do a Kayak Tour
Free Spirit Tours offers many paddling tours and guided tours around Beaver Valley. If you want to experience the best of Beaver Valley, they offer 1 to 5 hours kayak tours on the Beaver River. These tours are perfect for everyone, from beginners to more advanced paddlers.
Travel Tip // If you want to mix adventure with good food, they offer an Apple Pie Trail Paddle which includes a 1 hours paddle on the Beaver River followed by a drive to Georgian Hill Vineyards to taste different wines and snacks.
THE DETAILS
Where | You meet at the Free Spirit Tours base Find it here on google map.
When | The kayak tours run from mid-May to mid-October
Price | The kayak tours start at 40$ per person
Reservations | Make your reservation here.
Check out Euginia Falls
Euginia Falls is tallest waterfall in the area . It drops 30 meters from the edge of the Niagara Escarpment into the bottom of Cuckoo Valley. Discovered in 1852, the falls got their name from Princess Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III of France.
The lookout for the Falls is just a few steps away from the parking lot through a large gravel path. Unfortunately, access to the the bottom of the falls is prohibited, but you still get to them from a distance.
Travel Tip // The parking is closed during the Winter but walking in the Conservation Area is still permitted.
THE DETAILS
Where | Find it here on google map.
Price | 10$ + tax per car (no cash)
Visit a winery, a brewery or a cidery (or all of the above!)
You might be surprised (or not!) to learn that there are a lot of wineries, breweries and cideries in and around Beaver Valley.
Here are a few names to keep in mind for your visit:
Wineries : The Roost Winery, Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery, Georgian Hill Vineyards
Breweries : Still Fields Brewery, Mudtown Station, Neustadt Springs Brewery, Black Bellows, Maclean’s Beer
Cidery : Spy Distillery, Windswept Ciders, Greygold Cider Company
Foodie break // For those with a sweet tooth, try the homemade pies at Blackbird Pie Company.
Travel Tip // The Grey County Tourism Board, has crafted 3 bike routes that will bring you to different wineries and cideries. One of the route is specifically for Beaver Valley.
Where to eat?
Believe it or not, Beaver Valley is also a great foodie destination! Here are some of my favorites:
Hearts | This is definitely the most popular spot in Kimberley. It was actually named “Canada’s Top New Restaurants in 2022” by Enroute Magazine (Air Canada’s magazine).
Justin’s Oven | Next door to the Hearts, you’ll find Justin’s Oven. They make a ginormous bison burgers and they serve fire oven pizza every Friday.
Good Grief | A cute coffee shot in Thornbury
Bento Taco | Located a bit further in Collingwood, I’ve heard from good sources that these are some of the best tacos out there!
Gibson & Company | Also in Collingwood, this is a coffee shop that serves delicious sandwiches (try the smoked trout sandwich… trust me!).
* P.S. I was invited The June Motel, but all opinions (and obsessions) are 100% mine!”
Travel Photo Tip!
How to achieve this warm golden hour look in 5 easy steps
- Warm up the photo by increasing the temperature for golden tone.
- Brighten the shadows to reveal more details in darker areas.
- Boost the vibrance to make the colors pop, especially the greens and yellows.
- Add contrast to enhance the depth, making the darks darker and the lights brighter.
- Finally, apply a soft vignette to subtly focus attention on the subject.
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 Fall Weekend in Calabogie; 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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Want to touch the southernmost point of mainland Canada? 👇🇨🇦
Then Point Pelee National Park needs to be on your summer list.
From epic sunsets and peaceful marsh boardwalks to migrating birds and butterflies, this park packs a lot into a small space.
In this quick guide:
📍 What to do
🗓️ Best time to visit
⛺ How to camp (hint: it involves oTENTiks)
🦋 And a few cool facts to impress your road trip buddy
Save this for later & tag someone who’d love to stand at the tip of Canada with you 🌊
🇫🇷 La version française de ce texte se trouve dans les commentaires.
#PointPeleeNationalPark #ExploreCanada #TravelOntario #ParksCanada #BucketListTrip #OntarioRoadTrip #NatureEscape #BirdingSeason #WanderOntario
Did you know Peterborough & the Trent-Severn Waterway made the New York Times list of 52 Places to Visit in 2025?
