Wine & Vineyard North York

We love small town festivals at Northbound Tours. This trip will visit the town of Bala which is located in Muskoka. On the weekend following Thanksgiving, the town of Bala hosts a festival themed on one of it's biggest exports - Cranberries. Expect street performers, vendors, music, food for purchase and lots of good stuff in the town.


We'll also be making a trip to the Muskoka Lakes Farm and Winery where you will partake in an optional Cranbery Plunge. You'll be given chest waders which will keep you dry. From there you'll walk into a pond covered in millions of cranberries. This is a fun activity for all involved.


Our tickets for the farm are often timed and based on availability, this means the order of events that we do may be moved around to accommodate our timed tickets.


This trip will take place in our 15 passenger customized transit. Onboard we have a TV, basic WIFI, Games Console, Karaoke and more! However there is not a washroom. We will make washroom breaks every 1-2 hours.


This trip departs from Toronto (Yorkdale TTC Passenger pick up).


What's included


☑️ Return transportation


☑️ Entry to the Bala Cranberry festival


☑️ Cranberry Plunge at Muskoka Lakes Farm Winery


☑️ Fall color viewing


Sample itinerary


9:00 AM - Depart Toronto from Yorkdale passenger TTC pick up


- Free time for Brunch


- Enjoy a plunge in the Cranberry’s at Muskoka Lakes Farm Winery


- Free time to enjoy the Bala Cranberry Festival


20:00 AM Arrive back in Toronto

This tour departs from Toronto (Outside Museum station) The Niagara region is well known for it's water, but did you know it's also well known for it's wine. With over 125 wineries in the region, this tour will explore some of them then hit up the highlight of the Falls. We'll visit two venues where you'll experience one tour and two samplings (3-4 glasses at each). We'll also visit the small town of Niagara on the Lake which was voted as one the world's top 50 beautiful small towns by Conde Naste. Then we'll wrap up the day with a quick stop at Niagara Falls itself.
The day will include two highly rated wineries, a licensed tour guide with ongoing commentary, return transportation and fun along the way. We'll pay the parking fees and the Niagara Falls permit fee.
This tour will take place in our 15 passenger customized transit. Onboard we have a TV, basic WIFI, Games Console, Karaoke and more! However there is not a washroom. We will make washroom breaks every 1-2 hours.
This trip departs from Toronto (ROM - 100 Queens Park - Museum Station).

What's included


☑️ Return transportation
☑️ Walking wine tour at Pilliteri to the production facility, cellars and tasting room
☑️ Wine pairing at Château des Charmes with chocolates and cheeses
☑️ Licensed Niagara Falls Tour Guide
☑️ Free time to explore Niagara Falls and Niagara on the Lake
☑️ Parking fees at Niagara on the Lake & vehicle permit at Niagara Falls


Sample itinerary



10:00 AM - Depart Toronto (From outside the ROM, 100 Queens Park - Museum subway station)
Washroom break on the way
12:15 PM - Arrive in the Niagara region.
Visit our first winery - Pillitteri Estates Winery - Sponsors of the Canadian Olympic team. Here we will do an exclusive Vinyard & Production tour where we will visit the cellars, the facility and the sampling room.
13:15 PM - Drive to Niagara on the Lake (Food stop)
Board your transportation and head to Niagara on the Lake, where you'll have some free time to explore and grab food. NOTL was voted one of the prettiest small towns in Canada.
14:45 PM - Enjoy Château des Charmes . Here we will do a wine pairing where you will pair chocolates and cheeses with select wines and be given a guided explantion by a sommelier.
Chateau des Charmes is one of the most well known wineries in the Niagara Region with it's Chateau style premises.
16:00 PM - Enjoy the journey to Niagara Falls
16:30 PM - Free time at Niagara Falls
Enjoy Canada's most visited tourist attraction. Free time to explore Clifton Hill with it's lights and attractions, Table Rock with it's close up view of the Falls or the Park itself with lots of great views.
19:00 PM - Depart Niagara
Board your transportation for the journey back to Toronto.
21.00 - 21:30 PM - Arrive in Toronto


Tour Reviews

Embark on a two-day, overnight adventure to Sandbanks Provincial Park. On this trip, we'll visit Prince Edward County, Kingston & the 1000 Islands.


You'll have time to see Picton, The Lake on the Mountain, Sandbanks itself and 2 handpicked wineries to lighten the mood on the first day. On the second day, after some free time at the beach, we'll pack a couple of paddleboards if anyone wants to hit the water. We'll visit Kingston, followed by the 1000 islands where we'll take a ferry for a one hour tour, then hit the Big Apple which is a Canadian Classic stop on the way home.


This action packed weekend will take in wineries, beaches, boats and campfires.


No transport = No problem. No tent = no problem. No reservation = No problem. No cooking skills = No problem. No Travel friends = No more.


VERY IMPORTANT - we do 3 people per tent. If you are a couple and want your own tent, get in touch with us. There is a small fee for your own tent. 


