We live in a gorgeous area of Canada, with some of the best fall drives from Toronto and the region around it. As soon as the leaves start changing colour, it’s time to monitor the Fall leaves trackers and do a few day trips from Toronto!
We’ve done many Fall day trips from Toronto and road trips throughout Ontario in the past 10 years. I’m sharing some of my favourites with fellow Ontarians, and Fall visitors to Toronto, so that you can enjoy the beauty of our deciduous forests and greenspaces.
The fall colours in Ontario are really some of the best in all of Canada
Power up your camera, load up on drinks and snacks, or book a bed and breakfast destination, and hit the road for fall day trips from Toronto!
1 // Belfountain Conservation Area And The Forks Of The Credit Road
50 minutes from Toronto via Highway 410
When you take a drive along the curving The Forks of The Credit Road, you find yourself by Belfountain Conservation Area. The road passes along the Credit River, through little valleys, and up hills. It’s a fun drive if you want a taste of driving in the mountains.
When you reach Belfountain Conservation Area, you have a chance to walk in the colourful woods! The trails at Belfountain are fairly easy. The Credit River runs through this park. You pass by a waterfall and cross over a suspension bridge.
| Related: Hiking The Forks Of The Credit River Provincial Park
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2 // Crawford Lake Conservation Area
60 minutes to 1-1/2 hours from Toronto
This is one of our top favourites for our Fall drives from Toronto list because it’s practically in our backyard! We live just 30 minutes south of Crawford Lake Conservation Area.
Crawford Lake Conservation Area is gorgeous at any time of the year for hiking and exploring the natural landscape. Although you can take the highway 401 to Guelph Line, I recommend taking the QEW and driving north through Burlington. Why? Because past Dundas Street in Burlington, the landscape becomes rural with farms and stretches of woods. It’s a beautiful way to see the Niagara Escarpment and colourful landscape.
When you arrive at Crawford Lake Conservation Area, enjoy a long hike along the boardwalk and other trails that criss-cross the Bruce Trail. Explore the reconstructed First Nations longhouse and get some much needed fresh air!
| Related: Hiking The Bruce Side Trail At Hilton Falls
3 // Hamilton, Waterdown And Dundas
1 to 1-2/ hours from Toronto via QEW
A little warning: Hamilton and the surrounding areas of Waterdown and Dundas are extremely popular due to a large number of waterfalls in the region.
However, it makes my list of top five Fall drives from Toronto because the foliage is unbelievable!
Drive “up the mountain” to the top and you get some vistas of the city below with fall colours everywhere. If you can, take a walk along the Hamilton Rail Trail that gives you a great view of the city below, while you walk alongside golden and red trees.
Some of the most popular waterfalls are Websters Falls and Tews Falls (along with a fantastic view from Dundas Peak), Albion Falls, and Tiffany Falls. A hugely popular walk is the Great Smokey Hollow Walk, starting in Waterdown.
TIP: As these areas are very popular for fall day trips from Toronto, expect that you may not be able to find parking at your desired location. In that case, just enjoy the Fall colours during your drive from Toronto. Alternately, wake up super early to get to these spots for an early morning walk!
| Related: Exploring Websters Falls, Tews Falls In Hamilton
4 // Beaver Valley
2-1/2 hours north of Toronto via country roads
One of the less-known destinations for Fall drives from Toronto is the Beaver Valley.
Located southwest from the popular Collingwood area (which is also a beautiful drive for Fall colours in Ontario), the Beaver Valley has many curving quiet country roads.
The valley includes the Beaver River which empties into Georgian Bay. For a walk, head to Old Baldy Conservation Area for amazing views from atop the Niagara Escarpment, which passes through this area.
Sections of the Bruce Trail cross through the Beaver Valley.
The landscape is dotted with apple farms, with nearby Thornbury with its famous cider brand. This in itself is a perfect reason to do fall day trips from Toronto – stock up on apple cider!
However, it also includes many little forested areas, especially along the valley’s hillsides. This makes it a delightful destination for a Fall day trip from Toronto.
| Related: Exploring Old Baldy Conservation Area And The Beaver Valley
5 // Niagara Falls Region
Approximately 2 hours from Toronto via QEW
Wine, delicious cuisine, and winding country roads make the Niagara Wine Route one of the best Fall drives from Toronto.
When you get into the area of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and even Niagara Falls, you can see many colourful trees. Gold, reds, and burnt umber hues of mostly Maple and other local deciduous trees make this landscape spectacular.
A great destination for your Fall day trip from Toronto is Niagara-on-the-Lake. Here you can check out Fort George, walk along the main drag – Picton Street – for some shopping and dining, and check out the Queen’s Parade park area by the Shaw Festival building. There are numerous trees found on the grounds.
If you’ve missed Fall in areas north of Toronto, Niagara Falls is the best option for early and mid-October Fall colours.
Fall Day Trips From Toronto: Road Trip Tips
A few tips for your Fall day trips from Toronto:
- Expect a lot of traffic on weekends. This is one of the most popular areas for day trips from Toronto. Leave earlier in the morning to reduce the chances of getting stuck in traffic on the QEW.
- Pack a few key things to make your trip a nice one, instead of a stressful one. Make sure you bring a water bottle and snacks. Try out this amazing self-cleaning LARQ reusable water bottle. It doesn’t have that moldy, stinky smell.
- Grab some extra cash, in case you decide to stop by farmer’s stands and markets. Many work on a cash system.
QUESTION: What is your favourite Fall drive from Toronto?
4 Comments
Thanks for posting these. With the kids off doing their own things I can see me and the boss spending some time exploring these places on our own this fall.
Time to hit the road! These are some of the most beautiful spots. Just get there early to avoid the crowds.
The article date is August 2020 but comments are from one year back so I am confused whether the information in this post is really up to date.
Hi John, Yes, I updated it to include areas that are fairly close to Toronto. It’s best to double check if some of these places are open due to Covid.