Summer, Straight Ahead!

Muskoka is a beautiful place to be any time of year but she really shines in the summer. With an abundance of water sports, outdoor activities, cultural events and opportunities to just relax, summer in Muskoka is fabulous! Here are some of the things you can look forward to if you plan to visit us in the next few months:

• For anytime fun, try hiking, biking, driving tours, golf, geocaching, or a variety of watersports (even surfing!)
• Muskoka Lakes Spring Art Tour, June 8 & 9
• Farmers’ Markets in Dwight (NEW!) on Tuesdays, Gravenhurst on Wednesdays, Huntsville on Thursdays, Rosseau on Fridays and Bracebridge on Saturdays
• Canada Day Fireworks in Huntsville and a Strawberry Social at Muskoka Heritage Place, July 1
• Nuit Blanche North street festival, July 13
• Algonquin Park Wolf Howls, Thursday nights in August
• Huntsville Jazz Festival, Aug 1-3
• Artists of the Limberlost Open Studio Weekend, Aug 17-18

Come and see what else Muskoka has in store! You can view the availability of our waterfront cottages here.

With warm summer thoughts,

The Howell Family

Muskoka is Wheelie Fun!

Now that Spring appears to have finally arrived, it’s an ideal time to get out on two wheels to explore the roads and trails around Muskoka.

Old Railway Bike Trail in Algonquin Park

For cyclists, there are plenty of both moderate and challenging routes for both road and mountain biking. Check the Bike Muskoka website for routes and maps. Among the favourite local routes for road cyclists are Limberlost Road, directly across from Colonial Bay, and the Spin the Lakes routes through Lake of Bays. If off-road is more your style, check out the Buckwallow Cycling Centre between Bracebridge and Gravenhurst. They have more than 30 kilometres of both single and double track trails. For more family-friendly cycling, head to Huntsville’s Fairy Vista Trail, a paved 3.4-kilometre path or try the 10-kilometre Old Railway Bike Trail in Algonquin Park.

Motorcycles and other vehicles can enjoy the same road routes as cyclists, with the advantage of being able to go longer distances. We’ve mentioned these local driving tours before, but they’re worth mentioning again. Spring, with its lack of foliage, is an ideal time to travel these routes looking for wildlife that might otherwise be hidden amongst the trees.

Lake of Bays tour:  approx. 90 km (1.5 hours or more, depending on the number of times you stop)

• From Colonial Bay, take Highway 60 east through Dwight to Highway 35.
• Turn right onto Highway 35 to Dorset. (If you have time, the hike up to the Dorset Fire Tower provides a beautiful vantage point over Lake of Bays.)
• Right onto Highway 117 to Baysville. (If you detour along Old Highway 117 to Norway Point, you can arrange for a water taxi to Bigwin Island.)
• Right onto Brunel Road in Baysville.
• Right onto South Portage Road (Muskoka Road 9).
• Left onto Highway 60 and back to Colonial Bay.

Huntsville Chain of Lakes tour: approx. 100 km (2+ hours, depending on the number of stops)

• From Colonial Bay, take Highway 60 East to South Portage Road (Muskoka Road 9).
• Right on South Portage (Muskoka Road 9) to Muskoka Road 23
• Right on Muskoka Road 23 back to Highway 60 (You have just circled Peninsula Lake)
• Left on Highway 60 to Highway 11 (Passing Fairy Lake)
• Left onto Highway 11
• Right on Ravenscliffe Road
• Left on E Fox Lake Road
• Left on Hoodstown Road (Muskoka Road 45)
• Right on South Drive (still Muskoka Road 45)
• Left on Etwell Road
• Left on Aspdin Road (You have just circled Lake Vernon)
• Right on Highway 11 to Port Sydney
• Right on Muskoka Road 10 through Port Sydney (Passing Mary Lake). Consider stopping for a picnic lunch at the public beach in Port Sydney.
• Left on Brunel Road to Huntsville (If you have time, stop at the Brunel Locks and watch the boats or at Lions Lookout above the Canada Summit Centre for a sweeping view of Fairy Lake and the Town of Huntsville)
• Right on Main Street
• Right on Highway 60 and back to Colonial Bay

Algonquin Park Tour: approx. 180 km to the East Gate of Algonquin Park and back (3+ hours depending on how often you stop)

• From Colonial Bay, take Highway 60 East to Algonquin Park (a visitor’s pass is required for the park - you can purchase one at the West Gate) 
• The drive through the park is beautiful and offers abundant opportunities for short hikes or viewpoints. The viewing deck at the Visitor’s Centre (at km 43) will give you the most accessible panoramic view in the park. 

