Over the last couple of months we’ve been conducting a poll amongst knowledgeable locals as to what the best restaurants are in the Blue Mountain Collingwood area. There are lots of great places to eat in the area and it seems a new one opens every month so a select panel of local foodies narrowed it down to a list of 21. Then the voting began.
Here are the results!
Tied for 10th (more…)
There’s no reason to be bored during your Blue Mountain vacation. In fact, the only problem you’ll have is how to fit all the great activities into your visit.
Wakestock Action Sports & Music Festival. From August 6th to 8th, Collingwood will be home an exciting action sports and music festival featuring great bands plus skateboarding, surfing and kiteboarding. Bands include Public Enemy, Alexisonfire (AOF), Crash Kings,U.S.S. featuring special guest Maestro Fresh Wes plus Hollerado and KO. http://www.wakestock.com
Long live the King! The 16th Annual Collingwood Elvis Festival, July 22-25, has more than 50 individual events and activities for the Elvis fan. Vegas-style shows, Tribute Artist competitions in professional, non-professional, and youth categories, outdoor concerts, children’s activities, collectibles, a midway, and a classic car parade.http://www.collingwoodelvisfestival.com
Who needs snow? What can be more thrilling than racing down the escarpment’s downhill trails on a mountain bike? Get trail passes and rent bikes at the Mountain Bike Centre at Blue Mountain. There are repairs, lessons and programs for ages 8 years and up (10 years for Downhill Biking). http://www.bluemountain.ca/mtnbike.htm
Kids of all ages love (more…)
Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, trying to get out of the doghouse or just want to earn some Brownie points with the one you love, here are some romantic places to visit while in the Blue Mountain area.
Treat your loved one (and yourself) to a luxury spa day. At Scandinave Spa you can enjoy a massage, a sauna, hot and cold baths plus a healthy meal, all in beautiful surroundings. The price is surprisingly affordable, particularly if you can get there mid-week. http://www.scandinave.com/en/bluemountain/
Take your loved one dancing on Tuesday evenings at Jazz in the Park. This free concert series is in Wasaga Beach at the Oakview Woods gazebo on Mosley Street. It start at 7 pm and runs weekly until August 31st. Featuring mostly swing and big band music, you’ll be able to dance to live music as the sun sets. call 429-3844 x 2287 or check out the Meaford events calendar http://www.wasagabeach.com/events.index.gk
Do the two of you love cheese? Really good cheese? Why not plan to attend (more…)
Travelling with your mother-in-law can be a challenge. She probably doesn’t want to go mountain biking or rock climbing and you don’t want to leave her behind. Instead, here are some sure-fire mother-in-law approved outings to keep her happy and you in her good books.
If your mother-in-law enjoys wine, try taking her to the Bruce County Museum’s 2nd Annual Wine Tasting on July 28th. Five wines will be sampled; first alone, and then with food, to experience the difference food can make in the flavour of wine. Sommelier and caterer, Ellen Schmaltz of Mildmay will be your guide for the evening. Register at 519-797-2080
http://www.brucemuseum.ca/calendar/a-wine-tasting-experience/
If she’s crafty, try taking her to a traditional rug hooking workshop. Textile artist, Micheline Mann will teach you the basic method, tools and patterns. The classes are offered in a one-room schoolhouse in Paisley, Ontario. Full day workshops include (more…)
There are over 30 restaurants in Collingwood alone and dozens more in the surrounding area. And each season new ones open. Some are great additions to the area’s growing reputation as mixing fine dining with small town goodness. Some not so much.
So it’s no wonder that our guests are looking for advice on where to dine when they come visit.
So we’re putting out the call to rank the top restaurants. We’ve compiled a list of 20 potential candidates.
So, if you had a culinary fan coming up for a week-long tour, where would you send them?
Just click on your answer below. Vote for as many as you think qualify as the ‘best’.
Are there some absolutely fantastic restaurants that we’ve missed?
While going on a summer vacation is fun, packing for it is not.
There’s the rushing around, getting things into bags and fitting it all in the car. Then there’s the worry that you’ll forget something important. It’s no wonder ‘What should we bring?‘ is the biggest question we get asked.
One way to ease the stress of packing is to have a checklist. Then on the actually packing day, all you have to do is check off each item. No need to make any decisions or rely on your memory.
To get you started, we polled our staff & used our decades in the business to provide you with a list of what you might need to bring on your Blue Mountain summer vacation.
Clothing
Clothing can be a challenge when you’re packing for more than one person. Print off a copy of the clothing list for each member of the family and have them gather together their own clothes. If you don’t trust them, you can double check, but it will save you having to hunt for yourself.
Toiletries
Don’t forget your essential toiletries. Visit a drug store well in advance and get travel sized versions of everything. Not only will it save space in your packing, you can leave it behind when you leave, giving you more room to pack souvenirs.
Got a hunger for sampling the best food and drink the Blue Mountain area has to offer? In addition to some outstanding restaurants, the rural area around Collingwood offers some great treats. Here’s five ideas to store away for your Ontario summer vacation.
Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery
Located north of Hwy 26 between Meaford and Owen Sound in the town of Annan, Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery is Grey County’s first winery. Creating small batches of wines from locally grown grapes, Coffin Ridge has become a popular spot for locals, selling out all it’s wine in 2009.
