Family play and fun, exciting explorations, captivating cultural excursions and culinary delights are closer than you think. Come bike, hike and tee-off your spring season at an oasis, only a short drive from home. Enjoy the farmers markets, locally grown produce, fresh home baked goods and quaint restaurant patios. How will you spend your weekend in The Central Counties? Visit CentralCounties.ca for some great ideas today!
This March 30th, 2011, The Central Counties officially kicks-off its spring ‘Experience’ campaign, inviting GTA residents and families to Play, Explore and Savour. This season, visitors can share their favourite Central Counties experience online to win.
For the first time ever, The Central Counties introduces a social media ‘Experience’ contest, which invites visitors to share their favourite Central Counties stories and experiences online at www.centralcounties.ca. A prize of $100 will be awarded to the first 125 entries. A Grand Prize will be announced on May 5, 2011, offering the lucky winner an exclusive helicopter ride over the region’s breathtaking landscape and quaint villages.
Visitors can enter by submitting up to a 300-word memoire, along with photos and/or video footage that describes their visit to The Central Counties. The public can follow the contest online through Twitter, Facebook and the official www.centralcounties.ca website, in which they have an opportunity to rate the submissions. The top 25 highest rated ‘experiences’ will be entered into a random draw. Check your Twitter and Facebook for the latest exciting updates!
An incredible variety of urban and rural destinations start just minutes from the city in The Central Counties of York Region, Durham Region and The Hills of Headwaters. The Central Counties offers both day and overnight trips to kick off that long-awaited getaway. Be it the adventurous trails, family excursions, luxurious spas or cozy Inns, The Central Counties offers a play and stay experience that every loved one will enjoy and want to share.
The Central Counties have so much to offer so close to home! What will you do in The Central Counties this weekend?
To Play, you can tackle winding trails on a mid-morning hike or bike ride. Paddle across a sparkling river in a canoe or kayak. Toss a line on a peaceful fishing trip or try your luck at a hole-in-one on a prestigious, immaculately groomed golf course.
For the Family, enjoy the wonders of wildlife at a butterfly farm or reptile zoo. Go on a horseback ride, throw out a line on a fishing trip; or glide across a calm river in a canoe or kayak. Take the kids ‘pie hopping’ from bakery to bakery to find the best homemade apple pie in the region, or track down a local Easter egg hunt to truly experience a heritage town’s spirit.
To Explore, personalize your family getaway or romantic weekend, and truly discover what these Ontario regions have to offer. Tackle the picturesque hills and trails of the Oak Ridge’s Moraine on foot, bicycle or horseback. Uncover the regions’ history, cultural and ethnic diversity, exploring heritage sites, museums, art studios and galleries in one of the quaint towns and villages that dot the landscape. Whatever peaks your exploratory interests, you’ll walk away yearning to share your experiences of The Central Counties.
To Savour, reunite with friends and loved ones, learning the ins and outs of wine-tasting and beer-brewing or discovering the secret recipes of artisanal chefs. Come out and enjoy the fresh air at one of The Central Counties’ award winning farms that offer family fun, pick your own in season, and a bounty of fresh locally grown product. Finish off your culinary shopping experience by visiting one of the distinct gourmet food shops featuring tasty jams, jellies, preserves and fine wines unique to the region.
Whatever it is you’re looking for this spring, the regions of The Central Counties await you.
York Region offers the perfect balance of urban delights and country charm. Music lovers can go to the inaugural concert of the Markham New Music Festival. For a more festive experience, attend Easter Eggstraordinary at the Elman W. Campbell Museum. Discover the McMichael Canadian Art Gallery, hike across Sibbald Point Provincial Park or enjoy a thrill at Canada’s Wonderland.
In Durham Region, take in The Oshawa-Whitby Kiwanis Music Festival 40th Anniversary Gala Concert. Or, return to nature and enjoy the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority’s Mother’s Day Wildflower Walk. After a round of golf, see the 2011 Corn Flower Exhibit, which spotlights the best pieces in the DCMA Corn Flower Collection. Durham Region is also the home of the Bowmanville Zoo, charming small towns and the pristine waters of Lake Scugog and Canada’s largest motorsports complex, Mosport International Raceway.
Nestled throughout the famous rolling hills and valleys of The Hills of Headwaters lie four major river systems where you’ll find much more than great golfing and hiking. See the Kame & Kettle Artists – 20th Anniversary Exhibition of Dufferin County, sip some small town goodness at one of our unique wineries.
The Central Counties are yours to share! Tell us about your plans to getaway at CentralCounties.ca today!
Quotes
“We are excited about launching our spring campaign on Twitter and Facebook .”
“It will truly help us to reach out and connect with visitors and let them know about opportunities to discover The Central Counties this Spring.”
-Colleen Pingle, Regional Tourism Ontario Zone 6 (RTO 6), Sales and Marketing Committee Project Lead and Owner/Manager of Pingles Farm Market
Related Information
Available for Interviews: Jo Fillery, Regional Tourism Organization Zone 6, Sales and Marketing Committee Chair, Owner What’s Cookin’ in Erin, ON. Colleen Pingle, Regional Tourism Organization Zone 6 Sales and Marketing Committee Project Lead, Owner/Manager, Pingles Farm Market. Kelly Myles, Regional Tourism Organization Zone 6 Member of Sales and Marketing Committee, General Manager, Caledon Country Club
Follow The Central Counties on Twitter @CentralCounties
