A Road Trip to Vankleek Hill; Top Things to See and Do
With rich agricultural lands, unique local producers and a picturesque downtown, the town of Vankleek Hill is the perfect destination for a Southeastern Ontario road trip. Only an hour east of Ottawa, this quaint small town is great spot to spend a day wine tasting, beer sampling, indulging in local cuisine, shopping for great locally made goods, and getting lost in the relaxing pace of country life.
Explore Local Art and History
Higginson Tower
The Higginson Tower is a historic landmark in Vankleek Hill, and a must-visit for anyone passing through the town. The distinct structure was built in 1830 as a wind-powered grist mill by Lieutenant Thomas Higginson to aid in the grinding of wheat and corn from the rich agricultural lands of the region. With a lack of consistent wind, the windmill was later transformed by Lieutenant Thomas' son, William Higginson, into the first private observatory in Eastern Ontario, with an addition to the upper portion of the Tower. Years later the tower was acquired by Phil Arber, a dedicated citizen and activist in the Vankleek Hill community. He donated the ruins and some of the land surrounding the Tower including what is now the Arbor Gallery, to Champlain Township in 2003. Arber along with the Higginson Tower Committee then raised over $100k to restore the historic structure to its former stature.
Arbor Gallery
Located a stone's throw away from the Higginson Tower, you'll find the Arbor Gallery. Nestled under a canopy of mature trees, the gallery is located in the historic Higginson building, built by William Higginson in 1856. Once a boarding house in the 1940's and 50's operated by the Higginson family, the building was sold in the 1970's and was ran as an art school, welcoming visiting artists from around the region. In 1993 it was purchased by Phil Arber and shortly after the Arbor gallery was opened, exhibiting art from classic to contemporary, by both local and visiting artists.
Historical Murals
In the heart of Vankleek's Hill charming downtown, you'll find a series of beautifully painted murals depicting the town's history and heritage. Vankleek Hill is among one of the first villages in Canada to display historical murals depicting life in the village over the years. These beautiful, intricate murals were painted by artists Elisabeth Skelly and Odile Tetu, and can be found in several places in the town's downtown. On High St. (on the Wagar and Holland building at 28 High St.), you'll find "Going to the Fair" which is a composite painting created from historical photographs, and a few steps away (on the side of the Pink Bow Tie Building at 12A High St.) you'll find "Community Patchwork" which illustrates scenes from the May Show Festival, the ice storm of 1998 and the Vankleek Hill Fair. Nearby on Home Avenue (on the side of the Jade Garden Building at 85 Main St. East) you'll find scenes from yesteryear, which showcases local business and even well known current Vankleek Hill residents.
Eat and drink
Broken Kettle Bakery
Looking for a sweet treat, specialty coffee or light snack? Then add a stop at Broken Kettle Bakery to your list. This homey bakery offers not only mouthwatering butter tarts, muffins and cookies, but some great options for a light lunch including wraps, soup and sandwiches. If you need a morning caffeine jolt or late afternoon pick-me up, their specialty coffees do just the trick, and with beans sourced from local roasteries including Totem Coffee and Bluebarn Coffee Roasters, you’ll feel good sipping and supporting local. For a hot summer day they also offer scoops of Kawartha Dairy ice cream, healthy smoothies and even frozen hot chocolate!
Trillium Tea Room
The Trillium Tea Room is another great spot to stop for lunch or a quick snack. Choose from a variety of soup, salads and handmade sandwiches and don't forget to grab a glass of homemade lemonade or iced-tea.. Save room for dessert and try a slice of coconut cream pie, scones with homemade strawberry jam, or a famous Cow Pie Cookie (a delicious combo of milk chocolate, raisins and toasted almonds). For those who love afternoon tea, the Trillium Tea Room holds special high tea events throughout the year, which include traditional finger sandwiches, decadent scones, delectable desserts and your choice of specialty teas.
Local Producers and Farm Fun
Ouimet Farms Adventure
If you're looking for some family farm fun, Ouimet Farms Adventure is the place to go in Vankleek Hill. This family-run farm was opened in 2013 by Andre Ouimet, and it’s signature 7-acre corn maze (which design changes each year), has been a much-cherished spot for families visiting the area during late summer and fall. Along with navigating the giant corn labyrinth, they also offer a Fun Zone for kids with a variety of entertaining activities including a small zipline, climbing rock wall, pedal karts, gem mining and a giant jumping pillow. Ouimet Farms is also part of the Pop silos program, and their beautifully painted pop silo featuring a farmer at work is a stunning photo op, and worth pulling over for.
