Some of my favourite Ontario day trips are the ones that feel slightly under the radar.
The kinds of places you don’t hear about nearly as often as Niagara-on-the-Lake or Prince Edward County, yet somehow end up surprising you even more once you arrive.
Norfolk County felt exactly like that to me.
I’ve spent the greater part of 30 years, spending weekends exploring quieter corners of Ontario like this. Scenic back roads, tiny beach towns, roadside farm stands, wineries, hidden trails, and places you find slowly over the course of a day.
What I love most about Norfolk County is that it still feels relatively undiscovered compared to some of Ontario’s more popular weekend destinations.
Here’s how I’d spend a slower day exploring Norfolk County now.
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Why Norfolk County Feels Different Than Other Places in Ontario
Norfolk County is a rural region on the north shore of Lake Erie in southwestern Ontario, made up of communities: Simcoe, Port Dover, Waterford and Delhi.
It is under 90 minutes from Toronto. And even closer for those towns in the west end, like Elora and Stratford.
Norfolk County tourism describes this area as an up-and-coming region to discover. So if you’re anything like me, go now before it becomes too saturated with other day trippers like us.
What continues to stand out to me about Norfolk County is how different it feels from many of Ontario’s more established weekend destinations.
Places like Prince Edward County have become incredibly popular over the years, while areas like Caledon have increasingly drawn people looking for scenic day trips, small towns, hiking trails, and countryside escapes closer to Toronto.
Norfolk County still feels a little quieter around the edges.
The towns that make up this county feel less curated. The roads feel more rural and open. You’ll still find stretches where it’s just farmland, forest, roadside produce stands, and the occasional hidden beach town appearing almost unexpectedly along Lake Erie.
And honestly, I think that’s part of the appeal.
Where Prince Edward County often feels centred around wineries, boutique stays, and curated weekend itineraries, Norfolk County feels more spontaneous to me. A place where some of the best moments happen between the planned stops.
It reminds me a little of how Caledon felt years ago, before it became such a popular day-trip destination. There’s still a sense of discovery here that can feel harder to find in Ontario’s better-known regions.
What I love most is that Norfolk County rewards slowing down. Taking the scenic route. Pulling over at a roadside market. Spending an extra hour in a tiny town you almost skipped entirely.
It’s the kind of Ontario road trip experience I find myself appreciating more and more these days.
Now here’s how you might spend your day, or weekend, in the county of Norfolk.
Road Trip Beginning: Hidden Stops in Norfolk County
I’ve built a full-day itinerary that takes you from one end of Norfolk County to the other. You can pick and choose what interests you the most, depending on how much time you have to spend in Norfolk County.
Visit a Lavender Farm
Start your day by visiting a top attraction in Norfolk County – lavender farms!
Apple Hill Lavender is a 4th-generation family farm that began its operations in 1906. Today, the farm grows apples and lavender on its 45 acres.
It’s a family affair with one sister overseeing the apple orchard and the other sister, the lavender farm.
It is open to the public from May to December and is located at 1795 Windham Road 11, Windham Centre.
The best part, you can stroll the rolling hills of Lavender for free.
Fields of lavender are such a beautiful sight to behold, aren’t they? And, Apple Hill Lavender is at the top of the list!
With the sound of bees buzzing and the intoxicatingly sweet smell of lavender in the air, this is such a tranquil spot.
In bloom for such a short time of the year (mid-June to late July) are the popular French (Lavandula) and English (Angustifolia) cultivars.
In addition to growing, they also harvest and distill on-site, producing their own natural essential oils. From these, they make a large variety of culinary and body care products sold in their Bake House and boutique shop.
I met with Melissa, the operator of the lavender farm, who is also a very talented artist. Her pottery, The Raging Bowl,’ can be found in the boutique shop. She graciously shared the family history with me.
Enjoy a picnic under the old apple trees. Before you reach Apple Hill Lavender, you will pass by many farm market stands. Stop in and grab yourself some seasonal fruit and baked goods, knowing that you now have the perfect spot to enjoy them right here.
Take a Detour
One of the fun things to do in Norfolk County is taking a bit of a detour- here are two stops I did.
A popular place to visit in Norfolk County is Picard’s Peanuts.
In 1979, the Picard family began harvesting peanuts. Today, they offer over 150 confectionery products in 6 locations in Ontario.
