Motorcycle-Friendly Resorts of Ontario

You’re planning a motorcycle tour in Ontario and there’s lots in store: diverse scenery from region to region, sprawling terrain and some of the most stunning sunsets you’ll see. The days will be long, in the best of ways, and when you’re done riding for the day, you’ll want to relax. There’s no reason not to do that in a clean, comfortable, way. One that will have you well-fed and well rested for the days ahead.

Whether it’s your first tour or your thirtieth, you can rest assured that there’s an Ontario resort (or a few of them) that’ll suit your motorcycling—and other—needs. The best of both worlds is possible with rugged days out on the road, delicious meals and high-quality accommodations. Here are some recommendations.

 

FOR RIDING THE HIGHLANDS LOOP 

The Highlands Loop is a must-ride; so much so that you’ll hear it called “the ultimate motorcycle playground.” You’ll want to budget three days for this tour, as there are many stops to make along the way as you travel through small towns; there’s Algonquin and Bon Echo parks, caves, museums and a couple of breweries. From artisan bread at The River Bakery and Patio in Tamworth, to locally roasted coffee or homemade gelato at The Little Coffee Shop & The Scoop in Cobden, to traditional taverns and chip trucks (Wilno’s, Charlie D.’s) there’s something for all, no matter what your tastes are. Resorts along the route include:

Calabogie Peaks Resort – Calabogie, ON 

Ride the uncrowded Ottawa Valley and stop—in a motorcycle-reserved parking spot—at this country boutique hotel. A staging area for the late-summer Calabogie Boogie Trail Ride, this resort offers some well-deserved comfort after a long ride, including a health club, hot tub and swimming pool. Nearby riding is full of elevation changes and S-turns, winding you through the stunning scenery.

 

Sir Sam’s Inn & WaterSpa – Eagle Lake, ON

 This inn comes complete with an on-site spa, the perfect antidote for your ride. Top-quality food, tennis courts, a huge hot tub, and nightly bonfires. The owner himself rides, so won’t be thrown by the state you might arrive in (or your gear), and has a particular interest in making upscale accommodations available to those taking in the area on two wheels.

 

Blue Spruce Resort – Dwight, ON

 Let the winding roads lead you to the Blue Spruce Resort, a tasteful option in Muskoka, with cottage and motel options available. Blue Spruce is located on Oxtongue Lake—offering swimming, boating and calming views. Laundry facilities are available, so you can plan to pack less, and full-housekeeping services are included.

 

Spectacle Lake Lodge – Barry’s Bay, ON

Tour the Madawaska Valley and make the rustic Spectacle Lake Lodge your short-term home with a stay in the lodge or cottages. Spectacle Lake welcomes sledders and ATVers in the winter, and motorcycle riders in the summer, ensuring a good night’s sleep and full belly is part of your trip. The Friday night buffet is not to be missed—plan your travel dates accordingly.

 

Pinestone Resort & Conference Centre – Haliburton, ON

 A short drive from the more active areas of Haliburton, this golf and spa resort is a spot of bliss in the wilderness. The resort features high-end rooms, with a Jacuzzi option, and amenities such as pools, a fitness centre and a business centre. After a long day on the road, you deserve luxury like this.

 

Heather Lodge – Minden, ON

 This motorcycle-friendly lodge has been in business since 1942 (with many upgrades made over the years!) is a charming and elegant family-run business, dedicated to offering the comforts of home while you’re on the road. Contemporary dining by the Twelve Mile Lake includes a local wine list, and top-notch cuisine. With only 24 guests at any given time—when fully booked—you can count on a peaceful stay.

 

Port Cunnington Lodge and Resort – Dwight, ON

 First off, there’s a private parking lot. Motorcycle washing facilities are available upon request, and you’re right by the Lake of Bays in Muskoka and many scenic roads en route. Smaller and larger accomodations are available, depending on the size of your group. To top it all off, both managers are motorcycle enthusiasts and will be able to share their knowledge of the area on two wheels.

 

FOR RIDING THE GEORGIAN BAY COASTAL ROUTE

Touted as “the road less travelled,” this route around Georgian Bay offers welcoming locals, clear blue waters, and a high likelihood of meeting other friendly riders at your various stops. Scenic and unique, with gift shops boasting local crafts and delicious cuisine—take your pick of the many pubs, grills, fine dining and, of course, fish ‘n’ chips spots. Resorts along or near to this route include:

Christie’s Mill Inn & Spa – Port Severn, ON

 Three meals a day surrounded by beautiful woods in a waterfront dining room, the Avalon Spa—a relaxation-focussed facility with registered massage therapists appointments available, and clean guest suites with HD TVs and wifi are only a few of the reasons to stay at this country inn. Enjoy a ride through Muskoka, and start and end your days with the conveniences of home also available to you.

