Renting a cottage in Ontario, Canada
A quiet moment in Sauble Beach. Photo by cadmanof50’s on Flickr
We’ve just finished booking our cottage holiday in Sauble Beach, Ontario for this summer and are absolutely thrilled as we have found a fantastic 4 bedroom cottage just over the road from Sauble beach itself. In the end we actually had a choice of two cottages, but proximity to the beach won out over a property that was located on Silver Lake and a ten minute walk to the main beach.
Ontario cottage rental websites
If you are interested in renting a cottage in Ontario then here are a few sites that you can see what’s on offer:
Where to rent a cottage in Ontario
Ontario is a wonderful place to rent a cottage as there are so many options and places to stay. On the Great Lakes, the two that have the best beaches are Lake Erie, with Turkey Point, Sherkston Beaches, Long Point and Port Dover. On Lake Huron you are spoilt for choice with Sauble Beach, Wasaga Beach, Grand Bend, Bayfield, Owen Sound, Tobemory (a great freshwater diving spot) and there are other lovely towns all up and down the Bruce Peninsula and Georgian Bay. These beaches are from 1 1/2 - 3 hours drive from Toronto so can make a great weekend break or a relaxing week long holiday in the middle of your holiday to Ontario.
Looking out over Chandos Lake in Ontario’s cottage country. Photo by Greg Gladman
Also in less than 3 hours from Toronto you have what is know as the thousand lakes district. This area puts the UK Lake District to shame and there are literally thousands of lakes to choose from. Most have cottages on them, but the beauty of this area is that usually each cottage is in a very private woodland setting so it literally feels like you are all alone in the wilderness. The quality of the cottages vary, but you can easily rent a well equiped modern cottage for $1200 in summer months (about £600). Once you’ve tried this type of cottage holiday, you will want to come back again and again. The two main areas are the Mukokas and Haliburton and both are beautiful.
What can you expect from an Ontario cottage for your money?
If you rent a cottage in the Muskokas or Haliburton, Your cottage is likely to have a dock which you can dive straight into the lake and most cottages will supply some water equipment, maybe even a canoe or kayak. You should have a TV, dvd, fully equiped kitchen and bedrooms. They will usually have a great deck overlooking the lake and BBQ. Some will also have firepits, great for roasting marshmallows over an open fire with the kids. There are cottages to fit any budget. You can rent a cottage from $600 up to about $4000 at the very top end, but your average price for a nice cottage will run about $1200 - $2000.
For me, the best part of these cottage holidays is sitting on the deck in the evening, having a barbeque and watching the sun set over the lakes. This type of holiday is pure relaxation and a truly great experience.
Tags: canada, cottage, holiday, lake huron, log cabin, rent, sauble, wasaga