They offer tours of the winery and orchard plus wine tastings and special events. Call ahead or visit the website to get hours and details about events. 519-371-9565 or http://www.coffinridge.ca
Ted’s Range Road Diner
If you’re looking for casual dining with exotic fare, Ted’s Range Road Diner is just what you’re looking for. With items like emu, elk and alligator on the menu, it’s not for the timid palate or for vegetarians. It’s hearty food with a twist. Located west of Meaford and north of Hwy 26 on Grey Road 112 (formerly the Range Road). Call 519 538 1788 for reservations.
http://www.meaford.com/teds/index.htm#Our%20Menu
The Apple Pie Trail
The area between Owen Sound and Collingwood, along Georgian Bay, is prime apple growing area. And where there’s apples, there is (more…)
After a long, cold winter, there’s nothing we Canadians love more than getting out of the city and hitting the beach. Sand, sun and swimming make for a perfect summer day. There’s no need to head south. When you’re having your vacation at Blue Mountain, there are tons of great beaches to choose from.
Memorial Park Beach
This lovely beach is located on the eastern side of Meaford on Grant Avenue. Offshore are “the Sisters”, large rocks jutting out from the waters of Georgian Bay. Legend has it two sisters swam too far from shore and drowned. Afterward, these rocks mysteriously appeared where the unlucky girls perished.
In spite of the gruesome tale of the Sisters, this park is a lovely place to spend the day. There are 400 metres of shoreline, a picnic area, a children’s playground, miniature golf and clean washrooms. Parking is free.
http://www.meaford.com/town/membeach.htm
Wasaga Beach
Wasaga Beach (the beach, rather than the town) is the longest freshwater beach in the world, with 14 kilometres of white sandy shoreline and is designated a Blue Flag beach http://www.blueflag.ca . Located on Georgian Bay, east of Collingwood, this is probably the best-known beach in Ontario. Wasaga Beach is actually divided into six beach areas; five are family-friendly (including one that allows dogs) plus the main beach which is part of the entertainment district of the town.
In addition to the beach, there are watersports rentals, beach volley ball, washrooms, and shopping. There’s also the Nancy Island Historic site with a War of 1812 museum, a lighthouse and children’s activities in the summer.
Little River Beach Park
Little River Beach Park is a pebbled beach surrounded by trees near the Town of the Blue Mountains. This beach is up for a Blue Flag designation and has a lifesaving station, washrooms, a children’s playground and parking.
http://blueflag.ca/drupal/?q=node/133
Hibou Conservation Area
Named one of the top 10 beaches in Ontario, Hibou is something of an undiscovered gem. It is located (more…)
Anyone with children knows that raising a family is expensive. Food, clothing, school supplies, and extra-curricular activities all add up quickly. And, for many, this recession lingers. When summer rolls around and you start thinking about your family vacation, budgeting can seem daunting. However, with a little planning, you can still have a great get-away without breaking the bank.
1. Plan your meals
When travelling with a family, food can be the biggest expense. It is also a big headache if traveling with fussy eaters who balk at new and different foods. Finding a place to stay with a kitchen can easily solve these problems. By preparing some of your meals yourself can greatly reduce your costs.
Even if you don’t have access to cooking facilities, you can still save money. Most vacation rental places – even hotels – have at least a fridge for you to use. Bring milk, fruit and cereal to serve fast and easy breakfasts. However, don’t expect a hotel to have dishes. Plan ahead by visiting a dollar store to bring along some basic dishes and cutlery.
If taking a vacation from cooking is part of the appeal of getting away, you can still save money on food. Most grocery stores have a deli counter where you can buy salads and sandwiches for much less than a restaurant meal. Pick up food and drinks for an inexpensive picnic lunch while you’re out and about.
2. Take a Shorter Trip
There’s no law that says you need to get away for two weeks. Plan a long weekend or a mid-week getaway. You’ll still come home refreshed but won’t need the same budget as a longer vacation. Mini-vacations have the added benefit of being easier to pack for and less stressful on toddlers.
3. Off-season rates
If you’ve got a tight budget, check to see if your vacation rental or hotel has off-season times. Often these will be cheaper than peak season.
4. Bring Toys, Games and Sporting Equipment
Packing balls, bats, kites and water toys allows you to plan a no-cost day at a park or beach near your hotel. Create a (more…)
A guest post by Andrea Stenberg
While I’d love to be an artist, I can’t draw anything more complex than a stick figure. The only painting I’ve done in the past five years is my living room wall. I can’t sing a note in tune, nor can I play an instrument. However, I have found an outlet for my artistic urges: scrapbooking.
As any scrapbooker knows, there’s nothing more pleasurable than taking a stack of family photos and creating a beautiful keepsake you’ll treasure forever. It’s more than slapping photos into an album. It’s choosing the right background paper to go with the photos. It’s adding stickers, mats and commentary. It’s creating a work of art.
And while spending a Saturday afternoon at your dining room table putting together your scrapbook in between fixing snacks for the kids is a lot of fun, it can sometimes be frustrating finding the time. After a while you can become stuck in a rut and lose your creativity. You just can’t find another new idea for your photos.
Plan a getaway with a couple of girlfriends. Bring (more…)
