March Into A One-Of-A-Kind Spring Break In South Eastern Ontario

Rosanne Lake

Looking to put the spring into inspiring? South Eastern Ontario is a one-stop-shop for family exploration this March Break! Make it a break to remember with educational attractions enriched with history and culture unique to this region. Here are 16 ways to mark March Break in the region!

Prince Edward County

1. Maple Madness

Treat your taste buds to some liquid gold! The sweetest time of the year is celebrated at Maple Madness where you and the fam jam can delight in all things maple syrup. Running every Saturday and Sunday for the month of March, local businesses team up to make the most of the first harvest of the year. Discover how maple syrup is made and taste nature’s bounty!

Bay of Quinte

2. Fina Vista Farm

Get horsing around this March Break at this Paso Fino Horse Farm near Stirling! March Break Pony Days are back and Fina Vista Farm is the perfect spot for kids who love horses. This is the chance to learn or advance basic horse management and riding skills in a friendly, laidback place. With trail riding, some ring riding, grooming and handling of horses March Break Pony Days promises a great intro for young riders. Make this March Break, the talk of the neigh-bourhood!

National Air Force Museum of Canada

One of a kind March Break experience alert! This Trenton  museum captures the spirit, daring and courage of the men and women of the RCAF. Witness the history of Canadian military aviation as the family takes in featured exhibits and aircraft displays. Get up close and personal with real aircraft. Soar through March Break!

Lennox & Addington

4. Museum of Lennox & Addington

Touch a real meteorite! Space is the focus of March Break activities at the Museum of Lennox & Addington and visitors to the museum on March 15 can get hands on with a meteorite, learn about impact craters on Earth and search for micrometeorites – then examine them under a microscope!  This free program is with the Miller Museum of Geology at Queen’s University. The Museum of Lennox & Addington is also participating in March of the Museums 2022, which is marking the return to in-person activities as well as at-home activity bags and online resources throughout March 14 to 18.

5. Barking Goat Farms

Make some new furry friends on a farm tour! The tour is all about interaction and personal experience at Barking Goat Farms. The family will enjoy meeting goats, donkeys, chickens and friendly barn cats. Learn about the farm, peek into the nesting box for eggs, meet the more than 30 goats who all have unique personalities – perhaps even snuggle some baby goats and pet the donkeys!

6. Hickory Lane Alpacas

Get your alpaca on over the break! Meet the herd, wander amongst grazing alpacas, hand feed them and revel in the unique qualities of their fleece. The folks at this family-owned fibre farm love sharing the farm experience so be prepared to feel right at home and make memories along Hickory Lane in Lennox & Addington.

Kingston

7. March of the Museums

This year it’s all about reimagining and rediscovering histories and stories through imagination, crafting and play!  With more than 15 museums from the Kingston Association of Museums Art Galleries + Historic Sites, March of the Museums marks the return of in-person activities, as well as an at-home activity bag and online resources throughout March Break. If your kiddos want some company while crafting, visit the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, the Kingston Frontenac Public Library and the Museum of Lennox & Addington on specific days for neat extension events. Be sure to register first!

8. Maple Madness

The sweetest time of year! Maple Madness is back at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area. You know what that means… pancakes with real maple syrup! Online registration is required to save your spot this year. It’s running all weekends in March, but really ramps up for each day during March Break. Take a wagon ride to the sugar bush and learn how maple syrup is made, stroll through the bush and be sure to stop by the sugar shack for fresh pancakes and warm maple syrup. Nature’s gold at its best!

9. Boiler Room Climbing Gym

Rock on this March Break at the Boiler Room in Kingston! A kid’s rock climbing camp is set for the week to develop climbing skills, boost confidence and work towards personal goals. Kids learn basic techniques for bouldering and autobelay and will be challenged whether it’s their first time climbing or they’re a seasoned pro. Look for spring youth programs here, too! 

1000 Islands Gananoque

10. Fort Garry Stables

Make memories on horseback this spring. Fort Garry Stables is a small stable in the Thousand Islands with a focus on quality horse care. Look here for themed camps over March Break, including a shamrock camp for the littles in your life. Book a trail ride or watch for events like pony rides and grooming sessions. Fort Garry offers public lessons, trail rides and boarding all with a forest and field backdrop.

11. Hidden Meadows Alpacas

Meet the pack at Hidden Meadows Alpacas. Learn about these curious, not-so-ordinary fibre animals near Seeley’s Bay. Hidden Meadows is home to a small herd of alpacas and an online store, The Paca Shack, featuring their soft, luxurious yarns. Be sure to schedule farm visits to make the most of the fun with your new fleecy friends!

12. 1000 Islands History Museum

From glaciers and muskies to pirates and picnickers – this place brings history to life! Past meets present here; discover how it all weaves together through interactive exhibits. 1000 Islands History Museum is one of the spots participating in March of the Museums. It’s a free family event that shows off what local museums are proud of, through cool crafts and fun videos. Find out more and look for a natural heritage video by the museum that you won’t want to miss!

 13. 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours

See the beauty, romance, and grandeur of the 1000 Islands stretch out below you as you lift off on an exclusive helicopter tour! Feel the excitement as you fly away to experience the 1000 Islands from the air – these are the sights that inspire people from around the world! 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours provide an instant perspective change and a memory to last a lifetime. Talk about a one-of-a-kind March Break experience!

Brockville

14. Aquatarium

Mermaid magic comes to life this March Break as live mermaids swim into the Aquatarium! Hosting live mermaids from March 12 to 19, the Aquatarium in Brockville will be the place where myth and legend meet with mermaid shows, mermaid meet and greets, hot chocolate and cookies, as well as themed games and mer-chandise. Don’t forget to look up – and see the incredible ropes course above the Aquatarium, too. Experience climbing through the rigging of a tall ship with the unique high ropes obstacle adventure course, suspended more than 12 feet above the exhibits! 

Cornwall

15. March Break Market

Bring the family for a day of fun at the March Break Market! Set for Saturday, March 19 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Cornwall Square Marketplace, visitors can take advantage of a tea bar and a photobooth. Look for records, comics, tarot reading and a bunch of local makers and artisans on site to browse and discover. Looking for more fun things to do in Cornwall? Start exploring!

Stormont, Dundas And Glengarry Counties

16. Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary

The Friends of the Sanctuary invite everyone to join them for March Break at the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary.  Every day there will be snowshoe and ski rentals from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Don’t miss out on their daily workshops for kids 6+. Workshops include: Learn to paint with acrylics, ‘Be a junior Birder,’ simple crafts, and more! For more information and to register: e-mail info@friendsofthesanctuary.org.

Farms and forests and museums, oh my! No matter where March Break takes your family in South Eastern Ontario, it’s sure to put a spring in your step.