This tour will take place in our 15 passenger customized transit. Onboard we have a TV, basic WIFI, Games Console, Karaoke and more! However there is not a washroom. We will make washroom breaks every 1-2 hours.


This tour departs from Toronto (Yorkdale TTC Passenger pick up).


FAQ's


 What's included?




☑️ Return transportation


☑️ Camping gear - Tents, sleeping bag/mat/pillow/liner


☑️ Sandbanks Provincial Park entry permit


☑️ 1000 islands boat tour


☑️ Wine tasting (19+ ID required)


☑️ 2 Campfire meals + Smores


 Dietary requests (food)


We often get asked if we can accommodate dietary restrictions. The short answer is yes, if we know about them. Please let your tour leader know at the start of the trip if you have any restrictions so they can tailor their food shop. E.g., Vegetarian, no pork, etc. In some instances, we may ask for your assistance should it be outside our area of knowledge.




 Parking


We do our pick-ups from Yorkdale TTC passenger pick-up. We suggest taking public transportation to the meeting point. If you must take the car, the options are to park at Wilson Passenger pick-up and parking—this is free on the weekends and subject to availability. We would not suggest parking at Yorkdale Mall as vehicles may be ticketed or towed after 5 hours.


 How many people per tent?


If you would like your own tent for two people, there is a supplemental charge of $20 per tent. By using more tents, we have to do more work after to clean them. We usually aim for 3 people per tent. We use 4-person Eureka tents, which are mostly 4-season. When not requested, tents are divided by gender. In the case where adults want to share of the same gender, we will do our best to accommodate requests if everyone knows each other. We will not place same gender adults together who do not previously know each other. There may be some tents with fewer than 3 people due to the way the numbers land. Either way, 3 people to a 4-person tent is still very spacious. If you want 4 people in a tent as that's your friend group size, that works too.




 Can I bring my pet?


We love animals, but we can't allow pets, we’re afraid. We will designate a few pet-friendly dates each year, but it's impossible for us to know if anyone has an allergy to dogs or cats, etc., ahead of time, and we don't want to cause any reactions in an enclosed space. We really do think dogs are paw-fect! And we will aim to offer some pet-friendly dates which will be clearly listed in the future.


Ready to book? Find your tour below ⬇️


Sample itinerary
Day 1


Depart from Yorkdale station at 9:00 AM


Prince Edward County: Visit Lake on The Mountain, explore Picton, and have lunch
Wineries: Tour and wine tasting at two local wineries
Lake on the Mountain Provincial park: Visit a small but cool Provincial Park
Sandbanks Provincial Park: Set up camp, enjoy the beach, cook dinner, and stargaze
Day 2
Sandbanks Provincial Park: Campfire breakfast
Sandbanks Provincial Park: Free time on the Dunes - spend the day basking in the sunshine
Kingston: Explore the historic city
The Big Apple: Enjoy apple-themed treats and explore the site

There are a number of benefits in travelling with a tour company from Toronto to Niagara Falls by bus. The biggest ones that spring to mind are commentary and the ability to see more. If you travel on your own, you may have a good time and that is great, but if you want to learn more and get all the tips and tricks - a tour company is the way to go. Tour companies have local knowledge so they can maximize your time efficiently and give commentary to paint the pictures you're seeing. They can take you places the direct route can't meaning it's not just A to B, but it can include C, D, Etc.


While Niagara is known for its waterfalls, it's also known for its wine region. The Niagara wine region is home to nearly 100 wineries. The region is ideal for growing wine as it has a unique climate and fertile soils. While Buffalo is south of the region, it's said that the temperature is generally warmer in the Niagara region which means it's milder and more conducive to grape growing.


A number of tour operators offer tours that take you to wineries and also to Niagara Falls. We have our wine tour which samples 3 different venues in addition to the falls. If you're looking for a vineyard tour, wine samples and pairings then look no further! Let us be your designated driver - you're on holiday after all. Please note that wine sampling comes with additional costs pending which wineries and experiences you wish to visit.


Our Niagara tour can also take you to the ever beautiful Niagara on the Lake which was voted in the top 50 prettiest small towns in the world by Conde Naste. I know every time I visit, I want to move there. Situated on Lake Ontario, it's steeped in history from the war of 1812 and blessed with great boutiques and bites on Queen street. On a direct Niagara transfer, you likely won't see this, whereas with a tour company, you will.


(If sampling wines isn't your appetite, we can customize itineraries for groups. The journey to the Falls has a number of alternative attractions including the Shopping Outlets, Hamilton waterfalls, Niagara Glen (great walking), Butterfly Conservatory, Whirlpool Jet boats and more! Just reach out if you have any questions on things to do.)


To lead tours in the Niagara Region, tour guides need to pass a knowledge test. All of our guides at Northbound tours are licensed, have advanced wilderness first aid training (not that you'll need it here) and lots of stories to animate your day out.