After a weekend exploring the area… I get it. Here’s what makes it one of Ontario’s best summer road trips ⬇️
🌿 Walk with alpacas at a local farm
🚤 Cruise through the world’s highest hydraulic lift lock
🍷 Sip sangria + eat wood-fired pizza at a vineyard
🛶 Visit the brand-new Canadian Canoe Museum
🌄 Hike through caves & forests at Warsaw Caves Conservation Area
🥧 Taste-test butter tarts in Hastings, Campbellford & Lakeside
The perfect Ontario getaway: nature, small towns, good food, and local gems everywhere you turn.
📍 Save this for your next summer road trip!
And tell me below — which stop are you adding to your bucket list?
🇫🇷 Saviez-vous que Peterborough et la voie navigable Trent-Severn figurent sur la liste des 52 destinations à visiter en 2025 selon le New York Times ?
Après un week-end à explorer la région… je comprends tellement pourquoi. Voici pourquoi c’est un road trip incontournable en Ontario cet été ⬇️
🌿 Marcher avec des alpagas dans une ferme locale
🚤 Naviguer sur la plus haute écluse hydraulique au monde
🍷 Boire de la sangria et déguster une pizza au feu de bois dans un vignoble
🛶 Visiter le Musée canadien du canot
🌄 Explorer les sentiers et les grottes du parc Warsaw Caves
🥧 Et bien sûr, faire le plein de tartes au beurre dans les charmants villages de Hastings, Campbellford et Lakeside
Le combo parfait : nature, petites villes, bouffe locale et histoire à chaque détour.
📍 Sauve ce guide pour ton prochain road trip d’été en Ontario !
Et dis-moi en commentaire : quelle activité te tente le plus ?
#discoveron
@ontariotravel and @kawarthas_northumberland
#PeterboroughOntario #TrentSevernWaterway #OntarioRoadTrip #ExploreOntario #SummerInOntario #HiddenGemsOntario #CanadianTravel
These Ontario spots understood the assignment… Saunas in the forest, hot tubs with a view, outdoor soaks under the stars, we’ve got it all!
Here are 6 places where the spa setup is reason enough to book the trip:
1. Aux Box (Huntsville)
2. The Baltic by Fort Tree House Co. (Minden)
3. Back Forty Glamping (Meaford)
4. Anupaya (Deep River)
5. Tiny Stays (Prince Edward County)
6. The June Motel (Beaver Valley)
Tag someone who owes you a spa weekend 💆♀️
🇫🇷 La version française de ce texte se trouve dans les commentaires
#OntarioStays #GlampingOntario #WeekendGetaway #SaunaVibes #HotTubGoals #OntarioSpas #TinyCabins #TravelOntario
I’m on a mission to put Belleville on the map for your Ontario summer adventures 🌞
This is way more than just a drive-by on the 401. Think: charming town vibes, scenic hikes, amazing food (I’m still dreaming about those perogies), and… turtles. 🐢
✨Here’s what I did (don’t forget to save the reel for the full breakdown!):
📍Explored downtown + coffee at Benji’s
🐢 Turtle Pond sanctuary
🥟 Lunch at Kafana (get the perogies!)
🌲 Hiked up Sager Tower (located in Quinte West just a short drive away)
🌮 Dinner at Pop-Ups on the Bay
🍓 Smoothies, wildlife, breweries & more on Day 2
🏖 Bonus: Presqu’ile for a beach day just 35 minutes away.
For this visit, I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Belleville, perfectly located for all your Bay of Quinte adventures. 👌
Save this for your next summer roadtrip & tag someone who needs a mini escape!
🇫🇷 La version française de ce texte se trouve dans les commentaires
*made in partnership with Bay of Quinte Tourism*
#VisitBelleville #BayofQuinte #OntarioGetaways #HiddenGemsOntario #ExploreOntario #WeekendTripIdeas #MsurlarouteAdventures
Everyone visits Banff, but just an hour away, there’s also this. 👀
Grassi Lake in Kananaskis might just be one of the most underrated hikes in Alberta.
It’s short, it’s scenic, and the turquoise water? Totally unreal.
💦 Take the interpretive trail for waterfalls and forest views
⛰️ End at a lake so vibrant it looks photoshopped
So if you’re heading to the Rockies this summer, don’t sleep on Kananaskis.
Some of the best views are just off the radar.
💬 Been to Kananaskis or still on your list?
💾 Save this if you’re planning an Alberta trip!
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires! ⬇️
#GrassiLake #KananaskisCountry #AlbertaRoadTrip #HiddenGemsAlberta #ExploreKananaskis #HikingAlberta #BanffVsKananaskis #CanadianRockies #SummerInAlberta
