Ontario resorts offer everything you need to plan the perfect family getaway this summer. From heart-racing adventure to laid-back luxury, mom, dad, the kids are bound to have an unforgettable vacation. Whether travelling with immediate family or reconnecting with long-lost relatives, you want your resort to take care all the variables. There’s no time to worry about food or chores while you’re catching up with loved ones on these rare, well-earned summer breaks. The following destinations are a one-stop-shop for all your family’s needs while offering all the ingredients necessary to enjoy an ideal family getaway.
Balance Leisure and Adventure at Southview Cottages
Whether you’re looking for family adventure or some well-deserved R & R, Southview Cottages has 70 years of practice providing families with the classic cottage experience. The 1800 feet of shoreline on gorgeous Rice Lake as well as the acres of scenic countryside will be the setting for your family getaway, your medium-sized gathering, or (lucky you) your multi-generational family reunion.
Rice Lake is an exceptional opportunity for both beginner and experienced fishermen and the resort pool is large enough to accommodate teaching the younger kids how to swim while the older kids race and cannonball. When the swimming muscles get sore it will also be the site of epic games of Marco Polo. Explore the lake on paddle boards, kayaks (single and double), canoes, and paddle boats or step up your game with lessons in water skiing and tubing.
Southview Cottages is surrounded by unique landmarks, including the legendary Escape Maze, which offers a number of live, interactive games. Its Outdoor Adventure Games let you and your family navigate the area using an old-time map and compass, finding secret landmarks and completing additional in-game challenges. You and your family can try to beat the best time for the trail or divide into smaller teams and compete against each other for Escape Maze bragging rights. Alternatively, you can take a leisurely stroll in the lush wilderness surroundings and finish the challenge at your own pace. There are also 4 escape rooms the family can navigate together and, for those who like a little scare with their summer fun, a haunted adventure known as “The Shaft.”
Animal lovers in your family will be excited to visit the nearby PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary. Dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of donkeys, mules, and hinnies, it’s a unique opportunity to learn about these loyal, intelligent animals. Come meet Patsy, Amos, and Jonathon Cupcake to learn how donkeys are actually fierce protectors, acting as predator control for cattle, sheep, and goats despite their stoic demeanour.
Find the Perfect Dining Experience and Accommodations at Beachwood Resort
Beachwood Resort takes a choose-your-own-adventure approach to family gatherings. If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for in a resort, or if this is the first time you’re planning to visit one, this is the resort for you. Every style, budget, and family size can be accommodated. The resort can design a getaway package to suit the preferences of every member of your clan, from the youngest tyke to the saltiest old salty, and ensure they leave with plenty of shared good times to look back upon. The resort’s 30 different units range from 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms to the Duplex Building, which is composed two-bedroom lakeside cottages, one on each floor, allowing for plenty of privacy to balance the family bonding.
No family gathering is complete without good food. Beachwood Resort is home to Frederick’s Restaurant which features world-class cooking served in a dining room that overlooks Lower Buckhorn Lake. Dishes like lobster risotto, cider-braised baby back ribs, and tofu jambalaya are served with the panoramic backdrop of the lake, completing the perfect dining experience. No pretense or unnecessary formality here, Frederick’s puts your comfort and dining experience front and center, allowing guests to bring their own wine and take home the rest, as well as accepting casual dress at all times. Chef Michael Henson and his team of culinary wizards will also prepare meals to be delivered to your cottage and provide take-out crock pot dinners, picnic lunches, sandwich platters, desert trays, and anything else you’ll need to stay full and happy during your family vacation at Beachwood.
Make your precious summer family time count with Beachwood Resort’s spacious gardens and prime waterfront property with private sandy beach. There are plenty of loungers for the adults and the kids can make a ruckus on a water playground that includes trampolines, a water slide, and climbers. The kids will also enjoy the summer children’s program, letting the parents catch up while sipping a tropical drink in the shade. In terms of entertainment, the whole family will enjoy the regular presentations by the Muskoka Wildlife Center and thrill seekers will learn the finer points of water-skiing and tubing from the resort’s instructors.
