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

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 apple pie. Is there anything better than sinking your teeth into a light, flaky crust surrounding juicy, warm apple pie?

If you agree, then you’ll want to check out the Apple Pie Trail. There are 21 locations within a short drive of Blue Mountain. Each location features fresh baked apple pies, apple crumble and just about anything apple, all made from locally grown apples.

http://www.applepietrail.ca/

Creemore Springs Brewery

Located in the lovely Village of Creemore, Creemore Springs Brewery is a microbrewery using traditional methods. They offer tours and on August 28th host the Copper Kettle Festival. http://www.creemoresprings.com/live/creemore_copper.php

In addition to the brewery, the Village of Creemore has several restaurants, food shops and a farmer’s market.

The Falls Inn

Walter’s Falls is a village south west of Meaford. It is named for John Walter, an early settler who used the water power of Walter’s Creek for his mills. Walter’s Falls has an art show in August and is part of a larger studio tour in October. It is also home to The Falls Inn. They have lovely dining options including lunch, dinner and a Sunday brunch. You can dine overlooking the falls or beside the fireplace. http://www.thefallsinn.com/dining.htm

Enjoy and don’t forget to comment if you’ve got any new suggestions so we can let other guests of ours experience the best of Blue!

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.

http://bit.ly/bxsm89

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 on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay, between Owen Sound and Leith on County Road 15. The sheltered waters of Paynter’s Bay make for nice swimming while the 475 metres of sandy beach make the beach seem deserted even when the parking lot is full.

While the name means owl in French, Hibou is actually named after a ship that sank offshore in the 1800s. If you want to sound like a local, you’ll refer to it as “hi-bow” rather than using the French pronunciation of “eee-boo”.

The site has clean washrooms/changing rooms, picnic shelters, a children’s playground and hiking trails. While there is a small parking fee it is worth the cost.

http://public.greysauble.on.ca/ca_lands/hibou.html

Sauble Beach

Sauble Beach boasts 11 km of sand on the shore of Lake Huron. It was voted the best beach in Ontario by Toronto Star Readers in 2002. In addition to the sand and the warm waters of Lake Huron, there is parking, public change rooms/washrooms and lots of other activities: restaurants, arcades, an amusement park, shopping and more. One of the most popular activities at Sauble is beach volleyball. Bring your own ball and play free at the nets provided. They’re open daily in the summer from noon to 5 pm.

Sauble Beach is about a 75 minute drive west of Collingwood, just past Owen Sound.

http://www.saublebeach.com/beach.php

Lying on the beach is just one of the great summer activities but if you get a bit more ambitious here’s more to do for a great family vacation.

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.

That’s where a scrapbooking weekend comes in.

Plan a getaway with a couple of girlfriends. Bring those photos that you just haven’t had time to get to. Then spend a weekend laughing, eating, drinking and scrapbooking uninterrupted.

• You can bring your finished scrapbooks and have a bring-and-brag session. Then you can look at other people’s books to get inspiration for yourself. You can share tools and trade papers. All without the kids (or husband) getting underfoot.

• When you need a break, have a great meal that you didn’t cook, soak in a hot tub, go for a walk or treat yourself to a trip to the spa. Then back at it with other like-minded ladies who understand your obsession … I mean hobby.

A Scrapbooking Retreat at a Blue Mountain chalet

At the end of the weekend you’ll be relaxed and refreshed, plus you’ll have made some new friends as well as some new pages for your scrapbook. I can’t think of a better reason to get away.

Andrea Stenberg is a full time marketing consultant and part time scrapbooker and rubber stamper from Owen Sound, Ontario.

Ride down Showcase with a Helmut / fork cam.  You’re there!

Nice tunes! Appropriate too considering ending.

Pro quality video shot as a promo for the resort. Great editing but can run slow. Gives a great feel for a bunch of trails.

And here’s a new one on Kolapore: a spectacularly beautiful area for cross-country skiing and biking on top of the escarpment.

Kolapore Uplands – Collingwood, Ontario from Phil Shep on Vimeo.

Got a better one?

Let us know and we’ll feature it. And just as a reminder we’re a great place to book a weekend of riding with your friends because we have places not only walking distance from Blue Mountain Resort’s downhill but also biking distance to many of the great trails in the Collingwood area.

And while skiers and snowmobilers may be a little sad at the changing seasons, every year there is more and more to do in Blue Mountain culturally and with activities.  So while the ice is still coming out in cottage country all of these activities make this area the best in Ontario for a spring getaway.  Here are my top ten ways to celebrate spring during your visit.

