{"id":5005,"date":"2017-03-28T14:39:33","date_gmt":"2017-03-28T18:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turo.com\/blog\/?p=5005"},"modified":"2022-06-27T16:43:23","modified_gmt":"2022-06-27T20:43:23","slug":"canadas-best-sugar-shacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turo.com\/blog\/canada\/wayfaring\/canadas-best-sugar-shacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Canada\u2019s best sugar shacks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tap that maple<\/span><\/h2>\n

Spring has finally arrived in Canada. But while the snow on the ski hills melts ever so slowly and the subzero temperatures are really starting to become a nuisance, these warm days and frigid nights mean one good thing: maple syrup season. A visit to a sugar shack might be the wholesome pick-me-up you need as we are finally starting to see the end of this never-ending winter. There are tons of destinations to satisfy your sweet tooth within a short drive of most major cities in Ontario and Quebec, so pack up the kids, grab your best buds, or bring some friends from out of town to experience this purely Canadian excursion. <\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re looking to attend a maple syrup festival, or just grab weekend brunch at a pancake house, you\u2019ll need wheels to get there. <\/span><\/p>\n

Toronto day trip<\/span><\/h3>\n

For those in Ontario, <\/span>Rauan\u2019s Hyundai<\/span><\/a> is easily accessible by TTC and a perfect option for a group of city dwellers looking for a day trip to get a taste of the good stuff. <\/span>The Purple Woods Maple Syrup Festival<\/span><\/a>, located in the \u2018shwa, an easy 1.5 hour drive from Toronto, has everything you need for the full maple experience, including (most importantly), two serving options for your pancake breakfast. When the chill really starts to get to you, you\u2019ll be thankful that you get to enjoy the ride home with the Hyundai\u2019s heated seats.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Rauan’s Hyundai Sonata<\/p><\/div>\n

Family-friendly festival<\/span><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re looking more for family fun, the <\/span>Ontario Maple Syrup Producers\u2019 Association<\/span><\/a> is hosting their Maple Weekend on April 1-2. Neil\u2019s <\/span>Dodge Gra<\/span><\/a>nd Caravan<\/span><\/a> has more than enough room for you, the kids, and even their friends \u2014 just make sure to clean off any sticky hands before getting back in! Maple Weekend is an interactive event where the production of maple syrup is explained and showcased at sugar shacks all across Ontario. Each station has variations on the activities they are running, but no matter which one you go to, you get some syrupy souvenirs to bring back home.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Neil’s Dodge Grand Caravan<\/p><\/div>\n

Quintessentially Quebecois<\/span><\/h3>\n

In Quebec, the <\/span>cabanes \u00e0 sucre<\/span><\/i> tradition is even older than our country. Much like every other activity you can choose to do in the province, you have the option of a traditional or a <\/span>very<\/b> alternative maple syrup-themed experience. If you\u2019re old school, look no further than <\/span>Sucrerie Jean-Louis Massicotte et filles<\/span><\/a>, which has been in operation about an hour outside of Quebec City since 1710. Make sure to reserve your spot in advance, then hop into\u00a0<\/span>Alain\u2019s Ford Explorer<\/span><\/a> for a fantastic view into the past. Watch the sap from the trees get collected into barrels, eat traditional <\/span>Quebecois <\/span><\/i>food cooked on a wood stove, and experience the magic of <\/span>tire sur la neige<\/span><\/i>, when fresh maple syrup is poured onto snow and wrapped up on a wooden stick, a snack between popsicle and taffy. Make sure to bundle up though \u2014 much like it was in the 1700s, there\u2019s no electricity here.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tr\u00e8s avant-garde<\/span><\/h3>\n

But let\u2019s say you\u2019re different. You\u2019d like to go against the norm and try a very different kind of sugar shack experience. In that case, may we recommend booking <\/span>Ion\u2019s Tesla Model S<\/span><\/a> and driving it out to <\/span>Au Pied de Cochon\u2019s <\/span>Cabane \u00e0 Sucre<\/span><\/i><\/a> outside of Montreal? This spin-off of the famous downtown restaurant reinvents the typical sugar shack experience, with a menu that adds extremely decadent food such as foie gras to time-honoured Quebecois classics like pea soup, with an overarching maple syrup theme. The <\/span>cabane<\/span><\/i> and chef Martin Picard are so well-known that Anthony Bourdain visited the restaurant for the filming of his 2013 show <\/span>Parts Unknown<\/span><\/i>. You might be out of luck for this year, though: reservations for this spot open up months in advance and go quickly. Oh well, there\u2019s always the original <\/span>Au Pied du Cochon<\/span><\/i> and a visit to the <\/span>tires sur neige<\/span><\/i> stands in the Old Port to satisfy your cravings until next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ion’s Tesla Model S<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tap that maple Spring has finally arrived in Canada. But while the snow on the ski hills melts ever so slowly and the subzero temperatures are really starting to become…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":5006,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[19],"language":[2],"class_list":["post-5005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wayfaring","tag-canada"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t