Visit where it all began and stop in at Windham Centre – the original location and processing plant.
Another fun detour is quenching your thirst at New Limburg Brewing Company. If you love Belgian-style ales, you’ll want to stop here.
The family has brought their roots from Limburg, the Netherlands and Limburg, Belgium, to Norfolk County.
The once-elementary school has been transformed into a microbrewery and restaurant that has all the European vibes you could ask for.
Explore Norfolk County’s Lake Erie Towns
Discover Port Dover
The popular beach town of Port Dover, named after Dover, England, was discovered in 1794. Only to be burned down and destroyed during an American raid in 1812. The survivors of the war slowly rebuilt the community, and by the 1870s, the village grew to over 1,000 residents.
Sitting on the Ontario shores of Lake Erie, a Port Dover day trip to this laid-back beach town offers up a whole lot more than fun in the sun.
One of the top things to do in Port Dover is to visit its most famous beacon – the Port Dover lighthouse from the mid-1800s.
Walking along the long pier for those panoramic lake views is one of the best things to do in Port Dover.
Wondering what to do in Port Dover, surprisingly, there’s a lot!
Located just off the beach strip is the Port Dover Harbour Museum, a small museum preserving the town’s historical role in the commercial fishing industry.
You might also hear some legendary tales of famous shipwrecks and rum smugglers.
Take part in Port Dover’s thriving arts and culture community. Visit the Lighthouse Festival Theatre for some live professional theatre. Also, be sure to check out Woodhouse Gallery, featuring local and Canadian artists.
Seekers of small-town charm will be pleasantly surprised at just how quaint the downtown is.
Just a couple of minutes’ walk from the main beach area is where you’ll find the historic buildings lined with some cute shops.
Boutiques like The Dover Cheese Shop, Cottage North Soapworks, and 13 Reasons, to name a few.
Port Dover is also known for its restaurants. They have an amazing array to suit everyone. From beach-side grill to diner and pub-style to a bistro, and even a couple of fine dining. No matter, almost every menu in town features its famous local fish – perch and pickerel.
The winding roads along the scenic Lake Erie shoreline, known as Ontario’s South Coast, are a popular motorcycle route.
Port Dover was put on the map due to its Friday the 13th tradition. Since 1981, the gathering of motorcyclists every Friday the 13th (rain or shine and all seasons) has been where hundreds of thousands of bikers descend upon this small town.
Stop at a Ghost Town called Normandale
One of the best parts of Norfolk County is that the driving itself becomes part of the experience. The roads wind through farmland, vineyards, forested stretches, and tiny lakeside communities in a way that constantly makes you want to pull over and explore something unexpected.
One of the things to do near Port Dover is to visit Normandale, a tiny historical village that is also known as a ghost town.
In the 1800s, the population swelled to almost 800, but today only a couple of hundred part-time cottagers reside here.
This secret spot has historical roots as being Ontario’s first steel town (sorry, Hamilton). The Van Norman Company, from 1822, was known for building the first iron furnace, among other iron materials like the cooking stove, kettles, pots and pans.
Nothing remains of the foundry today on Mill Street, only a marker designating it a National Historic Site in 1927.
Today, Normandale is a quiet place for cottagers, with maybe the odd full-time resident.
To reach it, you drive through “Spooky Hollow Nature Sanctuary” – a densely forested area with a winding, hilly road until you reach the main street.
Driving through Spooky Hollow almost feels like entering another version of Ontario entirely. The road narrows, the forest thickens, and suddenly you arrive in this tiny forgotten lakeside village that most people would never think to stop in.
Two well-kept historic buildings, the Union Hotel (1840) and the original Post Office (1842), stand at the main intersection of Normandale Road and Main Street.
They are this tiny village’s top attraction.
Another fun thing to do in Normandale is to take the trail from Mill Street, leading you to a small secluded beach.
The views of Lake Erie are worth coming to Normandale. It is also the only dog-friendly beach in the area.
That was the initial reason for seeking out Normandale, only to be pleasantly surprised to find a whole lot more.
Amazingly, there are two restaurants in Normandale. The long-standing General Store is known for its burgers and ice cream and Tacos ‘n’ Tequila, which is authentic Mexican food.
