Muskoka, Ontario
Muskoka is a scenic area in the northern part of southern Ontario. It’s spans thousands of lakes with rocky shorelines, hundreds of acres of conserved land, and several cute small towns. Because of its proximity to Lake Huron, location in the Algonquin highlands with thousands of lakes, there are a lot of cottages in Muskoka which is why the area is nicknamed “cottage country.”
FWCs (Friends with Cottages) is a thing in Ontario, as the cottages on lakes are beautiful, but they are very expensive to rent or buy. Most cottages have been passed down through the same family for generations, and some are are AirBnb.
Muskoka is the most popular vacation spot for Ontarians, and several celebrities (such as Tom Hanks, Justin Bieber to name a few) are said to have cottages in the Muskoka area.
Towns in Muskoka
- Huntsville is the largest town in Muskoka, and it has so many scenic things to do and great restaurants.
- Bracebridge
- Gravenhurst
- Port Carling
Things to Do in the Muskoka Area
- Hiking at Arrowhead Provincial Park; it has some stunning sights like Stubbs Waterfall and the Big Bend Lookout
- Hiking in Algonquin Provincial Park; popular year round but especially in fall.
- See the Bracebridge waterfalls, in the centre of town
- Spend a day at Santa’s Village near Bracebridge; great for families with kids!
- Rent or visit a cottage (call your FWCs, or check on AirBnb, or Booking.com)
- Go shopping in downtown Huntsville and/or Bracebridge; there are many nice boutique stores
- Get amazing views from the Dorset Lookout Tower (book in advance if you’re here in fall)
- Treetop trekking at Treetop Huntsville
- Swim at a public beach
- See the mural wall in Port Carling
- See the Muskoka Steamships in Gravenhurst