Free
Little Lake and Millennium Park
A riverfront park and trail along the Otonabee downtown, with a fountain in Little Lake.
Home / Guides / Peterborough and the Kawarthas
Kawarthas, Ontario
Peterborough and the Kawarthas
The gateway to the Kawarthas: the giant Peterborough Lift Lock on the Trent–Severn Waterway, the Canadian Canoe Museum, a free zoo and lakes in every direction.
Photo: The Peterborough Lift Lock, Ron Crough, Peterborough, ON, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Peterborough Lift Lock opened in 1904 and was the world's highest hydraulic boat lift of its time. Two huge water-filled chambers lift and lower boats about 20 metres on the Trent–Severn Waterway. Watch one go up, then the other comes down.
Downtown sits on the Otonabee River and Little Lake. North of the city, the Kawartha lakes and Petroglyphs Provincial Park, a sacred Indigenous site, are a short drive away.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Rotary Greenway Trail
A paved trail north along the river toward Lakefield.
Cheap
Petroglyphs Provincial Park
One of Canada's largest collections of Indigenous rock carvings, a sacred site with forest trails. No photography of the carvings.
Cheap
Warsaw Caves Conservation Area
Limestone caves, potholes and a disappearing river. Bring a flashlight.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Peterborough Lift Lock National Historic Site
Watch boats rise and fall about 20 metres in the hydraulic lift lock. Locks operate in season.
Cheap
Lang Pioneer Village Museum
A pioneer village of historic buildings and working trades, southeast of the city.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Paid
Canadian Canoe Museum
The world's largest collection of canoes and kayaks, in a new building by the Lift Lock.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Peterborough Musicfest
Free outdoor summer concerts at Del Crary Park.
Free
Peterborough Regional Farmers' Market
A Saturday farmers' market in the city.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Liftlock Cruises
Boat trips that ride the Peterborough Lift Lock.
Season Runs roughly mid-May–mid-Oct (check before you go).
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Canadian Canoe Museum Tickets
Part of our The Kawarthas guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The Canadian Canoe Museum and the Lift Lock fill a day in the city.
- Petroglyphs Provincial Park and Warsaw Caves make a second day north and east.
- Free Musicfest concerts at Del Crary Park run on summer evenings.
Nearby and worth the drive
Prince Edward Countyabout 1 h 30 · Guide ↗
Beaches, wineries and dunes.
Lakefieldabout 20 min · Guide ↗A pretty village on the Otonabee River.
Ready-made trips with Peterborough and the Kawarthas
Good to know
- Tourism: thekawarthas.ca.
- Petroglyphs: This is a sacred site. Photography of the carvings is not permitted.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: The Peterborough Lift Lock, Ron Crough, Peterborough, ON, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Little Lake, Peterborough, Robert Linsdell from St. Andrews, Canada, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Canoes on display at the Canadian Canoe Museum (former building), P199, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: The mill at Lang Pioneer Village, Anne Delong, CC BY-SA 4.0