Kemptville: Market Life, Trails and Nature

Waterfront trails, market life and outdoor recreation are among Kemptville’s many facets. You can plan your stay around the Kemptville Creek waterfront, a visit to the farmers’ market or activities in the surrounding area. This mix can help you decide what kind of days you’d like to have on your trip before you start looking for a vacation rental.

Waterfront Trail, Market and Town Life

The Kemptville Waterfront Trail is two kilometres long and runs along the north shore of Kemptville Creek. It connects Old Town Kemptville with Clothier Street East. Several historical plaques along the way invite you to stop and read. The North Grenville Rail Trail has a different character: it passes through several Kemptville neighbourhoods and across the Kemptville College Campus. This gives you a choice between a route with a clearly defined course along the waterfront and one that passes through neighbourhoods and the campus.

The Kemptville Farmers’ Market takes place on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 200 Sanders Street in Downtown Kemptville, from mid-May through October. You can enjoy freshly brewed coffee, listen to live music, stay for lunch or take home dinner. The market is on a level, paved parking lot, with wide aisles and access for wheelchairs and strollers. Check the current dates and opening hours before you arrive; if the venue changes, the accessibility information should also be checked again.

The Kemptville Buskerfest is a free, two-day street arts festival in the historic town centre. For the 2026 edition, the festival areas are on Prescott Street in Kemptville, Ontario. The programme includes live music, comedy, spectacular performances, special vendor stalls and entertainment for the whole family. Details may change from one edition to the next, so check the dates and programme for the relevant edition when planning a later visit.

Campus Gardens and Nature Nearby

The Kemptville Campus Community Garden is open to visitors, and tours can be booked. The garden provides an inclusive public space where people share knowledge about growing food and foster a sense of community. The Kemptville Campus Greenhouse is another point of interest: it houses plants and offers workshops.

Near Kemptville, the Ferguson Forest Centre is a multi-use green space covering 1,100 acres, including 800 acres of forest. The site includes 22 kilometres of designated trails, a tree nursery, an arboretum, a dog park and other recreational areas. Most of the trail network runs through natural eastern Ontario hardwood forest, with additional stretches alongside fields, waterfront areas and parkland. The approximately ten-hectare arboretum is used for learning, activities, quiet contemplation, public use and recreation. Stone-dust trails, a play hill, park benches, picnic tables and a parking lot round out the site.

For winter activities, the Kemptville Winter Trail offers just over five kilometres of groomed, multi-use trail that is free to access. It has tracks for classic cross-country skiing and a groomed section for skating, walking and fat biking. The trail is maintained by volunteers; winter conditions and grooming may vary by season. Check trail conditions before your visit.

Nearby, you can also choose from other recreational activities: the Kemptville Disc Golf Club operates an 18-hole course on approximately 18 acres of the Ferguson Forest Centre and welcomes players of all skill levels. Offerings include a recreational league and night-time glow rounds; check in advance whether these are currently running. The Ferguson Forest Dog Park is fully fenced and has open and wooded areas for large dogs, as well as a separate area for small dogs.

A vacation rental in Kemptville can be a good option if you’d like to use the town as a base for these different interests.

Discover more destinations: Gananoque, Leeds And The Thousand Islands, Prescott, Mallorytown, Johnstown, Merrickville, Westport, Brockville.

For the broader travel overview: Leeds And Grenville United Counties.