Provincial Parks
Ontario has 334 provincial parks so you don’t have to go far to find one. Whether you rent a canoe in Algonquin Park on your trip to Muskoka or enjoy the dunes of Sandbanks on Lake Ontario; hike the trails at Silent Lake or marvel at Mazinaw Rock at Bon Echo, you’ll find something to do in every Ontario park.
Here’s a few parks you may not know about:
Petroglyphs – Kawartha – has the largest collection of ancient First Nations petroglyphs (rock carvings) in Ontario
Ferris – Campbellford – home to Ranney Falls and a suspension bridge over the Trent River Gorge
Presqu’ile – Northumberland County -has been identified as a Canadian Important Bird Area and is known for viewing migrating birds and Monarch butterflies.
Oastler Lake – Parry Sound – rent a canoe and go fishing for Rainbow Trout, pike and bass
Sharbot Lake – Eastern Ontario – located on two beautiful, clear lakes that offer great swimming, canoeing, boating and fishing
Arrowhead – Almaguin Highlands – Well-known for winter activities; skiing, snowshoeing, skating, tubing
Some cottages close to Provincial Parks provide a Parks Pass allowing accessing for one car and occupants to any park during your stay at a cottage. Look out for the Provincial Park logo on the listing.
Public Beaches
While you may be lucky to stay in a cottage with a sand beach, these are not very common. Some properties will have grass to the shoreline then a shallow walk-in, while others may be rocky with deeper entry off a dock. Or you may have chosen a river location which will be gorgeous but is unlikely to have a sandy shoreline. If so, you may want to take an occasional trip to a nearby public beach.
This list of beaches is a good start, and we can also help you find a location if you feel the need for some sand between your toes.
Boat Launches
If you are bringing your own boat or renting one that will be delivered to a boat launch near to your cottage, you’ll need to know where that is. A few cottages have boat launches on site, while others have them in close proximity. We know all our cottages and can help you with the information you need. Just give us a call.