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March may be a confusing month, weather-wise, but there’s one major highlight to look forward to in Ontario: maple season. No fridge is complete without a bottle of that golden syrup on hand at all times — but once a year, we get a chance to see how it actually gets made. Visiting a sugar bush makes for the perfect, ultra-Canadian day trip, whether you’re taking a road trip for the weekend or making March Break plans.
If you’re interested in exploring maple sugaring season firsthand, hope to learn more about this amber delicacy, or want a unique experience, here are a few places to help you get started. From Muskoka to Niagara, Halton and beyond, March is prime time to head to the sugar shack. While you’re at it, try exploring the many delightful nearby towns – it makes for a great day or weekend trip.
Maple Town at Mountsberg
When: Weekends and holidays until April 5, and daily during March Break
From sap collection to transformation into the sugary liquid Canadians hold dear, you’ll love learning about sugar maples with a Conservation Halton guide. After, sample fresh syrup on a hot stack of pancakes accompanied by a warm drink. For further exploration, head to nearby Rattlesnake Point — recently named one of the most photogenic natural spots in the world — for inspiring nature trails through 800-year-old cedar forests and scenic lookout points.
Elliot Tree Farm Maple Syrup Experience
When: Weekends and holidays until April 5, as well as March 16 and March 20 of March Break
Enjoy a hearty breakfast and sample award-winning maple syrup. Hike (or toboggan) the farm’s sugarbush trail, taste sap from the tree and head to the sugar shack to watch the pros at work before exploring the Maple Syrup Museum of Ontario. Afterward, stop by Orangeville for dining, local shopping and charming historic strolls.
Elmira Maple Syrup Festival
When: April 11
Join a 60-year town tradition and celebrate the sweetest time of year — maple syrup season. Enjoy wagon rides, syrup tasting, family activities and a pancake-flipping contest. For a unique experience, visit Elmira via the Waterloo Central Railway, a heritage train journey and book sugar bush hikes at nearby farms. For further exploration, visit neighbouring St. Jacobs and meander Canada’s largest farmers market.
Sweet Water at Crawford Lake
When: Weekends and holidays until April 5, and daily during March Break
Learn about Indigenous sugar water traditions, sample maple and birch sap on an expert-guided excursion, and explore a 15th-century Longhouse village for a fascinating peek into the past. After, cozy up by the fire and sample maple taffy. To enjoy more of the beautiful outdoors, try cross-country skiing.
Pefferlaw Creek Farms Maple Syrup Festival
When: Weekends until April 19, excluding Easter Sunday (April 5)
Dig into a scrumptious breakfast of farm-fresh sausages and pancakes made from a secret family recipe — all with a good serving of maple syrup. Take a guided hike through the sugar bush, learn about tree-tapping, and visit the sugar shack for maple syrup-making insights. And, if you can’t get enough of maple season, visit nearby Sunderland between April 11–12 for the Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival.
Brooks Farms Maplefest
When: March 14–22, March 27, April 11–12, April 18–19
Take an educational sugar bush tour and discover the science behind creating maple syrup. Set the kids free in the Barnyard Playland and delight in a wagon ride through the farm. Taste artisanal maple syrup, roast marshmallows by the fire and tuck into a stack of flapjacks.
Maple Syrup Festival at Bruce’s Mill
When: March 14–22, March 28–29, Easter weekend (April 3–5)
Take an enchanting horse-drawn wagon ride, experience demonstrations on Indigenous and early settler maple syrup production methods, and enjoy scenic winter hiking trails. Shop fantastic maple-infused gifts, and enjoy a filling pancake breakfast. For an additional cost, trek among the treetops or explore Uplå, a massive suspended net adventure park.
PEC March Maple Madness
When: Weekends in March
Explore multiple family-owned sugar bush trails, snowshoe through vineyards and sugar maple woods, and try your luck at maple syrup-related trivia. Buy delectable baked goods and small-batch maple syrup, and have a boozy break at several local wineries, breweries and cider houses. While you’re at it, stay the weekend in one of Prince Edward County’s lovely B&Bs, enjoy superb local dining experiences, or book a guided maple tour day trip.
Muskoka Maple Trail and Maple Festival
When: Festival on April 25, Maple Trail is open until April 26
Enjoy Muskoka’s finest epicurean and experiential activities on the Maple Trail and discover why Canadians covet this sticky treat. Dine on maple-infused dishes, explore sugar bushes by wagon ride, and uncover the rich history of this early spring tradition. On April 25, celebrate the season with treats, entertainment and revelry in welcoming Muskoka style, complete with maple taffy, pancake breakfast and a wood carving demo.
White Meadows Farms Sugar Bush Trek
When: Weekends until April 12, daily during March Break, Good Friday (April 3)
Discover four generations of maple syrup-crafting tradition at White Meadows Farm. Take an expert-guided tour through the sugar bush and learn the fascinating legacy behind this time-honoured Canadian delicacy. Get hands-on and tap a tree or create your own maple taffy in the snow. And don’t forget to stop by the sugar shack to see where the magic happens. While here, why not make a weekend of it and head to Niagara-on-the-Lake or the Falls?