Garden Path Homemade Soap
Located a short drive from Vankleek's Hill downtown, Garden Path Homemade Soap is ideal spot, not only to grab some locally-made soap, but to revel in the beauty of nature. Take a stroll through the lush gardens located on the 5-acre heritage farm, and watch bees pollinate the flowers and herbs you’ll soon find in your soap. Founded in 2009, Garden Path Homemade Soap prides themselves on creating all -natural soaps and body products, and harvest many ingredients from their extensive onsite herb and flower gardens. Some of the herbs you'll find in their products include calendula, lemongrass, peppermint, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, and rose petals. They also encourage visitors to explore the grounds on a self-guided tour (maps available on the front porch or inside), highlighting the various walking trails around the property. With such an extensive array of flowers and plants onsite, Garden Path Soap attracts many monarch butterflies, and has been designated a certified Monarch Waystation. They are also bee-friendly, and their hives produce some amazingly delicious honey which is sold onsite and incorporated into their products.
Read more about Garden Path Homemade Soap and more Ontario small batch soap makers here.
Vankleek Hill Tulip Fields
If you’re visiting Vankleek Hill in the spring, you won’t want to miss the town’s most famous spring attraction, the Vankleek Hill Tulip Fields. This family-run self-pick tulip farm plants over 300,000 bulbs each year, and in May those field erupt into a field of rainbow colours, and the perfect backdrop for a spring selfie. With an assortment of different varieties available to pick, you’ll have no trouble making a perfect spring bouquet, although you might end up leaving with more stems than you planned.
Vankleek Hill Farmers' Market
If you're visiting Vankleek Hill on a Saturday be sure to stop by the Vankleek Hill Farmers' Market to for locally grown produce, home-grown meat and delicious baked goods. Open year-round (the market moves indoors in the winter), you’re sure to find more than a few things to bring home including locally made Beeswax candles, fresh lavender, home-baked tarts, cookies and loafs, grass-fed meat, fresh seasonal vegetables, fragrant herbs, home-made preserves, and homemade soap.
Vankleek Hill Vineyard
It may be a small town, but Vankleek Hill has it’s very own vineyard. Vankleek Hill Vineyard is the ideal spot for a cold Chardonnay on a warm summer day, or to sip a locally-made Cab Frac in a beautiful country setting. This 55-acre vineyard is family-owned and operated, with three generations of hard-working wine lovers making sure your Pinot Noir is just right. The Vankleek Hill Vineyard specializes in growing Frontenac (red), Frotenac Gris (white) and Servengy (red) grapes, and has a wide variety of wines to sample (and to take home) including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cab Franc. Merlot, Frontenac Noir, Frontenac Blanc, Frontenac Gris, Blueberry, Apple, and Pearl. The vineyard is not hard to miss, with beautiful mature trees, rows of grapes beaming in the summer sun, and their colourful Pop Silo to help mark the spot.
Beau's All Natural Brew Co.
A well-known name on the brewery scene, Beau's All Natural Brew Co. all began in the small town of Vankleek Hill. This award-winning craft brewery opened in 2006 by father and son co-founders Tim and Steve Beauschesne, and has become a recognized name in the craft beer industry. While it's popular Lug Tread Lagered Ale became it's signature brew, Beau’s is known for its innovation, creating new beers every year that you’ll definitely want to taste test. Their dedication to environmental sustainability is also refreshing, and along with their environmentally-friendly packaging, and sourcing coasters, brochures and posters made using 100% post-consumer waste, they also created Beau's Local Organic; Canada’s only certified organic carbon neutral beer, made with 100% Ontario hops, 100% Quebec malts, and brewed with green electricity.
Stop by for a tasting, a tour, to pick some suds for your next backyard BBQ, and during the summer months enjoy a refreshing pint and a pretzel on their airy outdoor patio.
For more information to plan your visit to Vankleek Hill, Ontario click here.
