As a cottage rental management company representing almost 200 privately-owned Ontario cottage rentals, we know the importance of finding the right waterfront cottage rental. After all, the water is the main reason you’re coming to cottage country! Whether it’s for swimming, fishing, watersports, or the beach, the waterfront can make or break your vacation. With over 250,000 lakes to choose from in Ontario, we’re here to help you make that decision!
Having trouble coming to an agreement on the perfect waterfront? It can be challenging, particularly if your group is larger than your immediate family. Here’s the ultimate guide to planning a group vacation for help with that!
The 7 Main Types of Waterfront Cottage Rentals | Sandy Beach | Shallow Entry | Weedy | Rocky | Deep Water Swimming | Riverfront | Island Cottages
1. Waterfront Cottage Rental | Sandy Beach
Close your eyes and imagine yourself at a waterfront cottage rental this summer. What’s the picture that comes to mind as the ideal waterfront? Chances are, it’s a sandy beach. For our guests, this is the number one request. Many of the non-great lakes in Ontario don’t necessarily have a sandy beach, so it can be challenging to find. However, if this is your main requirement, and you won’t be happy without it, it’s worth persevering in your search.
It’s probably obvious to many why a sandy beach is desirable. After all, beaches are popular throughout the world. Most vacation resorts feature some kind of sand beach even with multiple pools to choose from. The sound of waves crashing or smoothing onto the shoreline, beach umbrellas, sand castle building, the endless view of water in front of you…what’s not to like? Particularly for a family vacation with young children wishing to have some sandy fun, a sandy beach is a must. A calm waterfront that very gradually deepens is the safest experience for the young and not-so young alike.
Of course, adding to the enjoyment is the fun of walking along the beach. Please note though, for most lakes in Ontario, you can typically only walk along the shoreline directly in front of “your” waterfront cottage rental. Generally, the cottages on either side want to keep their shoreline to themselves too!
Waterfront Cottage Rentals on a Great Lake
If your idea of the perfect vacation means strolling along a sandy beach, consider a waterfront cottage rental on one of the great lakes! Cottages on Lake Ontario, Huron, Erie, Superior, or Georgian Bay would be perfect for you!
Staying at a waterfront cottage rental on one of these lakes means that you will have to share the beach with other waterfront neighbours. You might even consider that an advantage, if you like to meet other people while on vacation! These beaches are often reshaped by storms and water currents, so they tend to be inconsistent from year to year.
The potential downside, unless you’re at a cottage with an outdoor shower, is that the sand will follow you into the cottage. You might even find some later, in your suitcases! Sand fleas can also pose a problem to anyone who might be sensitive to their bites. For many, though, the pleasure of a sandy beach is well worth the messiness and the fleas!
A sandy beach is best for: Playing in the water, sandcastles, beach walkers, swimming, young children, older adults
A sandy beach is not as well suited for: Anyone who would find the messiness of sand annoying!
2. Waterfront Cottage Rental | Shallow Entry
Often, but not always, combined with the aforementioned sandy beach, a shallow entry into the lake can make all the difference if you’re traveling with young children or anyone who might be less confident in the water. As mentioned previously, sandy beaches are sometimes hard to come by in Ontario, but even with grass to the shoreline, many waterfronts will still have shallow entry to the water. Shallow waterfronts can often continue for hundreds of feet, making them a safe experience for everyone.
Be sure to inquire, if it’s not mentioned on the listing, how shallow the waterfront is. Ask how deep the water is off the dock, to get an idea of how gradually it deepens. The depth is important to know if your kids or dog (or you!) enjoy jumping or diving off the dock too! If you’re bringing a boat you’ll need to confirm there is sufficient clearance too.
A shallow entry is best suited for: Those with young children or people with mobility challenges desiring a gradual entry
Shallow entry is not as suitable for: People who prefer deep water swimming
3. Waterfront Cottage Rental | Weedy
A waterfront with aquatic plants, often referred to as “weedy”, is the least desirable waterfront option, sometimes rather unfairly. A weedy waterfront is not ideal if you’re an avid swimmer, but for fishing, or enjoying nature, it may be perfect! Here’s a helpful guide to Ontario’s top game fish, to help you plan your perfect fishing vacation.
For fishing, a weedy waterfront is actually better than that sterile sandy beach. The abundance of aquatic plants provides a fish habitat, and weedy lakes are often great for fishing! If you’re more into birdwatching or wildlife observation than fishing, you’re also in luck! Aquatic plants provide a wide variety of native plants and animals with both habitat and food.
The three types of aquatic plants are emergent (growing up above the surface), floating (remaining suspended on the surface, i.e. lilypads), or submerged (below the water surface). Emergent vegetation provides food, habitat, and spawning grounds for waterfowl and grazing opportunities for mammals such as moose. Dragonflies and damselflies rely on emergent vegetation to lay their eggs. They also use it to anchor themselves when transitioning into their adult stage of life.
Floating vegetation provides needed shade for shallow-water fish and other aquatic wildlife. Many insect species feed and deposit their eggs on this type of vegetation. Submerged vegetation provides food, habitat, and spawning grounds for fish, amphibians, reptiles, and microscopic zooplankton.
A weedy waterfront is best for: Fishing and enjoying the sights and sounds of the nature surrounding you.
A weedy waterfront is not ideal for: Swimming, boating
4. Waterfront Cottage Rental | Rocky
Canadian Shield’s rock formations are throughout much of cottage country. This means that many cottages are perched on top of, or built around, the bedrock surrounding the lakes. There is a rugged beauty, and they’re often what you imagine when thinking of an Ontario waterfront cottage rental. A rugged, rocky shoreline is beautiful, with some advantages and disadvantages. Here’s what to consider when deciding if this type of shoreline is right for you.

