Category: Collingwood things to do

Healthy Parks, Healthy People

by Collingwood InfoCollingwood Events / Collingwood things to do

Tomorrow, July 21st, Ontario Parks is giving free day use to all of their Provincial Park sites. You can head to any location where you can visit the park for free and take part in fun events. All of this is for their part in the Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative, which urges people to get outside to improve their health. Healthy Parks, Healthy People is a worldwide movement educating people about the link between better health and a better environment. This free one-day event is just one way that Ontario Parks is urging people to get outside and enjoy everything that Ontario has to offer.

Wasaga Beach is a provincial park and they are no exception to the day’s events. Head to the Nancy Island Historic Site for a free day of exploring. The site is open from 10am until 5pm. From 11am until 2pm, you can take sailor’s tours, which will teach visitors about how Nancy and her crew helped shape Canadian borders. Visit the theatre and museum and then take a trip to the lighthouse to cap off the day.

Along with visiting Nancy Island, you can partake in another healthful event, occurring at Beach 5. Join the Healthy Parks, Healthy People initiative as they launch their Butt Free Beach initiative. We all know how disgusting smoking itself is, but pair that with cigarette butts in the sand and water at your favourite beach and even those who don’t smoke have a price to pay at our beaches. Cigarette butts are the most littered item on our Canadian beaches, they don’t biodegrade and often can’t be picked up by standard beach cleaning equipment due to their small size.

Wasaga Beach is staging a clean-up of all the butts at Beach 5 on July 21st, partnering with various Wasaga Beach community groups and organizations including the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation, the Environment Network and Georgian Bay Forever, to get this job done. A free toolkit was designed to help the Wasaga Beach community and its beach become butt-free.

Research suggests that spending time in nature has immense benefits on our health and with our increasingly urban lifestyles, we aren’t getting enough time with the trees and the water. Nature Deficit Disorder is a real and harmful ailment that affects adults and kids. By keeping our environment clean and getting out in nature as much as possible, we can improve our mental and physical health. Whether you’re a resident or visitor of Wasaga Beach, you’ll have a fun and educational day.

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Treat Dad in Collingwood this Father’s Day

by Collingwood InfoCollingwood Events / Collingwood things to do

He helped you with your homework, threw the baseball until you finally hit it and wiped your tears away when you felt you had no friends. He’s your dad and he deserves to be celebrated this weekend! What better place than Collingwood to celebrate Dad and all he stands for. Here are some great ideas for celebrating this weekend.

Fossils on Father’s Day

Head to Delphi Point Park and have a tour of the fossil beds. Any Dad will enjoy the fun day out that is also a great educational opportunity for the kids. Families pay $5, but Dad is free!

Go caving

Visit Scenic Caves this weekend and Dad gets free admission with a paid child admission (that’s a switch we like to see!). A great bonding experience for Dad and the kids, this deal is on both Saturday and Sunday. There is a printed coupon that you must take as mobile reproductions aren’t accepted.

Let him have time to himself

All Dads need time to themselves to recoup and be the best Dad they can. How do they do that? At Scandinave Spa of course. Let Dad enjoy soaking in the hot pools and cooling down in the cold pools. Buy him a book, a robe and a reusable water bottle and his day is set!

Take him golfing

I don’t know one Dad who wouldn’t appreciate a day on the links (with or without the kids) and Collingwood is amazing spot to hit them. Visit the Blue Mountain Golf Course, Cranberry Golf Resort or check out Monterra Golf. Tee times are probably filling up so call and see if they can squeeze in a time for you! If the day is full on the courses, you might want to try out the mini golf course at the mountain instead – it will still be tons of fun!

wasaga beach

Head to the Beach or go Boating

Living on beautiful Georgian Bay is a pure treasure and any resident or visitor of Collingwood should take advantage of this amazing body of water. Wasaga Beach, which is a very short drive east of Collingwood is very popular and is the world’s longest freshwater beach. Sunset Point Park is a rock beach, but also a great place to spend the day with a Frisbee and a picnic basket.

Take him out for a beer

Dads love beer more than they love golf, so any Dad will appreciate the great number of brew options in the Collingwood area. From the Collingwood Brewery, which is a definite local wonder where you can kick back and watch the beer being made or the Northwinds Brewery, which has an amazing atmosphere and tasty offerings.

Head to the mountain

This one is so obvious that we almost don’t need to mention it, but a day spent at Blue Mountain’s Village is better than any day spent anywhere else. Walk around, enjoy the scenery and then people watch from Rusty’s patio. Dad will love it.

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10 Best Patios in Collingwood

by Collingwood InfoCollingwood things to do

Patio season has officially begun and what better way to enjoy a day on the weekend than sitting on a patio with friends in Collingwood, enjoying the food, the drink and of course the gorgeous scenery. Here’s a list of the best patios in the town!

