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How to Spend a Day in Elora, Ontario

How to Spend a Day in Elora, Ontario

I’m not typically one for spontaneous adventures, but my friends managed to convince me to come tubing at the Elora Gorge.

As much as I do enjoy spontaneity, I’m someone who has to always have everything planned and scheduled out.

The next day, we took the hour-and-a-half drive from Markham/Richmond Hill to the Elora Gorge.

It’s also around the same amount of time to get to Elora from Toronto!

We arrived around 9:30 AM and to our relief, it was pretty much empty for a warm summer day.

Here’s how we spent our day tubing at the Elora Gorge Conservation Area!

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More road trips in Ontario

If you’re looking for more fun things to do in Ontario, you might enjoy these posts:


Tubing at the Elora Gorge

What to pack & wear for tubing in Elora

What to wear

  • Swimsuit or swim trunks
  • Water shoes
  • Hiking-appropriate clothing (optional)
  • Sneakers (optional)

We rented our tubing equipment from Elora Rapids, which came with a helmet, life jacket, and tube.

Swimsuit

Of course, you’ll need to wear a swimsuit for your day of tubing at the Elora Gorge.

I have a whole list of adorable swimwear in my Amazon Shop, but any swimwear of your choice works!

You can also check out my posts on the best Canadian bathing suit companies and the best swimwear on Amazon Canada.

Water shoes

Sandals will either get lost or soaked, and water shoes will keep your feet protected from sharp rocks.

Honestly, water shoes are pretty hideous, but they’re essential for tubing out on the river.

These Speedo water shoes are a great option and come in both pink and blue.

Hiking-appropriate clothing and sneakers

If you plan on hiking afterwards, bring a hiking outfit and sneakers to change into!

The Elora Gorge Conservation Area is a light hiking area, so you can just wear anything that’s comfortable to do some walking in.

Adidas Ultraboost 1.0 sneakers are my all-time favourite sneaker because they’re so comfortable for walking in!

I also have a blog post all about how to style Adidas Ultraboost sneakers if you’re into them 🙂

What to pack

Entrance fees to the Elora Gorge Conservation Area are $7.50 per person, so you’ll also need to bring cash or a credit card.

Sunscreen

You’ll be out on the water in the sun all day, so definitely pack sunscreen to keep your skin safe from the harsh rays.

I love the brand COOLA because they’re clean, so their sunscreen is safe for your skin and the environment!

This COOLA spray sunscreen also smells like pina colada, which is nice.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are definitely nice to protect your eyes from the sun, but I wouldn’t wear any expensive ones in case they get lost in the water.

I typically wear free promo sunglasses for activities like tubing, but you can also grab cheap ones on Amazon.

This sunglasses set comes with two pairs for $19.99, and the other colours and styles typically range from $20-$30 for two pairs!

Towel

Obviously you’ll be needing a towel for your day out on the water.

I’d grab a quick-drying microfibre towel, but you can also just bring a regular bath towel from home.

Waterproof phone pouch

I didn’t take my phone with me on the river because I didn’t want to get it wet, but definitely bring one to take some photos/videos if you have a waterproof phone pouch.


Things to do in Elora

Tubing

Tubing wasn’t so bad considering the fact that I can’t actually swim.

I’d recommend having at least basic swimming knowledge, especially for when you need to exit the gorge at the end.

Luckily, my friends are good swimmers, so they were able to help me get out safely.

It is a lazy river, so it’s safe even for beginner swimmers.

The view floating down the Elora Gorge was astonishing, and I didn’t even mind all the dead bugs floating around me.

I didn’t take any photos while out on the water as I didn’t have a waterproof phone pouch, but I’d definitely get one if you want to take photos/videos while keeping your phone safe from the water!

Tubing in the Elora Gorge Conservation Area in Elora, Ontario
A view of the lazy river.

Hiking

We went hiking on the trail afterwards, and it was a really nice end to our day trip in Elora.

It’s not a particularly long hike, but it’s still a nice walk around after tubing out on the river!

It’s also absolutely stunning during the fall with all the colourful leaves.

Hiking in the Elora Gorge Conservation Area in Elora, Ontario
This tree reminded me of a scene in Evil Dead.
Hiking in the Elora Gorge Conservation Area in Elora, Ontario
Hiking in the Elora Gorge Conservation Area in Elora, Ontario
Hiking in the Elora Gorge Conservation Area in Elora, Ontario

Swimming

If you’re not too tired from tubing and hiking, you can also head over to the Elora Quarry for some swimming.

It’s a gorgeous place to swim, but it does get super busy during the summer months.

Admission fees are $9.29 per adult and parking is $13.27, and you can find more details on the Grand River website.

Exploring downtown Elora

Elora is known as one of the most beautiful towns in Ontario, and they’re located right along the picturesque Grand River.

Spend some time exploring the historic architecture of the town and stop in for a bite to eat before heading back home!


We ended up leaving around 5:30 PM, so we spend a good 8 hours tubing and hiking at the Elora Gorge.

Despite the sunburns, the mosquito bites, and the allergic reaction, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Elora is one of the most beautiful places in Ontario, and it’s definitely worth a visit!

Have you been tubing in the Elora Gorge? What are other cool things to do in Elora? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram!

More road trips in Ontario

If you’re looking for more fun things to do in Ontario, you might enjoy these posts:

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Jessica Lam | Toronto lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and travel blogger | Diary of a Toronto Girl, a Canadian lifestyle blog


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How to spend a perfect day tubing and hiking at the Elora Conservation Area in Elora, Ontario!
  1. Jean says:

    We biked through Elora from Toronto to K-W but didn’t stop at the Gorge.

  2. Jessica Lam says:

    The Gorge is definitely worth the visit – it’s very beautiful.

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