What You NEED to Know Before Moving To Clarington!

The Municipality of Clarington is growing, and fast! House prices are rising, but there are also more and more jobs as the rapid development of this up-and-coming area continues. Clarington consists of several urban communities, including Bowmanville, Orono, Newcastle, and Courtice. These communities are located inside of Durham Region, forming the east end of the Greater Toronto Area.



Clarington is a great place to live, as it’s not too far from Toronto, but still has areas with that small town charm with plenty of rural land. The drive to Toronto typically takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and construction is underway to extend the GO train to Bowmanville.

One of the things Clarington is well known for is the Canadian Tire Mosport Park, featuring a multi lane race track, attracting visitors from all over, including Grey’s Anatomy actor, Patrick Dempsey, a few years back.



If you’re moving here or considering it, you’ll absolutely love walking the historic downtown streets of Bowmanville, Orono, and Newcastle. There are some incredible restaurants and shops to visit. If you’re looking for good Clarington food, try checking out the “Durham Region Eats” facebook group!

Another thing you should know about Clarington is that we have some beautiful Lake Ontario beaches and waterfront viewpoints. If you’re looking for some of the best walking and biking trails or conservation areas, you might want to check out my Know Your Neighbourhood playlist. Clarington is truly a beautiful place to live with some stunning lakefront communities. Port Darlington is a popular summer destination for swimming or beach lounging, with a view of the lighthouse. Just be sure to do some quick research on whether or not each beach is safe for swimming, as the bacteria levels can sometimes flare up. The region will keep it updated on their website.

If you’re into boating and fishing, Clarington is the place for you. Make sure to check out the Bowmanville Marina and the Port of Newcastle Marina. Again, be sure to check the Clarington website before fishing to ensure it is permitted.

Clarington is home to some beautiful wildlife and animal sanctuaries. Soper Creek Wildlife Rescue is Durham Region's ONLY Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital, where the staff rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured, abandoned, and orphaned wildlife with a goal to return them back to the wild. They offer kids classes and camps as well as tours of the facility! Another one is the Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park, a sanctuary dedicated to ensuring the survival of wildlife and endangered species.



Yearly festivals you won’t want to miss include AppleFest, MapleFest, RibFest, The Orono Fair, and SummerFest for fun activities and delicious treats.

Plenty of rural land means plenty of farms in Clarington! There are events year round at various farms, especially when Autumn rolls around. Both Pingle's Farm and Watson Farm are great choices for fall activities, including petting zoos, wagon rides, apple picking, pumpkin picking, pear picking, squash picking, corn mazes, live music, food, fall treats, and warm drinks!

The winter months are great for pond skating, with plenty of skating areas around town. Enjoy winter sports at Brimacombe in Orono, where you can admire beautiful views of the snow covered hills while skiing and snowboarding.



If you’re more of a summer person, you’ll want to check out Cedar Park Resort in Bowmanville. Cedar Park is a family campground and waterpark featuring waterslides, splash pads, pools, tennis, mini golf, and more!

If you’re moving to Clarington, be sure to join these Facebook groups to help you settle in and feel more at home within the community. Here a few suggestions:

Bowmanville Community Group, Ontario Canada
The Town of Bowmanville Community Page
Dogs of Durham Region
Newcastle, Ontario
What's New in Clarington
Bowmanville Community Connection
Orono Ontario
Courtice Community Connect

Lastly, you can sign up for our e-newsletter here to stay up to date on listings, events happening in Durham Region, great neighbourhoods, our favourite local restaurants, local pets for adoption, and more!

Now get out and enjoy Clarington!