Peterborough

Travel Guide

Photo provided by Jesse Goodrice/Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism
Photo provided by Michael Hurcomb/Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism
Photo provided by Michael Hurcomb/Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism
Photo provided by Lydia Dotto/Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism
Photo provided by Michael Hurcomb/Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism

The rich mix of heritage city, cottage country and flourishing Ontario farmlands makes living and visiting here something special.

Explore Peterborough and the Kawartha lake chain for an amazing volume and variety of experiences. With more than 600 festivals and events annually, you’ll always find fun and inspirational activities.

Enjoy free outdoor concerts all summer overlooking Little Lake in downtown Peterborough at Peterborough Musicfest. Camp at the famous Havelock Jamboree or experience rich First Nations history and culture at the Curve Lake First Nation Pow Wow. See a large concentration of aboriginal rock carvings at Petroglyphs Provincial Park. First Nations people came to the area more than 11,000 years ago and named the Kawarthas after an Ojibwa term meaning “the Land of Shining Waters.”

Enjoy some of Ontario’s best fishing, hundreds of miles of recreational trails, signature cycling and paddling routes and plenty of space for boat, snowmobile and ATV activities. Winding Ontario country roads offer stunning autumn drives by car, motorcycle or bicycle.

See the Peterborough Lift Lock, the world’s highest lift lock, along the Trent-Severn Waterway, both Canadian national historic sites. While here, visit the Canadian Canoe Museum with an amazingly large collection of canoes, kayaks and paddled watercraft.

Many of Canada’s great literary icons, including Margaret Laurence, Catharine Parr Traill, Susanna Moodie and Robertson Davies once lived in Peterborough. Learn about their time here at the Lakefield Literary Festival in July. Visit Lang Pioneer Village Museum, which has two authentic Jacquard looms.

As a leader in the local food movement, the region has more than 350 restaurants, many dedicated to serving the fruits of centuries-old farmlands. Pair that with award-winning craft beer and wine, an eclectic mix of international cuisine and a daily farmers market for a food scene that rivals Ontario’s most well-known locales.

A 90-minute drive northeast of the Greater Toronto Area, the lively city of Peterborough is in the heart of Kawarthas cottage country. Visit this regional capital and university town brimming with heritage and culture, just minutes from more than 151 lakes and charming towns and villages such as Lakefield, Millbrook and Buckhorn.

Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront, ON by IHG
Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront, ON by IHG
3.5 out of 5
150 George St N, Peterborough, ON
$124 nightly
The price is $146 total per night from Jul 30 to Jul 31
$146 total
Jul 30 - Jul 31
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 3.5-star eco-certified hotel in Peterborough. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 restaurants, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff and ...
7.8/10 Good! (1,005 reviews)
"Great location."

Reviewed on Jul 9, 2025

Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront, ON by IHG
Super 8 by Wyndham Peterborough
Super 8 by Wyndham Peterborough
2 out of 5
1257 Lansdowne St W, Peterborough, ON
$86 nightly
The price is $101 total per night from Jul 27 to Jul 28
$101 total
Jul 27 - Jul 28
Total includes taxes and fees
Book a stay at this golf hotel in Peterborough. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the pool in our reviews. ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,182 reviews)
Good basic hotel
"Good quality hotel on a main shopping street away from the downtown. Lots of restaurants, shopping nearby. Small breakfast room with scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, sausage, waffles, cereal, fruit, yogurt, juice, coffee, hot chocolate. Small shallow pool great for playing with a couple kids."

Reviewed on Jul 12, 2025

Super 8 by Wyndham Peterborough
Peterborough Inn & Suites Hotel
Peterborough Inn & Suites Hotel
2.5 out of 5
312 George Street N., Peterborough, ON
$76 nightly
The price is $90 total per night from Jul 15 to Jul 16
$90 total
Jul 15 - Jul 16
Total includes taxes and fees
Book a stay at this business-friendly hotel in Peterborough. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the ...
7.6/10 Good! (1,020 reviews)
"A very nice small boutique hotel. very welcoming. Clean, quiet and comfortable."

Reviewed on Jul 12, 2025

Peterborough Inn & Suites Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Cozy one bedroom apartment
Cozy one bedroom apartment
Peterborough
Stay at this apartment in Peterborough. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and air conditioning. Popular attractions Peterborough Golf & Country Club and Smith ...
8/10 Very Good! (3 reviews)
Nice cozy place
"The property was clean and well-maintained. However, parking was a bit of a challenge due to multiple vehicles, including a school bus and a car that appeared to have not been moved for some time. There was no internet during my stay, which may have been due to an outage. Aside from these minor inconveniences, ..."

Reviewed on Feb 28, 2025

Cozy one bedroom apartment
Relax in Style: Modern Renovated Home in a Peaceful Tranquil Neighbourhood
Relax in Style: Modern Renovated Home in a Peaceful Tranquil Neighbourhood
Peterborough
Book a stay at this family-friendly vacation home in Peterborough. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and cable/satellite TV service. Popular attractions Smith ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (5 reviews)
Wonderful
"We loved our stay here, was perfect for our family of 5 for a wedding. It was clean and cool and very cozy. Would highly recommend. Thanks a bunch"

Reviewed on Jun 22, 2025

Relax in Style: Modern Renovated Home in a Peaceful Tranquil Neighbourhood
Entire guest suite Warm just like home close  by PRHC
Entire guest suite Warm just like home close by PRHC
Peterborough
Stay at this vacation home in Peterborough. Enjoy laundry facilities, patios, and air conditioning. Popular attractions Dickson House and Cathedral of Saint ...
never again
"it didnt happen because this app is unorganized and never let the owner know"

Reviewed on Oct 17, 2024

Entire guest suite Warm just like home close by PRHC
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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