If you head about 100 km north east from Toronto, you will reach "bright waters and happy lands"— a chain of lakes near Peterborough under the name Kawartha Lakes.

The name Kawartha originally comes from the word "Ka-wa-tha"—an anglicization of the word "Ka-wa-tha" or "Ka-wa-tae-gum-maug", which comes from the Anishinaabe langugage and means the "land of reflections." Since that attribute wasn't doing much for the tourism, the name was changed to Kawartha, which means "bright waters and happy lands."

Merely a 90 minutes drive from Downtown Toronto will transport you to the best of what Ontario's cottage country has to offer. While Muskoka and Georgian Bay might be the more popular getaway spots for Torontonians, Kawartha Lakes, made up of twenty lakes and 1,128 islands are just as special and ideal for anyone looking to escape the buzz of the city and enjoy some serene nature. With more than 600 km of trails spread across Kawartha Lakes, you can enjoy cycling, hiking, horseback riding all year round or snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in winter.

The Kawartha Lakes are also know for delicious locally grown food and the home to Kawartha Dairy, known for their ice cream. You can combine food tasting with visiting some of the picturesque towns and villages in the areaWhile each season at Kawartha lakes has its own charm, you have to admit that Canadian Fall brings the best colours out in everything. Just look at these colours!