The weather may be cooler but the spectacular scenery will warm your heart.
No matter what the day has to bring, you’ve got to fuel up right. Start with a hearty breakfast from the classic Sunset Grill, or fuel up fancy with something a little lighter from Royal Majesty Express Bar and Bakery. Your nose will point you in the right direction.
Start the first day of your Fall getaway with a hike. Here’s where you get up close with the colours, and where nature brings you a little closer to yourself. Set your own pace across 24 trails covering 30kms of incredible Escarpment scenery - many new this year. An Explore All Day Pass gives you unlimited access to the Open Air Gondola which takes you 720 vertical feet to the top, making it easy to access your route from the top or the bottom. A favourite route is up Cascade across the top and down through Village Way. About an hour to an hour and a half trek. Today is about you in motion, so slow your pace, but not too much, with a delicious grab’n’go lunch in the Village. Try a sumptuous Chuck Burger made with antibiotic-free beef, or fresh to order, hand rolled sushi from Kikaku or a specialty pizza to go from Fire Hall Pizza.
After lunch, keep exploring. You’re in Apple Country! The largest apple growing region in Ontario, in fact. So take advantage and explore all the apple-themed stops along the award-winning Apple Pie Trail. There’s no better place to relax and enjoy the local ciders, apple brandy and apple desert wine than in the orchards of Georgian Hills Vineyards or Spy Cider House and Vineyard. And don’t forget to take home your favourite varieties from T&K Ferri Orchard.
After a full day of outdoor activity, it’s time to kick off the hiking shoes and slip into something a little more, cocktaily. Relax and chat with a flight of local beer from Northwinds Brewery or try the patio at Kaytoo for specialty drinks and an amazing view of the mountain and Mill Pond.
A day like that should be capped off with something special. Take your good company to one of the fine, full-service restaurants in the Village. Try the upscale-casual dining at O&B or go international with a visit to Magnone’s Italian Restaurant, Tholo’s Greek Restaurant, or the Asian-inspired Mother Tongue Bistro. Speaking of capping things off, before you head back to your room stop by Twist Kitchen & Cocktail for one last refreshment and to share a few stories from the day.
A bicycle is a great way to check out the local scenery, and Thornbury and Clarksburg are two of the most scenic spots around. If you haven’t got your own bike, rentals are available including e-bikes exclusive to Blue Mountain guests if you want to take a bit of the load off! There are great photo-ops all along the way, so take your camera. One favourite is the beautiful flower baskets lining the bridges in Thornbury and Clarksburg. Other exciting (and often delicious!) stops include:
Craigleith Heritage Depot
Thornbury Harbour
Northwinds Beach
Sheffield Black History Museum
Surf Cafe
Fish Ladder
Loft Gallery
Cheese Gallery
Start your evening with an early dinner at MJ Byrne’s or Copper Blues then take the gondola to a night sky walk like you’ve never experienced before along the AGORA Path of Light. AGORA is a magical space inspired by the cycles of life in nature. A series of interactive lighting installations based on the five elements of air, space, earth, water and fire, AGORA is a journey of learning where participants can communicate with nature in the language of light. A truly magical way to end your visit at Blue Mountain.