Back to Search
So often we forget how many gems are in our own backyard. There are so many destinations near Toronto that make excellent weekend trips that we have come to love over the years! Port Hope makes a great weekend getaway, not far from home – only a one-hour drive from Toronto.
We want to share with you our guide to exploring the town of Port Hope and all the wonderful things that this town has to offer.
Visit East Beach
Whether you’re an early bird and prefer sunrises over sunsets, you can enjoy both scenic waterfront views at East Beach & West Beach, with clean and sandy beaches. Perfect for those who want to take a dip or even work on their tan. Fishing along the port is another option at East Beach. Salmon fishing in Port Hope is quite infamous; I’ll get more into that down below.
Try Canada’s Best Burger
Voted as Canada’s best burger, Olympus Burger serves up some of THE BEST burgers in town, with Greek influences. Olympus Burger was featured on “You gotta eat here” back in 2016 and numerous media outlets as well. Don’t believe the hype? Have a try and let us know what you think!
Salmon Migration
The annual salmon migration turns Port Hope into quite the tourist destination every year between mid-August and early October. Chinook and Coho Salmon migrate from Lake Ontario and swim up the Ganaraska River. These fish weigh anywhere between 2lbs to 40lbs! Fishing on the Ganaraska River is allowed as long as you carry a current fishing license with you at all times. The best place to get a good look at this salmon migration is at Corbett’s Dam, where you can watch the salmon attempt to jump up the fish ladder to head north and spawn.
Horseback trail riding at Trickle Creek Farms
When living in the city, horseback riding is not typically something most get to experience very often. Take the opportunity to include Trickle Creek Farms in your schedule as part of your weekend visit to Port Hope. They offer an incredibly fun trail riding experience, allowing guests to interact and gain experience with the horses. Trickle Creek Farms keeps the group very small for those horseback trail riding. We had about 7 people in our group with 3 instructors, making sure we were all doing okay and coaching us along on how to instruct the horses.
Cultivate festival
Cultivate is an annual festival that takes place in Port Hope, bringing together chefs, farmers, food producers, brew masters and more for a weekend of local celebrations. Restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and food trucks offer irresistible, fixed-price menu items from $9 – $59, alongside live music and craft beer.
Dine at Nookie's Soul Kitchen & Bar
If you’re winding down from a full day of exploring, Nookie's Soul Kitchen & Bar is great for that – and also conveniently located in the heart of downtown Port Hope. Watch a game, grab a drink and order some comfort food to relax. Order the surf and turf to get the best of both worlds!
Haute Goat Farm
Haute Goat Farm is situated on 200 acres of land with breathtaking views of the Northumberland Hills. They have Nigerian dwarf goats, alpacas, Icelandic horses, exotic chickens, an Apothecary Garden, incredible bird watching and beautiful nature trails. This is definitely something I recommend because the farm lets all the goats come at once, and I can promise you it was one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen! Walk a trail with the little goats running around – you end up in their playground where you get to pet the goats and play with them!
Fishing in the river that crosses town
There are various locations along the river to fish for salmon in Port Hope. The Ganaraska River flows through town into Lake Ontario. It’s such a beautiful view strolling along the river. We noticed some people bring their children here to catch fish. Look for the horseshoe-shaped waterfalls and see how many you can spot!
Visit Cute Shops in Downtown Port Hope
There are so many independent shops that offer great souvenirs to take home! I’m clearly a sucker for these and probably got too carried away buying bath bombs and pretty artwork to hang up at home. Some shops to check out include: G Facey, Suntree Natural Foods Marketplace, Tall Birches, Dwellissimo, Antiques on Queen, Art Gallery of Northumberland, Furby House Books, Holton Flowers, Frosted Flour Co., Bibelot, and Schuuz.
Check out unique products at Primitive Designs
Primitive Designs offers a fun, very unique collection of products imported from around the world. You can’t miss them with their giant dinosaurs and transformers plopped outside their storefront!
This post was done in collaboration with The Municipality of Port Hope, but gracelisamay.com remains unbiased in our content.
- Author and Photographer Grace Lisa May.
Subscribe to Blog