A Classic Canadian Lake Weekend

Lake life in Muskoka isn’t just a summer tradition — it’s a state of mind. You’ll arrive just as the afternoon sun casts golden light across the lake. The fridge is stocked with Ontario cheeses and Niagara rosé. There’s a firepit waiting to be lit, a playlist of Gordon Lightfoot and Feist drifting through the screen door, and the soft hush of pines swaying above the dock.

Mornings are slow and quiet — coffee in hand, toes in the lake, maybe a solo paddle before the rest of the house wakes up. The day unfolds with swims off the dock, backgammon on the deck, a lakeside yoga session, or a lazy afternoon spent stretched out with a paperback and a breeze.

When the stars come out, the s’mores get toasted, the blankets come out, and the loons begin to call. Club-style lake life means everything is taken care of, so you can relax into what the weekend is really about: doing absolutely nothing, perfectly.

On The Water

Start your day with a canoe ride or a sunrise paddleboard session — your cottage comes stocked with lake toys, including a kayak, stand-up paddleboard, and Lily Pad for carefree hours on the water. For a scenic change of pace, book a vintage wooden boat cruise with Sunset Cruises out of Port Carling, or add some adrenaline with wakeboarding, tubing, or flyboarding from Summer Water Sports. Prefer something quiet? Local outfitter Muskoka Stay n’ Play offers guided fishing excursions in the early morning calm.

On Land

Afternoons are just as relaxed onshore. Enjoy the game area with shuffleboard and ping-pong, perfect for some friendly competition after lunch. When it’s time to unwind, step into the infrared sauna lined with Himalayan salt panels, or stretch out on the dock with a book and a breeze. Looking to explore? Hike the rugged granite of Huckleberry Rock Lookout or wander the shaded trails of Hardy Lake Provincial Park, then cool off with an ice cream in Port Carling or a quiet moment in one of the area’s art galleries.

Dockside Dining & Local Gems

For those nights you do venture out, Crossroads in Rosseau is a beloved favorite with upscale Canadian fare and a cozy, cabin-chic vibe. Start your morning with flaky butter tarts and cinnamon buns from Abbey’s Bakehouse, a charming spot housed in a 19th-century chapel in Minett. Or grab wood-fired pizzas from Pie Wood Fired Pizza Joint and take them back to the cottage for a casual dockside dinner.

Craft beer lovers should head to Clear Lake Brewing Co. in Torrance, where you can sample a tasting flight and catch live music in their beer garden. