Sundays are for Exploring

Fall in Northumberland County

by Brent Colmer

There’s something about a Sunday road trip in Ontario during the fall that I absolutely love. The changing leaves, cooler temperatures, cozy places to explore and of course, finding somewhere delicious to eat along the way.

After attending a wedding in Port Hope on Saturday, Aaron and I decided to make the most of our Sunday exploring Northumberland County. From meeting alpacas to discovering a beautiful stretch of Lake Ontario shoreline, we found plenty of fun things to do between Port Hope, Cobourg, Grafton and Colborne. The weather was fantastic!

A Sunday Morning at Villa Idalia in Port Hope

We woke up at Villa Idalia, a gorgeous pink historic home overlooking the golf course in Port Hope.

What stood out immediately was how beautifully maintained the property was. Between the grounds, colourful fall leaves and golf course views, it felt like something out of a storybook. Honestly, I felt like a prince.. maybe even a princess, staying in this beautiful pink house!

Sunday morning started with a walk around the neighbourhood before returning for breakfast. Fresh pastries, fruit, vanilla bean yogurt, granola and orange juice. Nothing overly complicated, just a delicious way to start the day.

Discovering Art at the Art Gallery of Northumberland in Cobourg

Our next stop was the Art Gallery of Northumberland, located on the third floor of Cobourg’s historic Victoria Hall.

Even before reaching the gallery, we loved seeing the Halloween decorations throughout the building. There was even a paranormal investigation device set up, which naturally caught my attention!

We explored two exhibitions offering completely different perspectives. Observed in Motion by Luke Despatie explores everyday landscapes through painting, inspired by the artist’s return to cycling. Meanwhile, Simon Martignago’s The World We Fear examines nuclear infrastructure through architecture, making otherwise hidden systems visible. Both gave us something to think about!

(Art exhibitions live as of October, 2026)

Sunday Lunch at The Lass & Ladle in Grafton

By lunchtime, we’d worked up an appetite and headed to The Lass & Ladle in Grafton. We were welcomed by Terry, the owner, and immediately noticed how busy the restaurant was. Always nice to see!

The first thing that caught my eye? Warm sausage rolls! But we were there for lunch so I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap with sweet potato fries while Aaron chose the featured soup. His carrot, ginger and saffron soup was packed with flavour. Seriously delicious!

Beyond the lunch menu, there were plenty of freshly baked goods and treats tempting us.

Meeting the Alpacas in Colborne

Next up, one of our favourite experiences of the day: Old Mill Alpacas in Colborne! We met Amy, the owner, and Magnus, a member of the team, who introduced us to some of the farm’s adorable residents.

We visited the barn housing the males, helped walk them towards the other barn near the females, and had opportunities to interact with and feed several alpacas. We also met the farm dogs, which was an added bonus!

Before leaving, we explored the gift shop, where I picked up alpaca wool dryer balls. I love using dryer balls to help reduce drying time, so these were coming home with me!

A Quick, Peaceful Stop at Wicklow Beach

After the farm, we stopped at Wicklow Beach, just off Highway 2 near Grafton. We were genuinely impressed by the amount of public beach access and available parking. It was refreshing to discover such an accessible stretch of Lake Ontario shoreline.

Seeing others walking along the water made it even more inviting. A lovely spot to stretch your legs, enjoy the fresh air and appreciate the changing seasons.

Sunday Dinner at Avenue 18

Our final stop was Avenue 18 in Cobourg, where we enjoyed dinner followed by golf on one of their Trackman simulators.

We started with tacos after hearing how much the owner enjoys smoking meat, something Aaron and I can definitely relate to! For our mains, I ordered the chicken parmesan pasta while Aaron chose the butternut squash pasta. The food and service were great!

After dinner, we attempted to improve our golf game. Let’s just say we both have room for improvement, but we had a lot of fun trying! We will have to come back over the winter

Planning Your Own Sunday Funday in Northumberland County

What I loved most about this Sunday was the variety. From local art and delicious food to farm experiences and waterfront views, there are so many things to do in Northumberland County.

Whether you’re planning a fall day trip from Toronto, a weekend getaway in Ontario or simply looking for something different to do on a Sunday, this is a great area to explore and to see all of the fall colours.

This blog was written by Brent Colmer of boywhoblogs.com as part of a paid partnership.

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