Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour

The Kawarthas Nortumberland Butter Tart Tour is the sweetest road trip you can do in Ontario. It’s as Canadian as the maple leaf and as much a part of Ontario as the Kawartha Lakes themselves (more on them shortly). You start with a map of village bakeries scattered across the countryside and end with a sunset over glistening waterways and a belly full of bliss. 

The Butter Tart Tour, also known as the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour, is the perfect self-guided tour for exploring the region. It is a collection of over 50 bakeries, cafes, restaurants and accommodations all connected by this popular Canadian treat: the butter tart. The entire Kawarthas Northumberland area is a sweet haven for foodies, and an easy drive from Toronto (1 hour), Kingston (2 hours) and Ottawa (3 hours). Make it a day-trip adventure to feed your sweet tooth or indulge in a week-long trek to taste every delectable butter tart variety. 

For up-to-date information and details on the Butter Tart Tour, we recommend you visit their website. For information about other places of interest to explore nearby, keep scrolling to see what Destination Ontario recommends. 

a large picture of butter tarts

More about Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour

The Butter Tart Tour is easily the sweetest attraction in the Kawarthas Northumberland region. As a self-guided tour, you can start and stop wherever and whenever you like, allowing you the freedom to explore further afield. The official Butter Tart Tour website has various suggested itineraries, each with local highlights to add to your adventure.  Wherever you go, you can rely on the Butter Tart Tour for consistent quality and good ol’ fashioned Kawarthas Northumberland service. Every participating venue on the Butter Tart Tour must be local to the area AND produce their delicious treats on-site. 

Keeping it local means keeping it accessible. You can travel by car, bicycle, motorcycle or even boat! The Trent-Severn Waterway is Nature’s ‘Water Highway’ flowing through this butter tart region. It is also a great way to access the Butter Tart Tour, with many locations situated on or near the water. From Kirkfield through Fenelon Falls, past Peterborough and down to Campbellford, all you need to do is go with the flow. At the end of the day, very little can beat relaxing with a box of butter tarts and a glorious sunset over the water. 

If you need a bit of help burning off a steady diet of butter tarts, check out the many bicycle trails weaving through the area. One of the best known is the Victoria Rail Trail, a 55 km bike trail that runs from Lindsay to Kinmount. It’s perfect for a stop in Fenelon Falls to pick up some butter tarts and to visit the local shops and galleries (such as the Fenelon Station Gallery). Alternatively, take the South Sturgeon Bike Route from Lindsay to Bobcaygeon. A smooth 36 km ride with amazing views of Sturgeon Lake and the reward of delicious Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream (and a butter tart) at the end.  

To compliment the historic nature of butter tarts, stop in at Port Hope and admire one of the prettiest main streets in all of Ontario. Known for its Canadian Fire Fighters Museum, the town of Port Hope is also home to a burgeoning arts scene with a vibrant public art space at the Little Station House. It’s worth staying a bit longer in Port Hope to visit Canada’s most atmospheric theatre: Cameco Capitol Arts Centre. Even if you are only there to admire the glamorous settings, it will be almost as indulgent as the butter tarts that brought you here. 

Last updated: August 18, 2023

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