As soon as I saw the outdoor terrace with Papel Picado, Mexican folk art, strung overhead I was sold. Tequila drinks on the cute terrace, it is!
This family-run business also includes the adjacent Normandale Century Inn, which was just opened by a newly immigrated Mexican family. We sipped on some tequila cocktails with homemade nacho chips before we headed out to our last and final stop.
Don’t Miss Port Rowan
The small town of Port Rowan dates back to 1825. It thrived in the lumber and fishing industries.
Today it is a popular marina. Being so close to the tourist attraction of Long Point most drive right past it. Don’t. Especially for those amateur or professional photographers.
There is nothing here but old boathouses. The more rustic the better. Wait for the perfect lighting and the water reflections to come alive.
Locals can be found fishing off the pier. Boaters come and go. And, the only business in sight is Twin’s Ice Cream Parlour which has been operating for several decades. This was one of the highlights of all the Turkey Point things to do.
Scenic Drives, Beaches & Wine Country
Take the Scenic Route from Turkey Point to Long Point
Follow the scenic Waterfront Trail roadway, a 20-km stretch from Turkey Point to Long Point, and visit some more attractions in Norfolk County, like the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.
Long Point is comprised of over 26,000 hectares of a protected coastal ecosystem. Designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986, it’s home to:
- 1,300+ species of plants,
- 370+ species of birds,
- 100+ species of fish,
- 45+ species of mammals,
- 30+ species of amphibians and reptiles, and
- 90+ species of butterflies
This 40-km stretch of uninterrupted beaches, undisturbed sand dunes, grassy ridges, wet meadows, woodlands, marshes and ponds is an incredible sight.
Turkey Point, one of the earliest settled communities in Norfolk County, was named for the abundance of wild turkeys that nested there.
Today, its diverse ecosystem of marshes, ponds, wetlands and dense Carolinian forest makes this a popular spot for migrating birds and other wildlife.
Long Point is a world-renowned refuge and stopover for migrating birds in the spring and fall.
Come here in March and April for a waterfowl viewing. Its delicate dunes and marshes teem with songbirds, spawning fish, turtles and frogs.
Stop at the Lee Brown Waterfowl Management Area. Climb the lookout tower with your binoculars or the zoom lens of your camera, and do some birdwatching.
Visit a Winery
One of the best things to do in Turkey Point is to check out some wineries. Yes, I was surprised to find some boutique wineries, nothing like the popular wine regions found in Niagara or Prince Edward County, but definitely worth a stop.
Once a Tabaco farm, the crop was replaced with grape vines and the doors to Burning Kiln Winery were opened. This winery has it all. From dining at Canned Heat to live entertainment and a pop-up artisan market, and even the option to stay in the original farmhouse from 1865.
Tasting flights of 3 or 5 are guided by your wine expert. And, we may have walked away with a couple of bottles, including their newest wine, ‘Broken Needle’, a delicious Pinot Noir Rosé.
Further down the road is Blueberry Hill Winery. When in season, freshly picked blueberries and market preserves are available, as well as their wine.
Head to the Beach
For the best beach experience, visit one of the area’s two provincial parks – Turkey Point and Long Point Provincial Parks.
Alternatively, both towns have public beaches that extend into cottage areas; just watch for private property. I recommend the public beach at Turkey Point, it’s a long stretch of 3 km of sandy shoreline.
Why Norfolk County Works So Well for Slow Day Trips
What I loved most about Norfolk County was how naturally the day unfolded.
One scenic road led to another. A small detour turned into one of my favourite stops of the trip. And some of the places I remember most weren’t major attractions at all, but quiet moments between them. Pulling over at a roadside farm stand. Discovering a hidden beach in Normandale. Wandering through Port Rowan longer than expected, watching the reflections along the marina.
That’s usually the kind of Ontario travel I enjoy most these days.
The smaller towns. The scenic back roads. The places that still feel a little under the radar compared to Ontario’s busier weekend destinations.
Norfolk County still feels quieter to me. More spread out. A place where the driving itself becomes part of the experience and where some of the best moments happen unexpectedly between planned stops.
I think that’s why it works so well for slower Ontario day trips.
You leave room in the itinerary for spontaneity. For scenic detours. For staying longer somewhere that surprises you. And honestly, those are usually the Ontario road trips I end up remembering the most.
