Welcome to York Durham Headwaters. We are your exciting getaway from the mundane everyday. Less than an hour from Toronto, our diverse region offers everything from thriving metropolitan entertainment to rural communities that bring you off the beaten path. We’ve got something for everyone. There are plenty of thrills and chills for you adventure seekers with our world-class attractions. Nature lovers: enjoy a breath of fresh air amongst our renowned network of trails, and in our stunning parks and outdoor spaces. Family fun awaits at our incredible zoos, activity parks and other kid-friendly destinations. Enrich your life with culture, history and art in our museums, galleries and cultural centres.
Come join us in YDH for lifelong memories and new favourite traditions. We’re here waiting for you!
World-Class Adventure and Attractions
You don’t have to travel around the world to find globally-renowned adventure. We’ve got it right here in York Durham Headwaters. Everything you could possibly desire is in one convenient location, close to the big city of Toronto. Canada’s Wonderland is our premier amusement park that has been a family favourite since 1981. This exciting destination for thrills and chills is home to Yukon Striker, the longest, tallest and fastest dive coaster in the world. Be a cowboy for a day at Rawhide Adventures, where you get to experience life on a working ranch. Or, defy the odds—and gravity!—with a day of extreme winter sports at one of our top ski hills. Is a shopping adventure more your style? At Vaughan Mills, premier outlets draw thousands of visitors each year, all of them eager for the latest trends, brands and fashion. These and so many other amazing attractions will have you returning to YDH for new adventures time and again.
Family Fun
Are you looking to keep your family entertained while you build lasting memories together? We’ve got you covered in York Durham Headwaters. Immerse yourself in the scaly world of reptiles at Reptilia Zoo, and learn all about these lovable, cold-blooded creatures. Test your mettle with an all-ages aerial adventure at Treetop Trekking in Stouffville or Treetop Eco-Adventure in Oshawa. For those high-energy youngsters, put their BMX skills to the test at the place where the pros train: Joyride 150, or fall in love with rock climbing at one of our premier climbing gyms like The Hub Markham or Of Rock and Chalk. If you’re looking for a more tactile activity, you and your kids can take a cooking class together with The Chef Upstairs or King Cole Ducks.
Have you ever heard of agritourism before? Experience life on the farm at some of our real, working family and community farms to get a true sense of what it takes to grow and produce food. Farmyard fun for the whole family awaits. We’re so much more than just pigs and chickens (though we do love those adorable barnyard favourites). We’ve got lavender farms, alpaca farms, honey farms, maple syrup farms, Christmas tree farms… you name it!
Food and Dining
You won’t believe how many options there are in YDH for great eating. Our world-class chefs are cooking up fantastic flavours that will suit any palate. We are more than just restaurants; we are a blossoming culinary destination. With our strong farm-fresh footprint, food is not just what we eat—it’s who we are. At Durham College, for example, you can enjoy a fine dining experience at Bistro ’67, which is a teaching restaurant for the next generation of culinary entrepreneurs and food producers. Enjoy interactive dining experiences based on local food like Hockley Valley Resort’s Food and Fire event, or discover our small, local bistros with big passions in our charming small towns and villages.
Don’t forget about our craft breweries, cideries, wineries and distilleries. Here in York Durham Headwaters, innovative makers are hard at work experimenting with new flavours and techniques, while paying homage to traditional methods and preserving our historic brewing landscape. Taste the flavours of our region for yourself, and find your new favourite brew in YDH.
Great Golf
Fall in love with golf in York Durham Headwaters. Rolling greens and sweeping fairways are kept pristine for you passionate putters. With our network of golf courses for all skill levels and desired experiences—from public courses to executive to world-renowned—we invite you to come out and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine on the green. For you seasoned pros, we’ve got PGA-level courses that you’ll want to check off your bucket list. But you don’t have to be a pro to enjoy this time-honoured activity. There are tons of great courses for beginners, intermediates, families and kids. We even have instructional programs and camps that you can participate in to level up your game.
Art, Culture and History
If you want fine art, fine craftsmanship and extraordinary vision, you don’t have to travel far to find it. York Durham Headwaters is home to wonderful galleries and studios we know you’re going to love. The artists and artisans within are real, approachable people who are as passionate about creating as they are about sharing their gifts with the world. The Alton Mill Arts Centre in Caledon, for example, is an oasis of art in a lovingly restored historic building. The McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg features works by the renowned Group of Seven, as well as works by contemporary Canadian and Indigenous artists. Or, visit any number of our wonderful independent studios that both sell and teach you how to make unique pieces from a variety of materials, and with a variety of techniques.
Our museums are just as wonderful as our art galleries and studios. Living museums like the Pickering Museum Village bring you back in time to our region’s past. Rural community museums like the Museum of Dufferin prove that local history can be not only fun and exciting, but modern and lively. Parkwood Estates, the former home of Canadian auto baron Robert “Colonel Sam” McLaughlin, invites you to discover history in the first part of the twentieth century—not to mention it’s also the filming location of notable movies and television shows. Discover YDH’s long, proud and dynamic history, and learn all about who we are at our roots.
Nature and Outdoor Recreation
Ontario is known around the world for its gorgeous expanses of parks, trails and conservation areas. In fact, Uxbridge in Durham Region is the official Trail Capital of Canada. Miles of groomed and ungroomed wilderness is waiting for you to explore and reconnect with nature. No matter what the season, you can enjoy our vast network of natural spaces, and rediscover activities that you’ve loved since you were little. Snowshoe or ski on our many ski hills and trails. Explore fall colours like you have never seen them before as you hike and bike through authentic Canadian wilderness. Fish our lakes and streams, and boat, kayak or Sea-Doo through our crisp, clean waterways. Some of our favourite spots include the Kortright Centre for Conservation in Woodbridge, Sibbald Point Provincial Park in Jackson’s Point, Albion Hills Conservation Park in Caledon, and Durham Regional Forest in Uxbridge. Bring your own activity equipment, or take advantage of the existing rental facilities and guided programs operated onsite. We promise, this will be the start of something beautiful.
Want to know more? Visit us at www.yorkdurhamheadwaters.ca for information, itineraries and ideas. We can’t wait to welcome you for whatever it is you love to do! We are York Durham Headwaters, Ontario’s Ultimate Road Trip Destination.
