Fall is creeping up on us and although the changing of seasons, especially summer to fall, can be beautiful, it’s all sad when you realize summer is over.
Living in a country that experiences four seasons has its highs and lows. I mean, we definitely appreciate summer a lot more than those places that have sunshine and warmth all year round. With summer being my favourite season it’s always depressing when it comes to an end, especially since it always seems to go by SO fast.
This summer was another one for the books. I was incredibly busy but loved every minute of it, and the best part was that almost all my highlights were all in Toronto (my home) or area! Here are some of those highlights.
Paddle boarding Toronto Island
Towards the beginning of the summer I headed out to Toronto Island for a stand up paddle boarding lesson with Toronto Island SUP. The Toronto Island was closed for a large portion of the summer this year due to high water levels that flooded large portions of the island. It was sad to see the Island businesses suffer but was fun to get the chance to visit the less busy island and explore the calm and peaceful waters of the lagoons while soaking in a breathtaking view of the skyline.
Live music galore
Toronto has a lot of concert venues from large to small which means that there is a steady stream of great concerts to attend. This summer I had a chance to attend lots of fantastic concerts. From Faith Hill & Tim McGraw with my sisters, to Ed Sheeran at the Air Canada Centre and my favourite of the summer, Canadian band, The Arkells who lit up the Budweiser Stage on a hot summer night. There’s nothing like an outdoor concert in the summertime!
My cottage
Since my cottage is far away from Toronto on a lake called Kenogami (about a six hour drive), I only get to visit it once a summer. Ideally I’d love to spend every weekend there in the summer since nothing beats being by the lake and outside of the city when there weather is nice, but this just means I really appreciate my one weekend in the cottage when I do get to visit. I love spending the time with my family on a lake that I grew up on!
A weekend in Sarnia
In July I was invited along with my friend Marcy by the local tourism boards to explore a city I had never really been to that is located about three hours from Toronto, Sarnia. We had a fun filled girls weekend exploring what the city had to offer including trying wake boarding for the first time, eating some incredible food and drinking local beer! It was so fun to explore a new city that really is in my own backyard.
Toronto Festival of Beer
This beer festival is by far my favourite event of the entire summer every year. The festival happens each summer for one weekend and features hundreds of breweries from across Canada and internationally. There is a huge focus on local craft breweries and I love walking around the festival and trying different types of beer. Each year my family goes together and it’s always the highlight of all of our summers.
Lolë White Tour
This was the first time I had ever attended this summer event in Toronto where the athletic clothing brand, Lolë puts on their White Tour. This event happens in several cities across Canada and beyond and brings together thousands of yogis all dresses in white to symbolize peace. It was a beautiful evening in Toronto and the perfect night for some outdoor yoga among thousands of badass people.
Girls weekend in Niagara-on-the-Lake
I have been wanting to go to Ontario’s wine country for awhile now and finally I made it happen. My girl friend and I took off for one night and two days in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake where we did a fantastic winery tour and explored the cute, historical town. The perfect weekend getaway from the city!
Treetop trekking in Stouffville
I expected treetop trekking to be a little bit lame and assumed it was an activity targeted for kids but I was completely wrong and had the best day climbing above the treetops in Stouffville, Ontario, located just outside of Toronto. It was the perfect way to spend a summer day, was challenging and a fun bonding activity for my friends and me. The best part is they have locations across Ontario and Quebec so there’s likely one near you!
Starting a new job
Towards the end of the summer I left my job of three years at a non-profit doing social media and content marketing for a new role at Diply, a social news and entertainment publisher. It has been exciting to have a job transition into a new and exciting place and was the perfect way to end my summer!
This summer has been a whirlwind, I’ve had so many adventures and these are only a few highlights. Not mentioned are the many get togethers with friends, nights out, and lots of days soaking in the beautiful weather. Even though it hasn’t started to get cold here in Toronto yet, I’m dreading the winter that I know will be here way too fast. 🙁
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