 Blue Mountain — The Blue Mountains, ON

 Just outside of Collingwood, this mountain village resort is known primarily as a ski resort. But, its summer offerings are not to be missed, especially if you’re out riding in the Georgian Bay area. Blue Mountain offers the best of all worlds: proximity to nature and great riding, nightlife and events, casual and fine dining and shops all within the resort area. Beaches, caving, wine-tasting—it’s easy to turn your motorcycle trip into a multi-activity trip here.

Killarney Lodge – Algonquin Park, ON

 On the north shore of Georgian Bay, here’s a spot where moose-sightings are as much a given as fine country dining. Waterfront cabins situated within Algonquin Park, on the Lake of Two Rivers, offer tranquility at the end of the day, but you’re still close to the road for when it’s time to head out again.

 Killarney Mountain Lodge – Killarney, ON

 This wilderness resort offers it all: fishing, dining, a pool and sauna, even boat and sailing cruises are offered. Stay in a cabin, lodge or chalet as part of what the resort calls “your wilderness therapy.” Having gone through a huge revitalization only a couple summers ago, this is a one-of-a-kind accommodation option after days spent riding by pristine blue waters and sloping red granite rocks.

 Sportsman’s Inn – Killarney, ON

 Ride Highway 637, or whichever way you arrive, to Killarney and stop at Sportsman’s Inn for space, comfort and gorgeous views of the North Channel. The La Cloche Mountains and pink granite rock are some of the scenic highlights, making the sometimes-bumpy roads well worthwhile. Fine dining, a dockside patio (with live entertainment on Saturday nights) and a pub option should keep you fueled and satisfied. It’s entirely appropriate to have high expectations here.

 

MORE MOTORCYCLE-FRIENDLY RESORTS

If you’re travelling to or within Ontario for good riding, there are many routes you might find yourself taking. There’s good riding throughout the province, and many upscale places to stay that are close to good riding. Here are some of our favourites:

Elk Lake Eco Centre – Elk Lake, ON

 This spot is a premiere, one-of-a-kind facility. The Boreal Forest backdrop is not surprisingly a pick for many weddings and high-end retreats. Local food is served on-site and a chalet option is also possible. This is a good choice to accompany the The Temiskaming Loop Tour.

Golden Beach Resort – Roseneath, ON

 This gated, family-oriented resort on Rice Lake in Northumberland County comes up in many an online recommendation for motorcycle-friendly resorts. Covered parking comes along with your stay, whether that’s in a condo or campsite. There’s a licensed restaurant on-site, sports facilities, and an in-ground swimming pool and hot tub to take advantage of.

Saucy Willow Inn – Coboconk, ON

 A great choice for the full bike season, this spot offers cottages and a B&B and off-road parking. A fine place to rest after riding through Kawartha Lakes or Halliburton Highlands.

Bayview Wildwood Resort – Severn Bridge, ON

This resort has graced the village of Port Stanton for over 100 years. The upscale casual dining room overlooks Sparrow Lake, and suites, resort rooms and waterfront cottages are available options for your stay. Music festivals, farmer’s markets, concerts and sports events are all area staples—don’t miss out on a fishing excursion during your stay. Our pick for when riding the Big Loop/Explorer’s Edge.

Read Full Post »

Experience Falls Bounty at Ontario’s Resorts

Andrew Hind

Ontario’s woods are ablaze in fiery shades throughout October. At the same time as forests are being transformed into a painter’s palette of colour, harvest season is in full swing. It makes for an ideal season to escape and unwind at one of the province’s resorts; wander along country lanes lined with maples turned cherry red, harvest apples by the bushel in orchards strewn with copper-coloured leaves, or simply curl up by a crackling fire-pit to inhale the scent of autumn. October is all about experiencing the natural bounty of Ontario’s magical autumn season.

Perhaps in no place does the bounty of the season—brilliantly-coloured leaves and flavorful crops—come together more perfectly than in Muskoka, home to some of the best leaf-peeping in the province and as well as to our most distinctive autumn crop, the crimson cranberry floating languidly in their flooded fields.

With 11 hectares in cultivation producing 137,000 kilograms of cranberries each year, Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh is the second largest cranberry farm in Ontario, and the only one with its own winery (www.cranberry.ca). It’s also the oldest, established in 1950 by Orville Johnston. His son Murray, along with his wife, Wendy, and their children, continue the much expanded operation today. Thanks in large part to their efforts, the cranberry has become synonymous with autumn in Muskoka, serving as the inspiration for the can’t-miss Bala Cranberry Festival (October 14-16, www.balacranberryfest.com)

“The biggest misconception about cranberries—and there are many—is that they are an aquatic plant. They actually grow in boggy fields. It was discovered that ripe cranberries float in water, and so it became common practice for farmers to flood fields in the autumn to facilitate harvesting,” explains Wendy, one of many fascinating facts you discover during the daily bog-to-bottle tours of the farm (recently named a Signature Canadian Experience).

