Chatham-Kent is a fall lover's dream. Known for our plentiful orchards, corn maze, hiking trails, and hay rides, you're never far from something exciting to do when the sweater weather hits.
Visit Our Orchards and Pumpkin Patches
Chatham-Kent is the number one producer of pumpkins in Canada, and has over 300 acres of orchards! Both Delhaven Orchards and Greatview Orchards in Blenheim have amazing selections of apples, peaches, veggies, and more to get your autumn baking started. Van Koeverden Orchards in Thamesville and Thompson's Orchards in Blenheim offer u-pick apples throughout the fall. If it's pumpkins you're after, start your Halloween decoration hunt at Snobelen Homestead near Ridgetown or Adel Farms near Tilbury for your pick of gourds, hay bales, corn stalks and more. If you're looking to purchase a pre-picked pumpkin, Sarah's Farm Market in Chatham offers two locations, each with plenty to choose from. For a full list of places to pick up fresh produce all over Chatham-Kent, check out this Buy Local, Buy Fresh map!
Take a Fall Hike in CK
Pack a jacket and head out to one of our many trails to take in the reds and yellows of the changing leaves. Clear Creek Provincial Park, near Lake Erie, takes you through a gorgeous leaf canopy with picturesque photography potential. Dresden boasts the Trillium Trail, while Wallaceburg has the Wallace St. Recreational Trail. From there, head south to Mitchell's Bay for a hike on the South Lakeshore Trail or watch the birds fly south at the St. Clair National Wildlife Area, a 242-hectare wetlands. In total, CK has over 55 hiking trails scattered throughout the communities, each of which offers unique tree cover, a variety of vegetation and wildlife, and even one of Canada's last Carolinian forests at Rondeau Provincial Park.
Corn Mazes and Hay Rides
One of the best known corn mazes in Ontario, iMaze in Thamesville has it all: hay rides, farm-themed play equipment and of course the famous corn maze. You can spend an entire afternoon wandering the field, picking pumpkins, and enjoying a picnic with family in their designated picnic areas. If you're in the mood for some Halloween fun, the Tilbilly Halloween Adventure Farm in Tilbury has a haunted barn, hay rides, a corn maze and more.
Ghost Walks
If you're the thrill-seeking type and enjoy a good scare, join the Jim and Lisa Gilbert on one of their Ghost Walks of Chatham-Kent. Starting after dark, you will follow your intrepid guides on a tour through historic downtown Chatham and be regaled with ghost stories pertaining to various buildings and locations with otherworldly histories. Book your spots in advance through their Facebook page. Not for the faint of heart!
We've outlined just some of the things to do when you #VisitCK, but be sure to come and discover on your own. Follow #SeeYouinCK on Facebook and Instagram for more great places to visit and ways to spend your days in Chatham-Kent.
We can't wait to #SeeYouinCK!
