Here’s a quick jpeg capture of our calendar that we thought you might find handy as a printout but if you want to click on the events go to the the calendar on the home page and click on the appropriate date.

You may also want to check the Summer section of our Things To Do list for golfing, biking, cycling etc.  Or check some of our past blog posts for culinary tours and more.

If you have an event you’d like to add just contact us via Facebook or Twitter or comment here.

Have a great summer and check back here each season as we’ll keep the calendar updated.

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.

• Underwear, socks and bras – enough for each day unless you plan to do laundry
• Shoes – sandals, flip flops, running shoes, hiking shoes, dress shoes (for dining out)
• T-shirts
• Sweater or sweatshirt and a jacket for cool evenings
• Shorts
• Cotton pants & jeans
• A dressy outfit for dining out (more than one if you’ll be dining out frequently)
• Hat & Sunglasses
• Bathrobe or beach cover-up
• Bathing suit(s)
• Pajamas & slippers

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.

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Hair brush, mousse, gel or other hair products, hair clips, etc.
• Hair dryer, curling iron
• Razor, shaving cream
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Makeup
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Lotion

Medications

If you or anyone in your family is taking prescription medications it is essential to remember these. Make sure you have enough medication to last your entire trip and for the first day you get back. If not, get a refill before you leave. Of course, you’ll also want other emergency items as well.

• Prescription medications for each person
• Allergy pills
• Tylenol, aspirin or headache medication of choice
• Cold medication
• Antiseptic
• Bandaids

Linens

Call ahead to see if your vacation home provides bedding, pillows and towels. If not you’ll need to bring your own.

• Sheets for each bed – make sure you have the proper sizes
• Blankets – even in the summer you can have some cool nights
• Pillows and pillow cases
• Towels and facecloths for each person
• Beach towels – even resorts that provide towels may not provide towels for the pool or beach
• Dish towels, clothes and dish soap. If you’ll be cooking in your vacation home you’ll need to wash up.

Entertainment

For rainy days, evenings in or just when you need a quiet moment, you’ll want to bring items from home to entertain yourself and your family.

• Books and magazines
• iPod, hand-held computer games, cell phones, camera and rechargers
• Laptop & cord
• DVDs – If you’re vacation home doesn’t come equipped with a DVD player and tv, you can play them on your laptop.
• Beach toys and sporting gear (golf clubs, tennis rackets, Frisbees, balls)
• Cards, board games, paper and pens
• Favorite toys for children

Food

Consider creating a menu for all the meals you’ll eat in. Use the menu create a shopping list and you’ll be sure to bring the right amount.

• Food for all breakfasts, lunches and dinners you eat in
• Snacks  – chips, nuts, cookies, fruit
• Drinks – alcoholic and non-alcoholic
• Condiments – butter, mustard, ketchup

And summer is the perfect time for a trip. In the city it’s too hot and sticky to stay at home, and the kids are out of school. You need to get out of town. For many families, the summer vacation is an annual ritual. Renting a cottage for a week on a Muskoka lake can be a great choice – when the kids are small. After all, you can sit in a lawn chair and read while they play in the sand, all day long.

But when your kids hit the teen years, all bets are off. When they’re four you might get away with a week without a phone, the internet or the mall. But when they’re 14? No way.

And there is nothing more terrifying than a bored teenager.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robhardingii

They can make everyone’s life a misery without breaking a sweat.

Do you really want to waste your vacation butting heads with a teenaged terror? Listen to them complain about lack of cell service? Moaning about nothing to do? Whining about how bored they are? No. I didn’t think so.

A TEENAGE-FRIENDLY VACATION

This is where a Blue Mountain vacation can be the answer to all your problems. It has all the benefits of a remote cottage: swimming and hiking, water and trees. If you want to be out in nature, strolling along the golf course or sitting by the water, you can do that.

However, there are tons of activities that will keep even the orneriest teenager busy, and dare I say, happy.

Shopping, arcades, restaurants, theatre, live music. Whatever your teen is interested in, odds are they can find it. And because Collingwood is still a small community, you can let them go off on their own without worry.

After a couple of hours exploring on their own, when they get back to your chalet or condo, they may even admit they know you.