Looking for fun things to do in Bowmanville?
Bowmanville is a historic town located in the municipality of Clarington, which is part of Durham Region.
While it’s about an hour drive out of Toronto, it’s still considered part of the Greater Toronto Area!
Whether you’re looking to hit up cute cafés in historic downtown Bowmanville or do some forested hikes, you’ll definitely find something to enjoy on this list.
Here are some of the best and most fun things to do in Bowmanville, Ontario!
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If you’re looking for even more fun things to do in the GTA, you might enjoy these posts:
- Exploring Durham Region? Check out the best things to do in Oshawa, best restaurants in Bowmanville, or best hikes in Durham Region.
- Searching for things to do in York Region? Check out the best things to do in Richmond Hill or Markham, or visit these Instagram-worthy spots in York Region.
- Love visiting local farms? Check out these lavender fields in Ontario or these pumpkin farms in Ontario.
- Searching for road trip ideas around Ontario? Go on one of these day trips from Toronto or weekend trips from Toronto.
Best things to do in Bowmanville, Ontario
Café hop in historic downtown Bowmanville
There are plenty of great spots to eat and drink in downtown Bowmanville, and you’ll find a couple of cute cafés worth hitting up.
Try the Espresso Tonic at Roam Coffee or grab a Cappuccino at Hart’s Espresso Bar (located inside a coworking space).
Shop local at Markets by Dream Day
Markets by Dream Day is an adorable multi-vendor marketplace where you can shop goods from local artisans from across Durham Region, and they’ve got multiple locations.
Their Bowmanville location is actually connected to Roam Coffee, so you can shop around before or after getting a drink!
You can also find them in Brooklin and Pickering, or you can shop their selection online.
LOCATION: 62 King Street West, Bowmanville, ON
Eat and drink your way through Bowmanville
There are plenty of amazing spots to eat and drink in Bowmanville if you’re looking to get a taste of the town!
Skylight Donuts is a popular spot in Bowmanville for freshly-made doughnuts, and the only place to peep the menu is when you’re ordering at their drive-thru (or in the photo I’ve shared below!)
If you’re craving a sweet, cold treat, grab a scoop or two from a variety of Kawartha Dairy flavours at the Enniskillen General Store, or taste some freshly-made soft serve at Sundae Funday (flavours change up by the week!)
Hit up the outdoor patios of local craft breweries Manantler and Chronicle Brewing if you’re a fan of craft beer, or even do a brewery tour of Manantler if you’re interested in peeping out their facility.
Picnic at Rotary Park
Rotary Park is a small yet stunning park in downtown Bowmanville, and it’s the perfect spot for an afternoon picnic, or just an afternoon stroll.
Pack along some snacks or grab takeout from a local restaurant, and enjoy the sunshine and food.
There’s a cute gazebo, clock tower arch, and even a tall staircase if you want to get a quick workout in.
You can also peep out salmon and trout migrating on the river during the spring and fall seasons!
LOCATION: 133 Queen Street, Bowmanville, ON
Swim at Port Darlington East Beach Park
If you’re looking to cool off on a hot summer day, Port Darlington East Beach Park is the perfect spot for a swim.
It’s not a particularly large park, but it’s a beautiful waterfront area to explore.
Come later in the day and watch the sunset over Lake Ontario, or snap some photos of the green-and-white lighthouse near the beach.
There’s also a park and splash pad if you’ve got kiddos!
LOCATION: 54 East Beach Rd, Bowmanville, ON
Visit the community of Tyrone
If you’re into visiting cute small towns in Ontario, the community of Tyrone is worth a visit while exploring Bowmanville.
There are a few historic buildings in Tyrone, including an old general store and an old blacksmith shop, neither of which are in operation anymore!
Be sure to also make a stop at the historic Tyrone Mills, built in 1846 and one of the oldest mills in Ontario – they’re famous for their homemade butter tarts, doughnuts, and hot apple cider!