The big news in Muskoka right now is all of the recent flooding. Our thoughts are with the homeowners and businesses who have been displaced or sustained damage from the high waters. Fortunately, the water level has begun to recede in northern Muskoka and clean-up and restoration efforts have started. If you’re inclined to help those who have been affected, donations can be made to the Salvation Army in Huntsville at 4 Mary Street E.

From our Muskoka chair to yours,

The Howell Family

Fall in (love with) Muskoka

You love Muskoka, don’t you? We know that if you’ve visited us once before (or many times), then you must. We don’t think it’s possible to come here and not be touched by Muskoka's natural beauty, charming towns and fabulous people. 

If there were ever a best time to fall in love with Muskoka, Autumn is probably it: warm days (mostly…), cool nights, a show of colour that gets better with each passing day and lots to see and experience without the crowds of summer. 

If you're planning to visit this month, here’s a taste of what’s happening for the rest of September in Muskoka:

• The display of gorgeous fall color has started but isn’t at its peak yet (that means there’s still time for you to get here to see it). In Muskoka, most areas are reporting 5-20% change while Algonquin Park is reporting 40% change. If you’re on Facebook, watch our page for photos or check out Algonquin Park’s photo stream for theirs.
• Film North, the Huntsville International Film Festival, presents a selection of Canadian and international films at the Algonquin Theatre from September 20-22.
• The Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour runs the next two weekends, September 22-23 and 29-30. Visit with local artists in their studios and see them in action!
• Culture Days celebrates the arts and cultural life in communities across Canada on September 28-30. There are creative events and activities happening across Muskoka. Check out the calendar of events to see what’s on.
• Northwords Muskoka Literary Festival runs from September 28-30 with author presentations, workshops and special events. If you love books, this event is for you!
• For all you cyclists out there (of both the road and mountain variety), The Muskoka Bicycle Festival celebrates all things bikes on Saturday, September 29.

As always, we’re happy to see you any time of year but if you’ve never come for a visit in the Fall then check out the availability of our waterfront cottages and experience what some call Muskoka’s most spectacular season.

The Howell Family

It’s Spring in Muskoka!

Mother Nature was sure in a hurry to be done with winter this year. Spring arrived with a week of summer-like temperatures that melted the snow so fast it seemed to vaporize. We’ve since returned to more seasonable temperatures but there’s hardly a patch of snow to be found anywhere and the ice is gone from most of the lakes already.

In this in-between season, after the winter sports are done and before the lakes are warm enough for watersports, you might wonder what there is to do in Muskoka in the Spring. (Hint: there's lots!) Check out some of the activities below for some ideas to get you started.

Golf – With the early arrival of spring, some area golf courses are already open. You can find a list of local courses here. Contact them for their Spring hours of operation.

Cycling - Get out your bike and take advantage of cooler temperatures and lighter traffic! Check out the Bike Muskoka website for routes and maps

Hiking – Spring is a fabulous time to go hiking! Less foliage means more wildlife viewing opportunities. Click here for our list of suggested trails.

Art – The Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year!

Downtown Huntsville – After you’ve explored all of the murals in the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery, why not check out some of historic downtown Huntsville’s shops and cafes?

Local History – Head just south of downtown and learn about Muskoka history at The Muskoka Museum at Muskoka Heritage Place. It’s open Monday to Friday from 10-4 (The Pioneer Village and train open for the season on May 19).

The Easter long weekend is just around the corner. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore Muskoka in the Spring. If you decide to visit, make sure you take advantage of this special offer from Explorers’ Edge:

Explorers’ Edge Fuel & Fun package - Book a 2-night minimum consecutive stay before March 31, 2012 for a getaway in Explorers’ Edge between April 3, 2012 and May 17, 2012 at participating Accommodation Providers and YOU COULD BE 1 OF 500 TRAVELERS TO RECEIVE A $50 GAS CARD AND $50 IN TRAVEL VOUCHERS!

We are one of the participating accommodations! You can see the availability of our waterfront cottages here.

We hope you’ll visit us this Spring!

The Howell Family