I’ve been all caught up in Winterlude, that I almost forgot that soon the sap will be flowing among the maple trees and sugar bush season is just around the corner! I really enjoy taking a trip out to the sugar bush, enjoying the maple trees and of course – eating my fill of pancakes. The sugar shack is something so Canadian, and yet, nothing I grew up with (being from Vancouver). So, I really love being able to enjoy it here in Ottawa. I’ve now visited quite a few and compiled a list of some of the best the Ottawa area has to offer. Feel free to let me know what one is your favourite!

A Few Tips Before Heading to the Sugar Bush

• It’s a good idea to get there early. Some of the more popular sugar shacks can get really busy on the weekends and it’s not much fun waiting in a line up for a table and food with hungry little kids.
• Dress appropriately! If the snow is melting, that often means mud, lots of mud. So put your kids in their boots and proper gear to deal with either the snow or mud (I’ve learned this one the hard way).
• Consider bringing a sled to pull along small children on trails through the sugar bush.
• Bring some cash. Sometimes there are add on things to buy, such as the maple taffy and often they only accept cash.

Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush

399 Sugar Bush Road, Pakenham

Dates and Hours:

The sugar bush season at Fulton’s runs from February 15 – April 19

Weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm, and Weekends from 8 am – 3 pm

Details:

120 seat restaurant with a yummy cafeteria style breakfast offered.

After breakfast you can enjoy the nordic and walking trails. Bring your cross country skis and snowshoes. Or you can also rent snowshoes there.

You can visit the sugar camp and learn to make maple syrup. There are children’s games like eye spy and Fulton’s ultimate challenge available for the family to play every day of the week . There is a also a toboggan hill, bring your own sled or borrow one of theirs.

On weekends and holidays there are some extra special activities like  face painting, maple taffy, maple cotton candy, horse drawn sleigh and wagon rides (all available at a price).

Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm

2452 Yorks Corners Road, Edwards

Dates and Hours:

Opening day is February 29th, and will run Saturdays & Sundays 8:30 am-3pm until April 12th, and through March Break.

Details:

Last year the kids and I hit up Stanley’s for our fist visit. It was a perfect day – sunny and not too cold and we had a fabulous time. At Stanley’s you can take a sleigh ride, visit the sugar shack, and watch the sap to syrup process unfold while enjoying taffy on the snow. There is also a petting farm with plenty of animals and a children’s play area. The taffy on the snow and sleigh rides are an additional fee.

A pancake brunch is available at the Pancake House, a 350 seat restaurant, all you can eat. The brunch menu is extensive (so many yummy choices) and prices run from $20.00 for adults, to $9.75 for toddlers 2-4 years old.

Proulx Maple and Berry Farm

1865 O’Toole Road, Ottawa

Dates and Hours:

Opening day is Sunday, February 23rd, and runs until Easter Monday, April 13th.
Sat. & Sunday: Farm and sugar bush, 9-5
Weekend Brunch 9-3, last seating 2 pm. No reservations accepted.
Weekdays, by reservation only.
March Break  9-4, no reservations needed.
Easter 4-day weekend, 9-3, brunch reservation recommended.

Details:

In addition to the yummy brunch, there is a maple tour including a visit to the production shack, maple taffy stand, a farm with animals, a fun playground, and a horse drawn hay ride (open on weekends).

If you are coming for brunch, you will also need to purchase admission to access the grounds and sugar bush tour. Admission is $5.76 plus GST per person, kids 3 and under are free.

Wheeler’s Pancake House & Sugar Camp

1001 Highland Line, Lanark Highlands

Dates and Hours:

Wheeler’s is open from 9 am-3pm everyday, all year round (except for Christmas Day).

Details:

There’s of course the pancake breakfast, which ranges from $4,57 for a pancake and one sausage, to $20.75 for 3 pancakes, french toast, 4 sausages and beans.

There is a farm museum and a maple syrup museum, along with an original sugar shack.

There is a small playground with swings, slide and small zipline. There are sheep, alpacas, horses and a miniature horse. There are trails for walking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing. There is no cost for admission to the grounds, you just pay for your meal.

It’s a bit of a drive from Ottawa, but a lovely place to spend a good chunk of the day, and the large log cabin style restaurant is great.

The Log Farm

670 Cedarview Road, Nepean

Dates and Hours:

The Log Farm is open weekends 9:30 am to 4:00 pm from February 29th until April 5th as well as Monday, March 16th and Friday March 20th.

Details:

The Log Farm is a historical farm site, where you can see how the Bradley family lived in the 1860’s. The house and all the out buildings are set up to depict what life for a family would have been like during this period. It is a working farm where you can see all kinds of animals on the farm. The Log Farm doesn’t do a breakfast, so don’t show up looking for pancakes! But there is maple taffy on the snow, beavertails and a bonfire where you can warm up while waiting for the wagon ride that will take you out to the sugar bush. It’s a great spot (and so close to the west end of Ottawa) to take the family if you want to learn about the traditional ways of making maple syrup, and enjoy a day outdoors.

There is a $5.31 plus GST admission to the farm and sugar bush. All children 1 and under are free.

Sand Road Sugar Camp

17190 Sand Road, Moose Creek, Ontario

Dates and Hours:

Sand Road Sugar Camp hasn’t yet posted their information on dates and times for 2020. 2019 is still posted at the time of publishing this post. But keep checking the website for updates.

Details:

There is a maple farm buffet ranging in price from $17.95 for adults, to $7.95 for children under 5.

You can experience the great outdoors through nature trails, horse drawn wagon rides (on the weekends, weather permitting), play structure, and educational tours. There is no admission fee to visit the camp.

Bean Town Ranch

2891 Plantagenet Concession 3, Plantagenet

Dates and Hours:

Bean Town Sugar Shack is open from March 14th to April 12th, seatings from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm on Saturdays, and until 4:00 pm on Sundays.

Details:

You need to make a reservation for this meal at the Bean Town Ranch, but the menu sounds amazing! There is even a full Vegan menu offered too!

You get a Sugar Bush Daytime Pass includes an all-you-can-eat meal served to your table, horse drawn sleigh rides through the maple forest and taffy on the snow.

Pricing is $29.50 per adult, $13.50 children ages 3-13, and $25.50 for seniors.

Prices are slightly more for the evening meal time on Saturday, which also includes musical entertainment.

Vanier Sugar Shack

300 Peres-Blancs Avenue, Vanier

Dates and Hours:

The sugar shack will be open without reservation on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from mid February until the end of April. With a special sugar shack festival happening from March 30th until April 5th (more info below).

Details:

Less than 5 km from downtown Ottawa, this urban sugar shack is right in the city. The sugar shack isn’t big, seating up to 40 guests. Open by reservation only. Menus range from $4.50 to $20.50.

The activities really take place during the festival. We have attended before and had a really fun time strolling around the maple trees in the sugar bush, trying the maple taffy and enjoying everything else this free admission festival has to offer. There is a lumberjack competition, axe-throwing, maple tastings, performances by various local artists, jugglers and face-painters. For families, you can also look forward to visiting live farm animals and sled dogs, and playing on inflatable structures.

Sucrerie de la Montagne

300 Chemin Saint Georges, Rigaud, Quebec

Dates and Hours:

Open February 17th to March 8th weekdays and weekends. Check the website for more details on times (they vary between days and weeks)

Details:

If you are willing to drive the 90 minute trip from Ottawa you will be treated to a truly authentic experience. During sugaring off season you can enjoy a huge Quebecois traditional sugar bush feast, plus a horse drawn sleigh ride, live music, and maple taffy on the snow. This place can get very busy, so reservations are strongly recommended.