1.       Duncan’s Cafe

A great spot for people watching, this local favourite located right on Hurontario has comfortable seating, fresh squeezed orange juice and is the perfect spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

2.       Tremont Cafe

Another spot for lunch, brunch and dinner, this charming patio located outside of a heritage building – the Tremont House – is a not-to-miss this season. The food is outstanding and so is the service.

3.       Trattoria Azzurra

For a romantic night with an al fresco meal, take your date to the Tratoria Azzurra and visit their lovely patio. On the other hand, bring the entire gang for family-style Italian dining in the great outdoors. Either way, you won’t be disappointed.

4.       Bent Taco

Known by visitors as the best patio in town, people rave about sitting outdoors enjoying a meal at Bent Taco. Not only is the food amazing, the service is top-notch and if you get chilly, you might even get blankets to keep you warm! If blankets aren’t your style, drink a few tequila shots or Bent margaritas instead.

5.       Lakeside Seafood and Grill

With amazing waterfront views, this restaurant opens right up to its patio, so you’ll enjoy the beautiful weather inside and out. Their homemade soups are definitely a must-try, even during the warm weather.

6.       Santtini’s Restaurant

With a small sidewalk patio, you can people watch while enjoying your glass of wine and frito misto. You’ll feel like you’re right in Italy.

7.       Sol Kitchen

If you are looking for something fresh and delicious on a sunny day, look no further than Sol Kitchen. With a small sidewalk patio, you can enjoy healthy fare and soak up that vitamin D.

8.       Rusty’s

Rusty’s patio is great any time of the year. Right at the base of the mountain, this is the spot to go for a party atmosphere and great drinks. The food isn’t bad either.

9.       The Dam Gastropub

Actually in Thornbury, it is definitely worth making the drive. The food is delicious and local and the drinks are worth raving about. The patio may just be the best in the area.

10.   Firehall Pizza Co.

And last, but not least, this spot is centred around all of the action at the mountain and is a great family-friendly spot for hanging on the patio while munching on some tasty pizza.

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Biking in Collingwood

by Collingwood InfoCollingwood things to do

With the beautiful weather “starting” to peek through the clouds, we here in Collingwood know that summer is almost here. And what better season to get on your bike than in summer? South Georgian Bay is one of the most fantastic spots to ride a bike, whether you are an avid bicyclist or a novice. People of all ages enjoying biking through and around Collingwood, both on city streets and on trails. Here are some of the best spots for biking in our area!

The Heather Pathway

Starting at Sunset Point Park, you can bike 17kms on easy terrain around this loop. You’ll venture through Millennium Park and the Hen and Chickens boardwalk, while enjoying the very scenic views of Georgian Bay. If you want to stop for a breather, you can learn more about Collingwood’s history, reading the many interpretative signs along the trail. When you get back from your ride, there is food and washrooms at Sunset Point Park for you to use before you head to your next destination.

The Georgian Trail

Starting at 3 Birch Street, you’ll bike all the way to Meaford on this 68km round trip ride. Again, you’ll have beautiful scenic views of the water, as it makes it way along the waterfront on the south shore of Georgian Bay. You can stop along many of the beaches and rest points along the way and this trail is definitely family friendly. Don’t forget your sunscreen!

Clearview-Collingwood Trail

Start at Station Museum and take this 28km round trip to Clearview and back. A crushed gravel trail, you can connect further on to the Collingwood Train Trail, an abandoned rail line that connected Collingwood to Toronto.

Creemore Loop

If you are looking for a longer ride, consider the Creemore loop, a 60km trek starting at Fisher Fields Park. This trail is definitely on the more challenging side with gentle, rolling terrain. The way back has a difficult climb called the Fairgrounds Road climb, so be prepared to work! With views of the Mad River, this is another very scenic trail to take your bike along and will be well-worth the challenge. Stop in Creemore for their fabulous restaurants or shopping and reward yourself for taking the trip.

Badjeros Loop

Starting at Fisher Fields Park, this ride is not for the uninitiated. With 85kms of steep climbs and some of the riding done on high-speed roads, the Badjeros Loops is definitely for the experienced biker. You’ll get views of Georgian Bay from the top of the hills you climb on and then you’ll drop steeply into Creemore. Your ride will be quiet at some points, as you hit Mennonite country, where you can stop and enjoy the pretty views.

Lake Eugenia Loop

Another ride for the advanced rider, start at Fisher Fields Park and proceed to the challenging route, full of climbs and descents. The Kimberley General Store is a well-known spot for bikers to stop and grab a butter tart and some fuel for your tank.

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