Winding its way through the Blue Mountains, Meadford and Beaver Valley in Ontario, Canada, the Apple Pie Trail is an award-winning, self-guided tour that invites road-trippers to explore what locals call "Apple Country," a mosaic of communities and townships throughout South Georgian Bay that play home to cideries, orchards, farms, restaurants and bakeries all devoted to the sweet and humble fruit.
Thanks to its unique microclimate, Georgian Bay—just a 3.5-hour drive from Buffalo—has been growing apples since the 1830s. Today, the magnificent escarpment and rugged landscape of the Canadian Shield—an expansive region of ancient rock that dominates the area—are gaining a reputation in the culinary tourism industry as a worthy road trip destination offering an excellent farm-to-table culture of its local apple crops.
While committing to the trail’s 28 stops across the region would feel a bit ambitious for even the most adventurous, you can curate a bespoke itinerary that checks off what you love most, whether it's sipping a locally crafted cider, taking a scenic hike through the orchards, catching the brilliant colors of fall foliage or enjoying a world-class, farm-to-table meal.
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Need some help deciding? Here, we share some of the Apple Pie Trail's must-see, can't-miss stops.
Sip heritage cider
Grey & Gold Cider
Grey & Gold Cider, a sustainable, farm-based cidery in the Beaver Valley, is part of the rebirth of cider-making in Ontario. With 29 different varieties of heritage apples, many of which are only grown in Grey County, their months-long fermentation process is the secret to delectably complex and all-natural ciders, all made with the sumac, chamomile, wildflowers or spruce tips grown and foraged in their fields.
Pop by their orchard-side bottle shop for tastings and a few take-home bottles, like their award-winning “Spruce of the Bruce” or "Fusion," a dry cider/wine blend of Golden Russet apples and organic Marquette grapes, aged in oak for 18 months.
Take a tour with a furry friend
Alpine Ridge Alpacas
Alpine Ridge Alpacas provides stunning terrain for outdoor enthusiasts in the Blue Mountains' rolling hills. This family-run farm offers interactive alpaca experiences where visitors can book a guided tour through farm trails and pastures with one of their gentle and friendly alpacas in tow. Bring your furry friend to the North-South fields for a spectacular snapshot of the Sunset Plateau overlooking Georgian Bay or the East-West field, which houses the infamous Indian Creek, teeming with frothy rapids, deer and beaver.
Go apple picking (and eat some pie while you're at it)
The Farmer's Pantry
A 30-acre working organic apple orchard, hobby farm and market, The Farmer's Pantry is a Beaver Valley favorite, home to three generations of apple growers. Pick a bushel of crisp seasonal apples, play a family game of mini golf through the orchard, tackle a ropes and obstacle course or head to the petting zoo, where you can take a goat for a walk, cuddle with a bunny or check out the farm's resident sheep and pigs. Admission is only $10, and families can stay as long as they please. Bring your lunch to enjoy at their picnic tables, but you would be very remiss not to pick up a homemade apple pie, butter tarts, preserves and other delectable, locally made treats onsite.
Savor the flavors of the harvest
Bruce Wine Bar
Bruce Wine Bar has become one of the best-known restaurants in Thornbury, known for its warm, west-coast-inspired atmosphere and award-winning cuisine. With a vision to create a cozy wine bar where great food and wine take center stage, Bruce has grown into a culinary landmark under the inspired hands of Executive Chef Shaun Edmonstone. The menu, with plates titled Plant, Fowl, Beast, Game and Ocean, reflects the team's commitment to sustainability and local sourcing, with ingredients procured from farmers and producers in Grey County and beyond.
Chef Shaun's ultra-seasonal dishes are deeply inspired by the flavors of the Georgian Triangle. Take the house-made chicken liver pâté from his friends at Side Road Farm, made with Ontario cippolini onion, local cider jelly and toasted sourdough, or his ever-popular, Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas and sustainably sourced seafood. While the food is unspeakably delicious, the sommelier-curated wines, Ontario craft beers and house-made cocktails—which also change with the seasons— are well worth the visit for Happy Hour alone.
Chill out and warm up
Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain
Escape into tranquility at Blue Mountain's iconic thermal spa, the Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain, where nature and wellness meet. Minutes from downtown Collingwood and Blue Mountain Resort, this serene retreat invites guests to unplug and unwind through a rejuvenating thermal experience. Enjoy outdoor hot baths, refreshing cold plunges, soothing waterfalls, saunas, a eucalyptus steam room and cozy indoor/outdoor relaxation areas, all set within a forest backdrop. Enhance your visit with a therapeutic massage treatment. After a day out on the Apple Trail, you've earned it!
