Family Friendly Fun! Summer is a time to make memories. And there is no better place to make some memories with your family than our charming small town. Whether you’re looking for a quiet day on the beach or a more adventuresome outing, we know you’ll find it here. So get ready to relax, enjoy the sunshine, and get ready for some great local fun.
Swim and Splash
Plan to spend the day with family (or friends) at Riverside or Centennial Park. With a sandy beach on both sides of river, along with a splash pad, play-structures, swings, and a good quantity of green space, it’s a perfect spot to enjoy a day. Bring some floaties, a canoe or kayak to launch or just dip your toes and relax in the sun. Bring a picnic or pick up some takeout from one of our local restaurants.
Explore the Museums
Who says you can’t learn something new in the summer? Visit our local museums and learn about our community in a fun and interactive way. The Carleton Place & Beckwith Heritage Museum is great place to show the kids interesting artifacts and learn about our local history. Read up about A. Roy Brown a WW1 flying ace born in Carleton Place, who is credited for shooting down the Red Baron at the Roy Brown Museum and visit the statue of Brown located on the north side of Bridge Street.
Go for a Ride on the OVRT
Summer is a perfect time to explore the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail (OVRT) . Bring your bikes (or rent at the Information Centre) and explore the OVRT. Make a day of it and ride from Carleton Place to Almonte or Pakenham where you can stop for lunch or a snack then head back for an early dinner in Carleton Place – you will have worked up an appetite. Be sure to bring your camera and take photos of all of the amazing scenery.
Chase Some Turkeys
Ok not real turkeys. Plan an afternoon at our local bowling centre, Chasin Turkeys and bowl some strikes. Did you know that 3 strikes in a row (in bowling) is called a Turkey? Have fun with the kids on the bowling alley! Bowl some strikes with your family at Chasing Turkeys, a five-pin bowling centre originally built in the 50’s. tie your bowling shoes and grab a slushie from the snack bar and get ready to bowl.
Grab Your Binoculars
Lanark County is home to some 200 species of bird, so there is no doubt you will surely see some, but many times its all about where you’re looking. Trails like the Mississippi Riverwalk and O-Kee-Lee Nature Trail are the perfect spots to look for birds. Lots of birds reside along the shorelines, boat launches and all over the lagoons and river. Just out of town you can also visit Mississippi Lake National Wildlife Area (located within the wetlands of McEwen Bay, where water flows in from the Mississippi River.
Cast a Line
Pack a lunch, come on down and sit on the shore or docks at Riverside Park and fish away! Carleton Place is the perfect place to cast your fishing line, with tons of fish in the river like bluegills, pike, and crappies, rock bass and large and small-mouth bass to name a few! If you are competitive by nature, there are dozens of fishing competitions each year as well. You can even borrow tackle as part of the Tackle Share program offered at the Information Centre on Bridge Street.
Launch a Boat
There are many amazing sights and sounds on Mississippi Lake. Boat owners can launch at the public docks on the west end of Riverside Park at the Lake Avenue boat launch. Canoes and kayaks can be launched from the docks near here as well or at Centennial Park. Enjoy a sunrise or sunset or spend the whole day on the lake and enjoy them all. With a shore length of about 56 kms, there’s lots to see and explore.
Take a Stroll
Take a leisurely walk and enjoy the scenery around town. Whether you pick a trail that meanders along the waterway or through a farmer’s field or local park, there’s lots to see on the many trails in Carleton Place. Once you work up an appetite be sure to stop for a gastronomic treat or beverage. The added exercise will burn off any calories you may indulge in and the kids will be ready for bed before the sun goes down.
Bust a Move at Carleton Junction
Be sure to let the kids burn off steam at the Carleton Junction pump track and skate park. This one of a kind track with entrall kids for hours as they speed over the humps and bumps and thrill around the circle of rollers and berms (swoopy, banked turns) for bike riders. It’s a great tool for skills development and It’s designed to maximize your momentum, so you can ride it with minimal pedaling. Be prepared kids will want to spend the day!
Park It
Carleton Pace has over 15 amazing parks and playgrounds that make spending time with your family or just a day out much more fun! Bring a lunch, a comfy throw or chair and maybe a book, and have a picnic with your friends or family, breathe, and reconnect.
