Fav spots to stop for a quick bite during a ride?

voyageur

voyageur

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If my ride route has Haliburton, the skyline park is the spot I usually take a break at. If I'm on a time crunch I pack a sandwich and stop by quiet side roads for a quick meal before heading back out. Just seeing if I can add some good spots to the list.

Any reccos for spots to take a quick break and stretch? Some place scenic overlooking a waterbody or a nice view and not a restaurant/food truck?
 
If you're riding Upper Big Chute Road, there's a couple of piers opposite Lock 44 / Marine Railway. Sometimes it gets a bit crowded, but if you go during a weekday, normally you can get a spot right on the grass between the piers and watch the dinghies and boats go out.

If you're doing Southwood Rd 13, you can park at the Torrens Barrens and sit on the rocks overlooking some of the small lakes off the main hiking trail. It's less than 100m in. It's where all the amateur astronomers set up their telescopes at night in the middle of the Dark Sky Preserve.

If you're willing to handle a bit of gravel, there are tons of trails into the lakes just east and west off the 507 in the Kawarthas.

Lots of spots in the middle of fun roads, but not many people stop when they're busy riding the twisties.
 
Great thread!

I have so many more, but will just leave these spots that I try to hit up each year.

Calabogie (Barnet Park) - had a public washroom, picnic tables and overlooks the Calabogie Peaks resort. You could go swimming here if you wanted to. Barnet Park - Calabogie

Barrys Bay (Crooked Slide Park) - has a clean pit toilet, and a beautiful view of the old logging chute. Crooked Slide Park - Barry Bay

Algonquin Park (Lake of Two Rivers Beach) - has picnic tables. If no one is around you can ride your bike right up to the water for that amazing photo, but just be careful because the grass can be wet there and you don't want to damage it or get your bike stuck. Awesome views. Lake of Two Rivers Picnic Ground and Beach · Algonquin Provincial Park

Bancroft (Baptiste Lake) - just a spot beside a big lake. Perfect for a quick break and an awesome view of a lake. Baptiste Lake - South Baptiste Lake Road

Haliburton (Kennisis Lake) - I love this stop before hitting up Watts Road / Trail, because that road is one of the most silly 1st gear roads in the whole province. Go slow on Watts Road afterwards

Haliburton (Features Brasserie) - I know you said no restaurants, but I just heard about a place up in Fort Irwin that I want to go check out their Veggie Lasagna. There's a lake there, so I'm hoping to sit by the water and eat it. Home Features Brasserie restaurant

Minden (Harrington Park) - has picnic tables and portable toilet. Awesome spot to watch some rapids and occasionally I've seen whitewater rescue training occurring there which really neat neat to see. Minden Whitewater Reserve

Burks Falls (Screaming Heads) - I just love it here. Screaming Heads · Midlothian

Sprucedale/Huntsville (Buck Lake) - often has a portable toilet and perfect spot to get a photo, go for a swim or just take a break. Buck Lake Boat Launch

Bracebridge (Huckleberry Rock Lookout) - if you have some time and don't mind a 3km walk, this is one of the best easy hikes to a awesome views of Muskoka. Portable toilet in the parking lot at the trailhead. Huckleberry Rock Lookout Point - Bracebridge

Windermere Dock (Lake Rosseau) - nearby public washrooms (not always open). Amazing view of the water and perfect spot for a group photo.
Windermere Dock
 
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CedarHill Park on Grey Rd 1 . East of Wiarton. Just West on Big Bay. It's a small park, on the shores of Georgian Bay. If you weren't looking for it, you probably ride by without knowing. It has a sheltered/ roofed picnic spot and probably the cleanest outhouse I have used. Its been a couple of years since I been there. Fun fact, I saw some divers with the oxgen tanks use the spot. Check the google maps link so you kinda know what to look out for if your in the area.

www.google.com

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.
www.google.com www.google.com
 
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I'm partial to the various locks on the Trent Severyn and Rideau Canal.

Glen Ross is small and out of the way. If there's a boat coming the attendant will let you open/close the lock as it's manual, and the Peterborough elevator is cool.

I can't remember which particular ones on the rideau, but I find them all quite nice places to take a break.
 
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