Rocky shorelines create ideal habitats for some species of fish, including smallmouth bass, which are common in Ontario’s cottage country. Children will likely enjoy climbing over rocks and searching for critters and special rocks to take home.
Another advantage is that rocky shorelines tend not to be as weedy, so for the truly weed-phobic this may be your ideal shoreline!
The disadvantages are that it can be challenging to navigate, especially when wet. Often it means you have a climb down to the waterfront from the cottage, sometimes a considerable one! This type of shoreline may not be the best choice if you have very young children or elderly guests. Water shoes will help you with gripping slippery rocks. Look for cottages with docks with ladders, to make getting in and out of the water easier.
A rocky waterfront is recommended for: Fishing enthusiasts, nature lovers, people who dislike weedy waterfronts
A rocky waterfront is not ideal for: Anyone with mobility issues, very young children or elderly guests, or those who prefer a more level lot for playing games
5. Waterfront Cottage Rental | Deep Water Swimming
For avid swimmers and divers or dock jumpers, a deep-water dock will be a must. Deep water is also helpful for watersports, making it easier for waterskiing, tubing, wakeboarding, as there’s no worry about running aground.
While most families with very young children prefer a shallower option, deep water is perfect for serious swimmers and older children. Just be sure to check for hidden rocks or debris in the water first before diving in.
Some cottages even offer a combination – a shallow waterfront suitable for wading, and a swimming dock anchored further out into the deeper water. So both groups are happy there!
Deep water shorelines are suited for: Experienced swimmers, diving and jumping off the dock, watersports
Deep water shorelines are not ideal for: Young children, non-swimmers, people who prefer to get into the water gradually
6. Waterfront Cottage Rental | Riverfronts
Riverfront cottages offer a unique experience. No two shorelines are alike, even amongst neighbouring cottages! For non-motorized watersports such as canoeing, paddle boarding, and kayaking, a river route is much more interesting than a lake.
Unlike a lake, rivers offer more of a sense of exploration. You can paddle around bends in the river and explore little inlets. Depending on the length of the river, the trip can be as long as you wish! The sound of flowing water can be very relaxing too, for those looking more for relaxation than an athletic experience.
Depending on the property, some riverfront properties are also great for the lazy river tubing experience! This is best reserved for rivers without a lot of boating traffic. Put your inner tube or floaty in upriver of your cottage and slowly drift back to the cottage. Be sure to take along your sunscreen and a drink!

Fishing enthusiasts may also find riverfronts appealing, as they are typically known to provide good fishing opportunities, with a diverse range of fish species found in them.
Riverfront Considerations
Riverfronts do come with their own set of factors to consider. The water’s flow generally varies with the seasons, becoming more rapid or shallow depending on recent rainfall and snow melt, sometimes even flooding the banks of the river in early spring. It’s important to be aware that the current may be much stronger than usual when the water is higher, especially if you have children or are not a strong swimmer. Even a gentle current requires a bit more caution compared to the relative calmness of a lake.
For boating, debris from fallen trees, broken branches, etc. will sometimes float by, making it a challenge at times to avoid hitting and potentially damaging your boat. Most rivers and channels have reduced speed limits to avoid a wake, to avoid disturbing nesting waterfowl.
Riverfront shorelines are suited for: Exploring in a canoe, kayak or stand up paddleboard, lazy river tubing, swimming, fishing
Riverfront shorelines are less suitable for: Young children, non-swimmers, people who prefer an expansive view of the water, motorsports
7. Waterfront Cottage Rental | Island Cottages
For an ultimate escape from the stresses of everyday life, nothing beats the romantic appeal of staying at an island cottage! There’s certainly a feeling of getting away from it all when you park the car and launch your boat, or catch a water taxi, to take you to your temporary home away from home. Island cottages often offer a sense of privacy that’s hard to find on the mainland.
If you’re very fortunate, you may even have the sole cottage on the island, increasing the sense of solitude even further. Even if your cottage is not the only dwelling on the island, there may not be any neighbours nearby, so you’ll still have that sense of privacy in the midst of nature. This peaceful island setting is an ideal spot to unwind from the responsibilities of home for a while.
Island Cottage Considerations
Being on an island does require more planning though, as it’s not so easy to pop in the car and head to town to pick up your missing dinner ingredient. It’s also worth considering that if an emergency happens, help is not just minutes away, but may be delayed considerably in arriving.
Another thing you may not have even thought of is that there typically are no trails on the island, and certainly no roads, and the landscape surrounding the cottage may not be easily traversed, so walking or biking are generally not activities that are possible there.
Island cottages are suited for: People with their own boats, those who prefer a more “away from it all” type of experience
Island cottages are less suitable for: Anyone with health challenges, since an island location may make it difficult for medical assistance to arrive, or to get to a medical facility quickly, hikers, biking enthusiasts
In the end, choosing the right waterfront for your Ontario cottage rental is about weighing the needs and wants of your family and friends. It may be necessary for some in the group to compromise to get the perfect spot for most, to reach group consensus.
Whether your idea of a perfect vacation is a swimmer’s paradise, a boating paradise, a sandy beach to lounge on, a rugged, rocky shoreline, or the perfect fishing spot, the perfect shoreline is out there waiting for you. Our team at CottageLINK Rental Management is always happy to assist you with your search for the ideal Ontario cottage rental for your next vacation in Ontario’s beautiful cottage country!