LOCATION: Tyrone, Ontario
Go fruit picking at Watson Farms
Watson Farms is a local farm in Bowmanville, and you can either shop at their farmer’s market or pick your own fruits and veggies!
You’ll find fresh produce, prepared foods, and gifts at the farmer’s market, all grown or produced from different farms and vendors in Ontario!
They have strawberry picking during the summer, apple and pumpkin picking during the fall, as well as other fruits and veggies available for the picking throughout the seasons.
LOCATION: 2287 Hwy 2 Bowmanville, ON
Go wine tasting at Archibald’s Orchard & Estate Winery
Archibald’s Orchard & Estate Winery is a fourth-generation family farm, and they offer all kinds of amazing fruit wine and cider options.
From Sweet Peach Wine to Hard Strawberry Lime Cider, you can shop all kinds of unique, fruity drinks!
They’re currently offering outdoor wine tasting on the weekends, and you have to book ahead of time through phone or email.
They even offer apple picking in the fall, and you can pick from all kinds of varieties on their almost 10,000 apple trees!
LOCATION: 6275 Liberty St. N., Bowmanville, ON
Hike Long Sault Conservation Area
Long Sault Conservation Area is a beautiful forested area if you’re looking to do some nice hiking through the woods.
It’s the largest conservation area in the municipality of Clarington at 400 hectares, and it’s gorgeous year-round!
The trail can be a little muddy on rainy days, and you’ll need ice cleats during the winter as it gets completely covered in ice.
Parking is $6 for the day, and there are public washrooms on-site (closed at the moment).
If you’re looking to get outside, I’ve got a blog post all about the best hiking trails in Durham Region!
LOCATION: 9293 Woodley Rd, Bowmanville, ON
Shop at the Courtice Flea Market
The Courtice Flea Market is actually located just outside of Bowmanville, and they open up shop year-round every weekend from 9-4:30 PM.
They’ve got over 200 vendors both indoors and outdoors selling old and new goods, including everything from vintage furniture to specialty foods.
The vintage furniture is definitely my favourite part of the whole flea market!
If you’re visiting from May to November, they have fresh fruits and veggies at their Outdoor Farmer’s Market every Sunday.
There are a few food vendors on-site if you’re hungry, and Courtice Canteen makes an amazing Chicken Club (not an actual club sandwich – it’s a fried chicken sandwich).
LOCATION: 1696 Bloor St, Courtice, ON
Watch racing events at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
If you’re into cars, you’ll definitely want to check out the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
It’s home to plenty of international racing events, and it’s located right in Bowmanville!
There are multiple tracks at the park, including the Grand Prix (for cars or motorcycles), the Driver Development (for training), and the Karting (for kart racing).
They’re also celebrating their 60th anniversary this year!
LOCATION: 3233 Concession Rd 10, Bowmanville, ON
Best things to do in Bowmanville:
- Café hop in historic downtown Bowmanville
- Shop local at Markets by Dream Day
- Eat and drink your way through Bowmanville
- Picnic at Rotary Park
- Swim at Port Darlington East Beach Park
- Visit the community of Tyrone
- Go fruit picking at Watson Farms
- Go wine tasting at Archibald’s Orchard & Estate Winery
- Hike Long Sault Conservation Area
- Shop at the Courtice Flea Market
- Watch racing events at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
These were some of the best and most fun things to do in Bowmanville!
What are some other awesome things to do in Bowmanville? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram!
If you’re looking for even more fun things to do in the GTA, you might enjoy these posts:
- Exploring Durham Region? Check out the best things to do in Oshawa, best restaurants in Bowmanville, or best hikes in Durham Region.
- Searching for things to do in York Region? Check out the best things to do in Richmond Hill or Markham, or visit these Instagram-worthy spots in York Region.
- Love visiting local farms? Check out these lavender fields in Ontario or these pumpkin farms in Ontario.
- Searching for road trip ideas around Ontario? Go on one of these day trips from Toronto or weekend trips from Toronto.
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