A Weekend in Huntsville, Ontario
Times are a bit crazy these days, with coronavirus dominating much of the world. Naturally, the precautions we need to take to keep ourselves safe are going to affect the way we travel.
I created the Weekend Series as a way to share inspiration on how we can travel locally and safely. As countries, provinces, and cities start to slowly come out of lockdown, I’m sure a lot of you are, like me, ready to get out there and explore again! But of course, we want to remain cognizant of COVID-19 and stay as safe as possible in our wanderings.
For me, the best way I feel I can stay safe is to avoid airports and other areas where people are likely to gather in large numbers. With this in mind, for now, the Weekend Series will be meant to be used as guides to places where we can drive to.
The best weekend getaway also means no more than four hours in the car. These guides are meant to be started after a work day on Friday and last til Sunday.
So, gas up the car, and let’s get started!
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Logistics
Huntsville is the largest town in the Muskoka Region of Ontario, Canada. It’s a great weekend option for anyone coming from Toronto or Ottawa.
Driving Times:
From Toronto – 2.5 hours
From Ottawa – 4 hours
Where to Stay
Huntsville has a darling historic downtown area, so I’d recommend you stay as close to that as possible. There are lots of great local shops and restaurants, and it’s all right by the river. The water is beautiful and being able to watch the sunsets in Huntsville is a perfect way to end a day.
We chose to stay at The Wilgress, which we booked through Airbnb. This is a beautiful property looking right at the river. In fact, it’s one of the best Airbnb’s I’ve ever stayed in!Â
This property was so great, it needs an article all of its own. If you’re interested in learning more about this Airbnb stay, click here!
FRIDAY
Once you’re done with work for the day, hop in the car and head out to Huntsville. Check into The Wilgress with their contactless arrival process. Walk around the town a little bit to get acquainted. The boardwalk by the river is a lovely spot to explore!
If patios are open for dinner, great! However, when I visited, the restaurants were still take-out only. A great option for dinner if you’re staying at The Wilgress is to stop by Main Street Local Cafe and pickup one of their burger kits to grill up on your BBQ. (Though, for some reason the kit didn’t come with any kind of condiments, so if you want to avoid walking over to the convenience store, bring some from home!)
SATURDAY
Are you ready for a full day of hiking?? Because one of  best things about staying in Huntsville is you’re only about an hour from Algonquin Provincial Park. So hop in the car and get out there! (Just don’t forget to stop at the visitors office at the beginning of the park and pay for your day permit!)
Before you completely leave the town limits, stop for a breakfast sandwich at the 3 Guys and a Stove food truck. Get anything on focaccia. SO GOOD. Then head across the street to the Farmer’s Daughter grocery store to grab some trail snacks. We snagged a couple of their sandwiches and they made the perfect mid-hike lunch. If you have a sweet tooth, definitely try the marshmallow, peanut butter, and chocolate bar. They were a big hit with Josh! (And remember, pack out what you pack in!)
There are an abundance of great day hikes in Algonquin. We opted for one of the longer hikes, the Centennial Ridges Trail. This 10.4 km loop trail is rated as one of the more difficult in the park, but I found it to be very manageable. There are some elevation changes, but they lead to some incredible overlooks onto surrounding lakes and forest…worth every step! The hike took us about 4.5 hours with a stop for lunch, so all-in-all, a great way to spend a day!
If you’re hiking this park in the summer, beware…the mosquitos are TERRIBLE. Definitely come with some strong bug spray and clothing that will better protect you, because those little guys are relentless.
Once you’re finished with your hike, head back to Huntsville. Stop by 3 Guys and a Stove again to pick up your dinner (this time from the full service restaurant). They do have outdoor dining available now, but we went with their Summer BBQ curbside takeout menu.
If you’re a beer drinker, walk down the street to grab some Lake of Bays cans from Huntsville Brewhouse. Canvas Brewing Company is also right across the bridge. I don’t know about you, but BBQ and beer make for one excellent post-hike dinner.Â
This day of our trip was also mine and Josh’s wedding anniversary…hence the romantic candle lighting with our BBQ 😉
SUNDAY
You’ve got a couple options here, depending on how you want to spend your hours before heading back home. If you’re looking for more activity, rent a canoe or some kayaks from Algonquin Outfitters across the street and paddle around the river. If, like I was, you’re feeling a little tired from the previous day’s hike, I definitely recommend you check out some of the small, local shops in downtown Huntsville.Â
If you’re looking for some new board games, check out Up North Games.
For home decor, thoughtful gifts, or small souvenirs, check out The Friendly Fox.
We also really loved The Record Shoppe, so check that one out if you’re a vinyl lover. However, this one IS closed on Sundays. We squeezed it in on Saturday morning before we left for Algonquin.
Huntsville is a really cute, picturesque town, so make sure you get lots of wandering, rambling, and roaming in before you head home.
I also recommend one more stop at the Farmer’s Daughter to stock up on some road trip snacks! They have some great made in house sandwiches, treats, and local items you could easily take home with you.
That brings us to about mid-afternoon and the time to head home. Hopefully you grabbed plenty of items and food to take home with you. These are the things that allow me to keep reliving wonderful weekend getaways even when I’m back at work…Â
Let me know in the comments if you’re adding Huntsville to your travel list!
2 Comments
Karen
The weekend series is such a great idea! I love your articles. So informative, thoughtfully organized, all with beautiful photography. Thanks for the inspiration!
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Carolyn | Wander. Ramble. Roam.
Hi Karen! Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m so glad you enjoy this new series I’ve started and that you’re feeling inspired by the articles 🙂 Best compliment! I’ve been working hard this week trying to redesign this site and make it more organized, so it means a LOT to hear that the hard work seems to be paying off!