During October you can watch as berries are harvested from the flooded fields, enjoy wagon rides of the bucolic property, wade in amongst the berries for a priceless photograph, and sample a number of delicious cranberry wines in the Cranberry Café. An autumn day at Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh is a truly memorable experience.

A warming postscript to cranberry cravings and arboreal amblings can be found at a number of nearby resorts, including Sherwood Inn (www.sherwoodinn.ca), a cosy yet elegant hotel on Lake Joseph just a short drive east. When you arrive at Sherwood Inn, you slip into a slower pace of life. You can’t help yourself. True, the property boasts the amenities required of a modern resort—a comfortable spa with staff as soothing as the treatments themselves, a fine dining restaurant with world-class food that manages to be both sophisticated and hearty at the same time—but in general pleasures are simple.

When Charles Draper built the inn in 1939, his vision was of a property more akin to a cottage than a hotel, where personal service and a sense of intimacy would be the main drawing cards. Much has remained the same in the 75-years since. The main lodge is still nestled snuggly among century-old pines. A calming tranquility still prevails. And the tradition of excellence in hospitality that has been a part of Sherwood Inn’s history remains very much alive.

Sherwood Inn is also famed for its fine dining. Executive Chef Everett Bell was born and raised on Lake Huron’s North Shore, and brings distinctive cottage country flavors to the menu. When days shorten and temperatures drop, Bell likes to introduce fresh cranberries into his menu as a nod to the season.

“My grandparents had a farm on the North Shore, so I gained an appreciation for fresh, local food. The only experience most people have with cranberries is canned cranberry sauce, but these tart berries can be used for so much more (see recipes below),” Bell explains.

Nature’s bounty, in the form of spectacularly colourful scenery and farm-fresh food, makes October a truly unique season. Make the most of this fleeting season with days spent escaping and unwinding at one of Ontario’s resorts.

Sherwood Inn isn’t the only resort from which to base a weekend spent indulging in cranberries and marveling at brightly-coloured landscapes. Also nearby Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh are Rocky Crest Resort, Shamrock Lodge, Windermere House, Trillium Resort and Spa, Grand Tappattoo Resort, and JW Marriott, the Rosseau.

 And of course, cranberries aren’t the only crops being harvested this time of year. Apples, corn, garlic, pears, pumpkins, squash, and a host of others are available at market stands and pick-your-own farms across the province (to find them, go to http://www.HarvestOntario.com) Wherever you vacation in Ontario, whichever resort calls out to you, there are certain to be an open-to-the-public farm nearby.

 Andrew Hind is a freelance writer specializing in travel and history. He is the author of 19 books, including Muskoka Resorts: Then and Now and most recently Patterson-Kaye: A Celebration. He can be reached at maelstrom@sympatico or followed on Twitter @discoveriesAM.

 

Cranberry Vinaigrette

1 cup cranberry juice

½ cup white balsamic vinegar

½ cup honey

1 cup frozen or fresh cranberries

1.5-2 cups olive oil

1 tbls Dijon mustard

1.  Add the cranberry juice, vinegar, honey, and whole cranberries together in a medium size pot. Reduce for 20-30 minutes over low heat, or until the whole cranberries begin to break down.
2. Cool this mixture.
3. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the Dijon and cranberry reduction. Whisk briskly, slowly dripping the olive oil in until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Serve with your favourite salad!

 

Cranberry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding (with Northern Spy Apple and Cranberry Chutney)

½ cup sundried cranberries

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup beaten whole eggs

½ cup 10% cream

8 slices white bread (or any bread; depends on your preference!)

½ cup white sugar or honey

Pinches of; cinnamon, ground clove, allspice, nutmeg

1.  Cube the bread. Combine all ingredients, and mix until a rich thick consistency is formed.
2. Bake at 325 F for approximately 20 minutes or until the chocolate just starts to ooze out and the bread is turning golden.

 

Northern Spy Apple and Cranberry Chutney

1 cup sundried cranberries

2 cups diced northern spy apples

½ cup cranberry wine

1 cup apple juice

1 cinnamon stick, broke in half

Pinch of ground clove

White sugar or honey, to taste

1.  Combine all ingredients in a medium sized saucepot, and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Reduce heat to low, and gently simmer, until the apples and cranberries start to break down, and form into chutney.
3. Taste, and add honey or sugar as desired.
4. Add atop bread pudding

 

Read Full Post »