Wheelers Pancake House And Sugar Camp #WinterWander

As soon as I stepped inside Wheelers Pancake House And Sugar Camp in Ontario’s Highlands I immediately felt at home. There was just something about the energy flowing through the space that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The sun was beaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the smell of freshly made pancakes permeated in the air and the sound of birds chirping in the surrounding sugar bush made me feel like I was a guest at Snow White’s cottage. Greeted with a welcoming smile, I darted straight to the warm fireplace at the centre of the room…

As I warmed my hands in front of the fire, my eyes were drawn to a family tree collage perched on top of the mantel. I later discovered that I had gravitated to the heart of the operation: the Wheeler family. One look at the photographs and I knew we had found a special place — one filled and fueled by love. Turns out I was right: Vernon Wheeler and his family have been collecting sap and expanding Wheelers Pancake House And Sugar Camp for almost four decades! Driven by their passion for maple syrup, they are now one of the largest producers in Ontario with over 20, 000 trees tapped.

What does that mean for visitors like you and I? Pure deliciousness. That’s what. The Wheelers make some of the best tasting and purest maple syrup around; it is 100% natural (with no preservatives or additives), organic and made onsite by tapping their family maple trees (some of which have been around for more than 300 years)…

Ok, let’s talk about these beautiful pancakes at Wheelers Pancake House And Sugar Camp for a minute. Made with local farm fresh eggs, they have been perfected over the years by combining local and Mennonite recipes. I’m certain the pancake Gods would be proud of these glorious, fluffy creations. Just look at the height on these babies…

Oh, but it gets even better. The family also makes their own signature maple sausages! Served at the pancake house exclusively, the pork and maple syrup combo will have you smiling from ear to ear. And don’t forget to order the maple baked beans — they are also a must.

After feasting on as many pancakes as humanly possible, you’ll want to strap on some snowshoes to explore their serene sugar bush. With six trails to choose from on the 700+ acre property (ranging from 1 km to 7.6 km) you’ll have plenty of space to work off that sugar rush. My travel buddy took full advantage of the joyous occasion…

Blanketed with snow, the sugar bush (which is about an hour outside of Ottawa) is a beautiful place to spend a few hours. You can bring your own snowshoes or rent a traditional pair at Wheelers Pancake House And Sugar Camp for $5. Oh, and make sure to stop by their amazing teepee! I moved in for a few minutes…

And to step up your maple syrup game, head to Wheelers Maple Heritage Museum. Vernon holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of maple-syrup-related artifacts in North America. You’ll find everything from kettles and a century-old sugar shack to production equipment and tools like old spiles and buckets…

To say the Wheelers love maple production is an understatement. These guys live and breathe all-things maple: their passion runs in the bloodline AND sap line. I could honestly spend an entire day hanging out with the fam, devouring pancakes and exploring their sugar bush. I highly recommend checking out this special spot in Ontario’s Highlands: you’ll definitely leave with a deeper appreciation for the great Canadian tradition of maple sugarin’.

Our food and activities at Wheelers Pancake House And Sugar Camp were paid for by Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization as part of a press trip. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own. For more photos, tweets and videos check out #WanderOH and #WinterWander on social media!