CLRM Staff Review
With Summer coming to an end and the Fall colours in full bloom, my girlfriend and I were keen to explore the great outdoors, local shops and relax around the water. We were fortunate enough to enjoy Lakeside Cove for our weekend getaway, a spacious waterfront cottage rental that sits on the shoreline of Manitouwabing Lake in Parry Sound, Ontario. With so many things to do in Parry Sound, which was only a 20-minute drive away, there was no shortage of activities to keep us busy during our stay (regardless of the season)! It had been on our bucket list to visit Killbear Provincial Park, which made Lakeside Cove a perfect spot given the short drive (40 minutes). It is hard to say what the highlight of the trip was, whether exploring the hiking trails, enjoying one of the local breweries in Parry Sound, or relaxing on the dock with our breakfast and a beautiful view, this Ontario cottage rental has so much to offer.
Arrival & Our First Night
Coming from the GTA, it was a bit over a 2-hour drive to get to Lakeside Cove. We didn’t leave until the afternoon so arrived around 6:30 pm. I’d recommend picking up groceries in Parry Sound on the way to the cottage as it has everything that you need, including local butcher shops, large chains like Walmart and Canadian Tire, and many restaurants. The local stores and restaurants tend to close a bit earlier, so you won’t want to leave your shopping to the end.
When we arrived, we were greeted to a large backyard patio with a sloping grass lawn down to the dock and a covered outdoor dining table with hanging lights. Before we even entered the cottage, we couldn’t resist going down straight to the dock to see the views. The sunset views were incredible, and the weather the entire weekend was great, true sweater weather!
Entering the cottage, we were greeted with a very nice welcome package from the owners – a great way to start the trip! The kitchen was fully-stocked and was entirely new, with modern appliances, which was perfect since we planned to cook most of our meals at the cottage.
My favourite thing about the cottage was the open concept style, with the kitchen and dining room table overlooking the living room, which felt bright and spacious thanks to all the windows. My girlfriend absolutely loved the day bed! The bedrooms were spacious and with AC and centralized heating, it is a perfect four-season vacation rental.
After getting in a bit late, we decided to relax our first night. Cooking was a breeze as the owners had thought of everything and the kitchen had everything we could need, and more! We spent most of the night in the living room playing board games – Connect Four (my favourite) and Battleship – and watching Netflix on the Smart TV. Since this was the first weekend with cold weather, we decided to take advantage of the wood-burning stove that is located in the living room and kept us nice and toasty throughout the night.
We couldn’t get enough of the views outside, so we ended up heading down to the dock around 11pm. I was surprised how quiet it was down at the dock with not a single sound to be heard except the occasional sound of a fish jumping out of the water. We ended up staying down at the water for an hour completely mesmerized by how clearly you could see the stars and enjoying the peace and quiet. Living in the city, I am still thinking about those nighttime views from the dock. It was too dark to photograph the stars on my camera, but the best memories are those that can’t be captured; only experienced!
Day Trip – Killbear Provincial Park
With so many things to do in Parry Sound and Killbear Provincial Park, we woke up early to get a good start to the day. We made a quick breakfast and packed some lunch for our hike.
On our way to Killbear, we quickly stopped through Parry Sound to pick up a few groceries and to check out the local stores. I run on caffeine, so we stopped at Twiggs Roastery which is a local coffee shop that does all the sourcing and roasting themselves, so you know it has to be fresh!
After passing through Parry Sound, it was a short drive to Killbear Provincial Park. One of the nice things about going in the fall is that the hiking trails are normally less busy which really lets you enjoy the scenery and go at your own pace. Killbear has over 6km of recreational trails for hiking and biking and guests are also able to go kayaking, sailing and windsurfing since it is located on Georgian Bay. It is also perfect to enjoy to the Georgian Bay sunsets. You can turn it in to a full-day beach trip as the Park has multiple beaches throughout and I have been told the swimming is great!
We hiked three of the four trails that they have at the park. Killbear is perfectly maintained and one of the trails has a large boardwalk, luckily it wasn’t muddy when we went but the boardwalk would definitely come in handy for those days! I would highly recommend Killbear Provincial Park to anyone in the area – there are lots of things to do and it is perfect for both beginner and intermediate hikers given the various trails.
Exploring Parry Sound
After our hike, we went back into Parry Sound to check out some more shops and attractions. We ended up stopping at a local bakery shop to get a butter tart (we tried to justify it thanks to all the walking earlier in the day…). After checking out a few shops, we went to the Tower Hill Lookout. It has 360-degree views of Parry Sound and the Harbour and was actually created to provide all-encompassing views to detect forest fires. We arrived at a perfect time to see the sunset and we were lucky enough to see a float plane take off from the Harbour, a memorable experience!
To end the day, we went over to Trestle Brewing for some food and a drink. It is a small, independent, craft brewery on the waterfront in downtown Parry Sound. We ended up sitting indoors since it was pretty cold but the outside seating has incredible views of the Trestle Bridge and Georgian Bay. There was a live music event going on when we were there. We split a fried chicken sandwich and a Reuben sandwich and would definitely return to Trestle Brewing for the chicken sandwich and great atmosphere. There are several great things to do in downtown Parry Sound.
When we got home, we enjoyed a drink outside on the patio where it is nicely lit and makes for a perfect spot to enjoy a meal or a drink with your group.
Relaxing Around the Water & Departure
On Sunday, we decided to enjoy the beautiful weather around the cottage and relax around the waterfront. We made some breakfast (a sausage, avocado, pepper and egg sandwich!) to enjoy out at the dock. While we didn’t end up going out on the water, we easily could have with a canoe and stand-up paddleboard made easily available to us. Instead, we decided to soak up the sun and lounge around the water for most of the day.
We ended up leaving at around 3-4pm so we would make it home in time for dinner. Before leaving, we made sure to follow the departure list and leave the cottage in tidy condition. Since CLRM uses digital guestbooks for all of our cottages it is always easy to check the departure checklist to make sure everything is followed before we left.
Heading out of the peaceful town of McKellar on our way out, we were already excited about our next trip to the area. While we did so much during the weekend, we left with an even larger list of things to do in the area and could definitely have spent a whole week exploring the area and enjoying the beauty of Lakeside Cove! We will definitely be returning, perhaps to enjoy the many great winter activities. I am hoping to go snowmobiling, as the area is renowned for having great trails.
Overview
Regardless of the season, Lakeside Cove provides fun and relaxation for everyone. This Ontario cottage rental has incredible waterfront views, modern appliances/amenities, and spacious bedrooms.
Region: Parry Sound
Town: McKellar, ON
Waterfront: Manitouwabing Lake
Chat with Justin
Call us at 1-866-323-6698 to chat with Justin about his experience at Lakeside Cove before you book. You won’t be disappointed!
