Little Lake is located in the heart of downtown Peterborough. Photo © JT

Just 90 minutes outside of Toronto, Peterborough offers the calm of small city life and a gateway to some of Canada's most coveted cottage country.  With a natural wealth of clean, sparkling lakes and rivers and varied landscapes, it's easy to see why the First Nations people called this area Kawartha (Land of Shining Waters).  Today, hundreds of years later, the same waterways and open spaces continue to enchant nature-lovers, inspire artists and provide a habitat for countless species of wildlife.  Interwoven with this natural beauty you'll find a host of other pleasant surprises.

The beauty of The Kawarthas. Photo © JT

Nestled along the banks of the Otonabee River, the City of Peterborough offers many venues for arts, culture and recreational activities.  Step outside the vibrant downtown core and the surrounding picturesque towns and villages welcome you with still more unique possibilities: indoor and outdoor galleries and theatres, historic parks, ideal places to picnic, swim or sail, cottages, fishing ... and the list goes on.

Whether you're looking for adventure, entertainment or just a place to relax and let go, the Kawarthas have it all.

Peterborough is home to Trent University, Canada's Oustanding Small University, set along the wooded banks of the Otonabee River, and Sir Sandford Fleming College.  The city is also known for the Trent Severn Waterway, a canal that runs through a series of lakes from Lake Ontario to Georgian Bay and boasts the largest hydraulic lift lock in the world. 

Summer Festival of Lights, Crary Park Photo © Festival of Lights

Come summer, Peterborough has its annual Festival of Lights concert series, on Little Lake in the center of the city, with music, lights and fireworks twice weekly.  In winter, one of the biggest attractions is our Peterborough Petes junior hockey team, which has a storied tradition and a long roll call of players who became NHL stars. 

Peterborough trades perhaps more than anything else on its relationship with the nearby Kawartha Lakes country, filled with gorgeous lakes, woods and cottages.

Peterborough has numerous trail systems including Rotary Trail and Otonabee River Trail. Photo © JT

There are beautiful little villages in the Kawarthas, many with art galleries showing local wildlife work, and numerous Provincial Parks within driving distance.  The surrounding area is full of picturesque communities and villages set in an alluring rural landscape.  Those who live here enjoy a multitude of recreational opportunities against a constantly changing natural backdrop.  From picnics to pubs, swimming to sailing, angling to antiquing - it's all here in the Kawarthas.

Since the days of pioneer writers Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill, the Kawarthas have provided inspiration for some of Canada's most creative minds.  Indeed, few places so close to nature can also boast such a vibrant arts community.  Many musicians, actors, playwrights, painters, writers and craftspeople call the Kawarthas home.

Petroglyphs Provincial Park. Photo © MNR

Rich in heritage, the Kawarthas boasts many museums and cultural exhibitions.  At Petroglyphs Provincial Park, centuries-old rock carvings give voice to the culture of the native Anishnabe.  Serpent Mounds Park on Rice Lake is where the native Point Penisular established their roots centuries ago.  Annual Pow Wows showcase a spectacular array of contemporary native dancing, crafts, foods, dress and celebration.