Canada's 'Trail Capital' Is A Friendly Getaway With Art, Shops, And Outdoor Fun An Hour From Toronto

Toronto is Canada's largest city, with museums, festivals, stadiums, and nearly every big-city amenity you can imagine. But sometimes, you just want to get away from the bustle of the city and slow down. You can do just that in the town of Uxbridge, just over an hour's drive from Toronto. Known as the "Trail Capital of Canada," according to Destination Ontario, Uxbridge is home to about 140 miles of trails. Along with its outdoor recreation, the town offers a vibrant arts scene, independent shops, and a warm small-town charm.

One standout trail destination less than 10 minutes from downtown is Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park. Opened in 2024, it offers opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and more. Trails wind through the forest, and many intersect, making it easy to mix and match routes for a new experience each visit.

The Oak Ridges Trail is a popular destination for mountain biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Stretching roughly 170 miles, part of the trail runs just south of Uxbridge. This long-distance route follows the Oak Ridges Moraine, a landform created by glaciers about 12,000 years ago. The protected green space is known for its biodiversity and rolling hills. Near Uxbridge, you can explore sections of the trail at Crow's Pass and Walker Woods. Walker Woods is particularly well known for mountain biking and contains sections of both the Oak Ridges Trail and the Trans Canada Trail, which spans the country.

You can find over two dozen art installations throughout Uxbridge, organized into four self-guided tours options. One downtown route highlights 12 works, including sculptures and murals. For art paired with countryside views, the northern tour features four installations, including a statue of Lucy Maud Montgomery, who famously wrote the "Anne of Green Gables" book series. While those books were set in the storybook town full of charming family-friendly events on Prince Edward Island, Montgomery wrote a number of books while she was living in Leaksdale, just north of Uxbridge. Her former house is now a historic landmark, and the statue is in the garden of the church.

If you want to take some art home or you're inspired to create your own, stop by Preston Gallery. It features items by Canadian artists as well as art supplies. The Uxbridge Historical Centre hosts a variety of programs, including some hands-on workshops like letterpress printing, bookbinding, and wreath-making. It's also a good place to learn more about local history, and as one Tripadvisor reviewer noted: "the staff is very helpful and offer a lot of insight."

Each year during the third weekend of September, you can get up close and personal with artists during the Uxbridge Studio Tour. Artists throughout the area open their doors so you can see their work and talk with them about it. September also brings the Uxbridge Art on the Fringe Festival, where musicians and artists come together to showcase their talents. Community activities like these showcase the town's warm vibe where you can feel at home, even during a short stay. As one Redditor said of the community, "everyone has been so friendly and welcoming."

It's always good to buy local if you can when you're traveling, and you have plenty of good options for that with the independent Uxbridge shops. First opened in 1989, Blue Heron Books is an award-winning bookstore known for its customer service. "The staff went into the back to look for a book that I was interested in as they had sold out of the ones on the floor. The gleam in her eyes as she produced it made the purchase even more delightful," one fan wrote in a Google review. The store also hosts the Book Drunkard Literary Festival, whose name comes from a Lucy Maud Montgomery quote.

Goodwood Mercantile offers home decor, art, and gifts made by local artists. With items like handmade ceramics, sea glass jewelry, and hand-poured candles, there's a good chance you'll find something unique. If you're in the market for women's fashion, sweet, cuddly toys for kids, or quality skincare, stop by The Lemonade Stand, which carries a carefully curated selection of goods. You can also browse locally made gifts, handicrafts, and food at the seasonal Uxbridge Farmers' Market. It's held on Sundays from May through October and also hosts a special holiday market from November into December.

While Uxbridge is close enough for a day trip from Toronto, several boutique inns, hotels, and bed-and-breakfasts make it easy to extend your stay. For more exploring in this part of Ontario, Oshawa is a creative lakefront hub brimming with local art and global eats. It's about a 40-minute drive south from Uxbridge. Then, about 35 minutes west of Uxbridge is the underrated town of Aurora with local shops, a vibrant downtown, and tasty eats.