Today was 'Take a Kid to Work Day' and when we found out Caillie wanted to shadow our Social Media team around for the day, we were ecstatic! We quickly put her to work when we found out that this little traveller also has some great writing skills. She shares with us her time on Manitoulin Island and why she loves this beautiful part of Northern Ontario so much:
The Manitoulin Island; a gorgeous place located in beautiful northern Ontario. I hadn't been in awhile, so when my mom asked me if I wanted to go for Thanksgiving, I excitedly said, "yes!"
I've been to the Island many times, and I've always loved the beautiful sights, but my favourite time there is around Thanksgiving when all the leaves are turning colours, it's absolutely gorgeous! During the long drive up, (around 6 hrs from Toronto if the traffic is good) we spent our time listening to music, and really enjoying the scenery.
After getting settled for the night, we started our next day by heading to the veterinary clinic on the island so our pup Manitou (yes named after the island) could get his yearly check-up. When everything was fine, we headed to the local coffee shop (The "Manitoulin Espresso Bar"), got some coffee for my parents and a yogurt smoothie for myself. Then we headed home to rest, but it wasn't long until we were on our feet again, heading out to the car for a long ride to Misery Bay Provincial Park.
We did, however, encounter some interesting experiences along the way, and gained some knowledge of some new places on the island. Upon searching for a gas station, we met some locals who pointed us in the right direction as we headed over to Meldrum Bay (western most point on the island). Although we were sad to discover it was closed when we got there, we remembered that the locals we met earlier mentioned they owned a Diner (the Highway 450 Diner). We ate there instead and it was a very enjoyable lunch! My mom, step-dad and I all had lunch that included great tasting local whitefish!
We continued on our journey and finally arrived to the delightful Misery Bay! This Bay is not only gorgeous, but it also contains a unique feature called an "Alvar" which is an old ancient sea flat rock, the only one found in North America. After about an hour, it was time to head home, so we said goodbye to the Bay, and made the trip back to the cottage.
Expecting a lazy Sunday, I was soon mistaken, as the next thing I knew my mom, cousins, step-dad, and I were off on a walk with the pup, to give him a good washing (he needed it!). Afterwards, everyone stayed home to cook dinner, and my mom, cousin and I were off, and heading to Kagawong for a fun-filled day. The first thing we did when we arrived was head to the Boo-Bah-Lou Candy Cabin, to say hello to our family who own the place, and pick up some sweets!
Then we headed over to the Edwards Studios and Art Gallery for some local jewelry, paintings and pottery. Finally, we were off to the beach for some relaxation and some attempts at sand-castle making!
We headed back up to the Manitoulin Chocolate Works, and bought some treats for later. The day was nearing an end fast, and we needed to be home for our Thanksgiving dinner (as we were leaving Monday), but there was still one stop to be made...Bridal Veil Falls! My cousin absolutely loved looking at the salmon in the big pool under the falls, and even the dead salmon that didn't quite make it in the big salmon spawning race. And we were even lucky enough to see a salmon jump out of the water!
Soon enough we were home and having a great and fun-filled Thanksgiving dinner. I love the Manitoulin soo much, not only do I get to enjoy seeing my relatives, who I don't get to see too often, but there is soo much to do, and it just shows me how great Ontario is, and how much there is to do! I would highly recommend going to the Manitoulin Island if you're looking for a nice little trip, with many options; it's great for the family, and friends.
There is a lot to do to keep you occupied, and to keep you relaxed. If the drive is a little long for you, taking the ferry up (the Chi-Cheemaun) -it's a great way to enjoy the trip, and give you a little break, not to mention while waiting for the ferry, you can walk around Tobermory and visit some of my favourite places, such as "The Sweet Shop", "Nature's Gifts", and if you're feeling hungry, the "Della Rocca Pizzeria"! Just remember that the ferry only runs from the May long weekend through to Thanksgiving.
Looking for more information on accommodations or things to see and do in Northern Ontario? Contact one of our travel consultants at 1-866-502-4605.