Leave the Cooking and Cleaning at Home with Lumina Resort’s All-Inclusive Option
Once you pick out one of Lumina Resort’s 36 chalet cottages to call your own this summer you can sit back and relax: your stay at Lumina will include full maid service, chef-prepared meals, and a supervised children’s program. All the variables will be taken care of by the resort’s customer-focused staff so that you can enjoy the beautiful waterfront and delicious food with your most important companions. The kids program is customized based on age and offers parents time to recharge their batteries while the kids are fully supervised on teddy bear picnics, nature hikes, organized sports tournaments, and water skiing lessons.
Breakfast and dinner are included in your stay and served in the exquisite Muskoka dining room, a glass and stone design with panoramic views of the Lake of Bays. Table service, BBQs, and buffets give guests a variety of options to choose from and the kids’ menu provides alternate options for main courses and deserts for the picky eaters in the bunch. Vegetarian and gluten-free diets will also be happily accommodated by the kitchen brigade. The coffee shop has light snacks, ice cream, and treats for lunch, or families can have a calm and relaxing lunch on the patio overlooking the lake. Bonus: pack some sandwiches and drinks and rent a canoe to paddle out to Lumina’s Fire Island for a private picnic. You can also partake in a Lumina tradition and enjoy their shore breakfast: a morning boat trip to the private island where the staff cook breakfast over an open campfire and brew bush-style coffee that put over-priced lattes to shame.
Keep the Kids Busy at Clearview Cottages
Clearview Cottages will take the guess work out of your vacation plans with its organized ski days, helping newbies and thrill seekers alike explore the lake by water ski, tube, or kneeboard. Newbies can learn the finer points of being pulled by a motor boat from the certified instructors while less adventurous family members can opt for the slow-paced “real estate tour” of the lake. At night you can sit by the fire while the kids enjoy organized games like “capture the flag,” “freeze tag,” or “hide-and-seek” in between roasting marshmallows. As families come in all shapes and sizes, Clearview Cottages is an LGBTQ-friendly resort.
Stay Fit With Group Sports at Fern Resort
The family that sweats together stays together, amiright? Active families who want to continue their healthy lifestyle or those looking to shake off their winter doldrums will appreciate the wide variety of group sporting activities available at Fern Resort. Forget old-fashioned two-sided beach volleyball and participate in the extreme version: four-way beach volleyball! It’s guaranteed to make you sweat while helping to settle good-natured family rivalries in the process. There’s a long shore and pool for avid swimmers, water skiing as well as fishing opportunities by boat and from the dock. Tennis, golf, bocce ball, ad giant checkers offer a sliding scale of options for family cardio.
Treat Yourself at Rocky Crest Resort
After working and studying through the fall and winter, summer is a time to reward yourself and your loved ones for a job well done. The staff at Rocky Crest Resort knows that your summer vacations are hard-earned and that time is limited, and that’s why they let mom, dad, and the kids define their own luxury. Kids can spend their days at the resort’s water park, dads can play on a world-class golf course, and moms can be pampered at the full service on-site spa. The family can come together to share the joys of bonfires, majestic forests, unique wetlands, and the scenic shores of Lake Joseph, all on Rocky Crest’s resort property. At night you can choose from three restaurants, ranging from casual dining to fine steakhouse fare, to complete the experience.
 Explore the Wilderness at Severn Lodge
The summer memories that last are typically experiential—they spring from doing something challenging with people you care about. Severn Lodge’s location on the northern shores of Gloucester Pool in the heart of the Muskoka region offers ample opportunities to explore by hiking the wooded trails, traversing the wilderness by mountain bike, or making use of the resort’s canoes, paddle boats, and kayaks to explore the historic Trent Severn Waterway. Nearby Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, Discovery Harbour in Penetanguishene, and the Big Chute Marine Railway offer additional options for outdoor trekking.
Ontario resorts let you and your loved ones reconnect and unwind as you look back on your time together and build new memories. Whether you’re seeking to balance relaxation with adventure, stay fit together, or explore the great outdoors on wilderness treks, you and your loved ones will have everything you need to create an unforgettable summer as you discover the beauty of Ontario.
