Summer is a time when grandparents can finally see their grandchildren to their heart’s content. School’s out and the warm weather means it’s time for outdoor fun and all the beauty and adventure of Ontario’s wilderness and waterways. Ontario resorts have a lot to offer to grandparents looking to spend quality time with their grandkids on a memorable getaway. Since you’re travelling with kids, remember to make getting there fun: pack some delicious and secretly nutritious snacks and plan some road trip games. Once you arrive, the following resorts will take care of the rest: kid-friendly lodging, child-friendly dinner menus, supervised children’s programs that delight and engage the young ones in a secure environment as well as opportunities for the grandparents to have a quiet dinner or take in an art class. Just remember to bring the marshmallows and the ghost stories for the evening campfires!
Located between Sparrow Lake and the Canadian Shield, Bayview Wildwood is the perfect setting for educational adventures on wilderness hikes, photo opportunities on its pristine shores and unforgettable family memories. There are bingo and fishing tournaments for the grandparents and scheduled activities for the kids in their Art and Adventure Camps so everyone will find something to love at at this resort. If the critters in the surrounding Ontario wilderness aren’t enough, the regular Zootek exhibitions will allow your grandchildren to have close and personal encounters with iguanas, pythons, tortoises and parrots among other exotic creatures.
Bayview takes entertainment seriously and there is a different show to take in every night of the week during the summer season, including comedy, magic, music and Grease – The Review, an exciting 1950s themed performance. Experience the height of athleticism in water sports by catching the SWS Ski Show wherein members of the Canadian National Ski Show Team will perform individual and team stunts on water skis. Remember those human pyramids on water skis? That’s the kind of technical mastery and amazement you can expect at the SWS Ski Show. All of this will be available to you as a guest of Bayview Wildwood in addition to modern and clean amenities in an idyllic natural setting including a picture-perfect waterfront.
Blue Mountain Resort‘s wide array of activities will let the grandparents enjoy their getaway at a leisurely pace while the grandkids go wild with excitement for the adventures on hand.
The resort’s private beach on the shores of Georgian Bay is the perfect summer destination for families looking to get away from it all. (Pro tip: Take the quick shuttle from the resort to avoid parking hassles!) The beach is equipped with kid-friendly climbers and sports equipment and the Beach Hut restaurant offers hearty and healthy lunches to complete your beach day. If you want to go beyond dipping your toes in the water, there are also boats, canoes, and kayaks available to rent. If you’d like to let someone else steer the ship, take the sightseeing tour through Collingwood Charters. Just sit back and relax aboard the Huronic while the knowledgeable staff teach and entertain with stories about the surrounding area. For even more fun in the water, check out the resort’s Plunge! Aquatic Center. Your grandkids will be excited to play on the rope swings, water slides and water games while you watch them from the hot tub or from a comfortable deck chair in the shade.
Fern Resort offers a family-focused getaway with thoughtfully scheduled activities so that family members can explore individual passions while also spending important bonding time together. During the day visitors can choose from one of the eight scheduled activity programs offered at a variety of age-appropriate levels appropriate for the tiniest tot or the saltiest teenager. In the evening, enjoy a sit down meal in the Heritage Dining Room where the kids’ buffet offers younger guests child-appropriate and healthy meals. Then head over to Bergwen’s theatre where professional entertainers will enchant and delight the whole family with magic and family-friendly comedy shows.
Maybe it’s time to teach your granddaughter how to fish: simply rent a boat and take it out on Lake Couchiching and by lunch time the resort’s kitchen staff will be happy to prepare your fresh catch of the day. As Fern is an all-inclusive resort, you’ll be free to enjoy all your free time with the grandkids without having to worry about meal preparation or chores. The secure child-friendly property will allow kids to explore the expansive terrain with the assurance that their safety will be looked after by the resort’s professional staff. While the grandkids are busy at mini-putt or at a craft camp, you can take in an art class or stretch your limbs at an invigorating yoga session.
If you’d like your grandkids to experience a true Ontario cottage experience, Lumina Resort‘s beautiful lakeside cottages have all the amenities you’ll need to be comfortable without TV or WiFi. Both are available in the Main Lodge but your grandkids won’t even miss them once they discover the daily children’s program. Fully supervised and suitable for all ages, the Petticoat Junction programming includes crafts, nature hikes and organized sports. Older kids will enjoy sand volleyball tournaments, wakeboarding, and waterskiing lessons. Sunday night there is a Teddy Bear Picnic to keep the kids busy while the adults enjoy a quiet dinner. As Lumina is an all-inclusive resort, you won’t have to worry about breakfast and dinner. The food is always fresh and straightforward but thoughtfully prepared. Disconnected from the outside world, you’ll be able to bond with your grandchildren without distractions and share an authentic Muskoka cottage experience. Perhaps you can bring your telescope to view the clear night sky and share the wonders of astronomy with your grandkids who are away from the big city for the first time.
Beachwood Resort specializes in multi-generational family vacations by offering accommodations and activities to delight family members of all ages. The heated pool and spacious grounds offer a summer playground for the grandkids and a restful getaway for the grandparents. The beautiful shoreline of Lower Buckhorn Lake and adjacent forest trails will provide ample room for nature hikes, beach sports, or simply sitting back and taking in the natural beauty. Great fishing opportunities on the lake will help you and the grandkids make it a summer to remember by catching the prize Largemouth Bass or Walleye in this prime fishing spot.
You’ll get plenty of fresh air, clear skies, fishing and swimming on the scenic shore and sparkling waters of Gloucester Pool at Severn Lodge. This historic Muskoka resort has a long tradition of accommodating family getaways, stretching back to the 1800s when the main lodge served as headquarters for the Georgian Bay Lumber Company. Both the natural wonders of the Ontario wilderness as well as local history are steps away: explore the lake on one of the available watercraft, hike along the stone outcroppings or go horseback riding through local historic sites, creating wonderful summer memories with the grandkids.
If you’re looking for peace and tranquility look no further than Sunny Point Cottages. The waterfront inn only has 7 suites and the clean and well-maintained resort property will be wide open for you and your family to swim, fish, or canoe. Bonus: the resort is pet friendly and housekeeping is included! Sunny Point has warm hospitable staff, a friendly atmosphere, and so many water and wilderness activities that the kids will never be bored. And if you tire of the wilderness there’s mini-putt and on rainy days indoor activities like air hockey will keep the grandkids entertained.
If you’d like to offer the grandkids a tour of Niagara Falls in a comfortable setting then White Oaks Resort is the spot. Health-conscious families will appreciate the racquet, squash and tennis facilities, especially the junior programs for the young ones. But you’ll probably want to go out exploring around the Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world. You can come face-to-face with Niagara Falls from a boat with the Hornblower Niagara Cruise or get a birds’ eye view with a tour from Niagara Helicopters. Perhaps older kids will appreciate one of the theatre shows in the surrounding area, a novelty in the age of Netflix. Spoil the grandkids even further with all the great shopping in Niagara-on-the-Lake as well as the nearby outlets.
The fresh air, clear water and sunshine at these Ontario resorts can be the backdrop to your unforgettable getaway with the grandkids. The amenities and activities of the resorts will make the young ones forget their video games for a moment as you explore the Ontario wilderness by hiking, boating, or swimming together. The resorts have plenty of additional activities to keep the kids occupied and in addition to family bonding time, everyone will be able to find something to suit their individual interests whether its a craft class, waterskiing lessons or a wilderness scavenger hunt. The pristine shores of Ontario lakes and rivers will make for great photo opportunities but the best memories will be the ones you make bonding over the first fish your grandchild catches or telling tales around the campfire under a clear sky full of stars.