1.   The Georgian Trail was originally a rail line between Collingwood and Meaford beginning in 1872. It was reopened in the fall of 1989 as a 34 km trail. The trail has a hard-packed, granular surface, so it’s easy for walking, cycling and is even wheel chair accessible – making it perfect for a family outing. There are benches along the trail for resting, and several places with rest rooms. Along a good stretch of the trail you’re walking right next to Georgian Bay so you have some stunning views. Visit for maps, photos and more information.

Leaving Thornbury, heading west

2.  The town of Collingwood has created The Collingwood Trails Network. There are over 60 kilometres of marked trails. The in-town trails are suitable for strollers, wheelchairs, and electronic scooters. Millennium Park is part of the in-town network. It offers fabulous views of the bay and was once the site where massive Great Lakes freighters arrived in Collingwood. Go to www.collingwoodtrails.ca for a list of all the trails that are part of the network, as well as photos and maps.

3. With snow melting and April showers, spring is a great time to take the Grey County Waterfall Tour. There are an incredible number of waterfalls in Grey County – each more beautiful than the last. Many are a short drive or hike from major roads. Download and print the map of the 150 km self-guided driving tour. You can visit as many or as few as you’d like at your own pace. www.visitgrey.ca/travel-experiences/waterfalls-and-waterways/waterfall-tour/

One of the stunning views

4. If you’re a little more adventurous, there are plenty of places where you can go rock climbing. Metcalfe Rock is one of Ontario’s oldest climbing areas and very popular. At 800 meters at its peak, Metcalfe Rock offers top roping, traditional and sport climbing. Access is along the Bruce Trail. The full loop is about 8 km and will take about 3 hours, over and above your climbing time. Visit http://brucetrail.org/explore/show/28 to get directions.

5. For a more sedate outdoor activity, try the historic architecture walking tour of Thornbury. Pick up a brochure with directions and details about each of the homes from participating stores in downtown Thornbury. Then spend a lovely hour or so walking the area and looking at these beautiful, historic homes. Visit http://www.thornbury.ca/things-to-do/walking-tour for more information.

The Mill Cafe overlooking Thornbury Dam

6. Perfect for a rainy day is a visit to the Arts Centre. The Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts is presenting PAINTINGS, an exhibition featuring the art of Paul Shilling and Jennifer Porter. This show runs from March 31, 2010 to May 2, 2010.  If you happen to be in Collingwood April 10^th, you can meet this artists at the reception from 3 to 5 pm. 163 Hurontario St., Collingwood Ontario 705-445-3430 www.bmfa.on.ca

7. The Georgian Sound Festival is an annual event – this year April 23, 24 and 25 in Thornbury and Clarksburg.  If you love jazz – or want to learn more about it – this is the weekend for you. You’ll hear every genre of jazz, from traditional Dixieland, big band swing, gospel, modern and Latino flavoured jazz. And it’s not just for listening. On Saturday you can take dance classes and learn to ballroom dance or swing dance.  For more info or to order tickets, call 519-599-3223 or go to www.georgiansoundfestival.ca.

Marlene O'Neill will headline Sunday's Gospelfest

8. If folk music is more your style, you’ll want to check out Lunch At Allen’s at the Marsh Street Centre in Clarksburg. This musical revue includes Murray McLauchlan, Cindy Church, Marc Jordan, and Ian Thomas. It’s an incredible chance to see all four of these musicians on one stage. It’s a one-time show on Saturday, May 15^th at 8pm. Call 519-599-7837 or visit for more information www.marshstreetcentre.ca.

9. For a more active family day, you and your kids will love the Just Push Play Arcade in Creemore. What’s unique about this arcade is you don’t need quarters (or loonies). Just pay a flat fee admission price and you can play all the games you want. There are over 200 games – recent and trendy games to some oldies but goodies. They have air hockey, Dance Dance Revolution, Pac Man, pinball machines, and even the old Galaga game. Freak your kids out at how good you are at the oldies or let them kick your butt on the new ones. 5 Francis St. E Unit A, Creemore, Ontario.  (705) 466-6668 www.justpushplayarcade.com

10. Lastly, who doesn’t love bowling? C’mon admit it.  This is fun for the entire family. The Georgian Bowl in Collingwood has 12 lanes of 5-pin bowling – the truly Canadian version of the game. In fact, 5-pin bowling celebrated it’s 100^th anniversary in 2009. Not only that, 5-pin is easier for little hands to manage. You can even use bumpers to take the frustration out of the game for beginners. For adults, there is Rock n Bowl Saturday nights. Located at 832 Hurontario St., Collingwood, Ontario, L9Y 3Z1 or call (705) 445-3871. On the web at www.georgianbowl.com.

We’d love to have you join us this spring – or anytime for that matter.  Give us a call when you’re ready.