After two pandemic summers, this one is ripe for adventure in Hastings County. But if all that time indoors has left you wondering what to do, keep reading. These 10 can’t-miss experiences you’ll find across the region need to be on your bucket list.
Autumn may just be the best season for a bed and breakfast staycation, especially here in Hastings County. From Maynooth to Deseronto, you’ll find cozy abodes perched on rural hillsides, hidden in forested valleys and tucked off side streets in sleepy towns. All of them come with views of vibrant fall colours right outside your window and smells of hot coffee and a warm breakfast just outside your door. Here are seven bed-and-breakfast options to get your autumn on across Hastings County.
Coming here was a dream for us; our stay included all meals, morning yoga, evening workshops/seminars, afternoon snack and elixir, a guided tour of the grounds including a hike to their Crystal Crop, huge yoga/sun deck with lounge chairs, Muskoka chairs, swim raft, camp fire, unlimited use of: the thermal circuit (sauna, 98 degree thermal tub, 104 degree thermal tub, old plunge tub, Nordik shower bucket), canoe, paddleboat and SUP equipment, Sacred Labyrinth, Medicine Wheel, Prayer Tree, Volcanic Ash Healing Bed, and Trail of Dreams/hiking.
From a tiny house on the Madawaska River to a Mongolian yurt just north of Deseronto, here are 9 more glamping retreats in Hastings County redefining the meaning of roughing it.
“What I’m building here feels like a calling. What I’m building is my dream, but it’s also a dream I want to share with people,” she said. “I think everyone is a creator, so it really is open to anyone who wants to think creatively.”
Looking to go away for the weekend — or longer — but just don’t want the expense of a full cottage or the hassle of camping? A bed and breakfast may be just the ticket. And you’re in luck in Hastings County, as there are a wide range of options to choose from. Some are in bustling towns and villages with restaurants and shops next door; others are out in the country with sweeping views of rolling hills and hiking trails nearby. Hastings County is home to many Bed and Breakfasts offering exceptional small-town hospitality.
Hastings County is a great place for a foodie road trip! Explore Hastings’ culinary scene with these 6 must-stop spots for the avid foodie.
No matter how busy the day gets we can also make time for ourselves. There are so many physical and mental benefits to yoga and meditation and the yoga retreat really helps you see that. I returned to lots of deadlines and in a normal week, I would have overworked and tired myself out. Instead, I found myself listening to my body, and tuning in to what I learned from the retreat, whether that was a short meditation, a walk, or yoga.
Limerick Lake is a unique body of water. Although it has 75 miles of shoreline, the entire lake has less than 160 cottages, many of which have been passed down through family generations since the 1920s and 1930s. The lake is quiet, pristine and mostly untouched, with no new builds since 1980. The reason? Limerick Lake is only accessible by boat.
Let’s face it: camping is great, but we don’t all want to sleep on the ground or cook over an open fire. An actual bed with sheets would be welcome, as would four walls, or at least some strong canvas. Luckily, glamorous camping, a.k.a. glamping, has taken off across North America in recent years, including here in Hastings County. From a riverside yurt to an off-grid cabin in the woods, here are five spots to get your glamp on.
Mention the word “cottage” to most Ontarians and you’re likely to instantly conjure images of rustic cabins, crackling fires, and sunsets dropping on calm, tree-lined lakes.
The cottage is part of our provincial lore; it’s our oasis in a world moving way too fast. And here in Hastings County, where secluded lakes, dense forests, and sparse populations are the norm, it’s easy to find your cottage sanctuary.
We were all seated comfortably in the yoga pavilion – a simple wooden structure with screens for walls where light and fresh air enter freely. The wind in the trees and the sound of the river hushed any unnecessary mind chatter and the retreat began with the simple sharing of how we found ourselves seated here in the woods. One participant said it well when she shared: “I came to see what the yogis in the forest could teach me”. Learn more about Yoga & The River Retreat at Madawaska Kanu Centre with yogis, Jessica & Nathan Rogers of Creekside Yoga.
Find a quaint cabin; invite good company; pack a cozy sweater; power down. Outside all weekend? YES. Off-grid cabin? COOL! Lake swimming? Sign me up! This spur-of-the-moment plan my husband, Andrew, and I decided on was shaping up to be the perfect getaway.”
The beginning of Paige Wentworth’s off-the-grid cottage getaway in northern Hastings County, in the summer of 2019. Be inspired to have a cottage getaway of your own!
The Eastern Ontario Trail Alliance (EOTA) offers a trail network spreading from the Bay of Quinte to Algonquin Park. The trails wander past scenic villages, historic ghost towns and clear lakes and streams. They’re ideal for ATVs, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, cycling, and birding. You can visit for the day, or stay …
Find unique places to stay all across Wildly Authentic Hastings. Browse the map of locations all across our County.
Camping is a great way to break from your normal routine and get back to nature. Enjoy our wildly authentic natural surroundings and savour the fresh air. From North to South, there are camping opportunities available all across Hastings.
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Visitors often ask about the building and it’s name, Quinn’s of Tweed. In fact, tradition dictates that we keep, with honour, the name Quinn’s of Tweed, the original name of the store and building. The Quinn’s of Tweed building is one of the town’s oldest and most beautiful historic stone structures, dating back to the 1880s. The twelve foot walls allow us to hang paintings in the traditional French salon style. You’ll marvel at the craftmanship of the ash and maple staircase, the old bookeeper’s office, and the stained glass that brings one back to an era when a handshake and promise were as good as gold – today, we still believe in those principles.
Charles Frederick McGowan sold the lot in 1907 to William James Lawrence for $600.00. Shortly thereafter Mr. Lawrence erected the building which still stands there today. He conducted a furniture business until 1912, when he sold the property to the Traders’ Bank of Canada, which within the year, was taken over by the Royal Bank of Canada. It operated out of the building until 1942, when the war forced consolidations and closures due to a lack of tellers (men). The property changed hands a couple more times before local Tweed family, Gaylord Forest Products secured the property in 2003. Since then, they have evolved every inch of the interior into an experience. Each room throughout the building is a real life ‘showroom’ from top to bottom; you simply have to see it to believe it. The stairwell in particular holds a lot of history!
Experience the charm of our 1906 mansion, nestled in the village of Marmora, Ontario, an historic town celebrating 200 years in 2021. The large and stately home was built by Ed Shannon for lumber baron Henry Reginald Pearce (known as “Reginald”) and his family, who purchased the lot for $200. It remained a private family dwelling for many decades and eventually was converted to a Bed and Breakfast by Chris and Lilly Boldly.
It now operates as Marmora And Lake Inn B&B and boasts beautiful, spacious bedrooms with quaint old-world craftsmanship for a luxurious stay. Onsite amenities include an exceptional indoor swimming pool, bubbler tub, infrared sauna, large screen SMART TV’s in each room, wireless internet access throughout, and generous sized gathering rooms. And being a small town, the pool is open to the community and friends for a nominal fee (pre-booking is required).
Our guests enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast including locally baked breads and pastries, yogurt and fresh fruit, an extensive beverage and tea/coffee bar featuring a wide variety of flavours and blends. Great outdoor patio area for fair-weather relaxation and large private events.
Whether planning a romantic weekend for two, a small wedding, a family reunion or a week-long visit to bask in the natural beauty of the region, the Marmora And Lake Inn B&B will help make it a time to remember. (Please note that all bedrooms are on the upper levels and we don’t yet have accessibility assist.)
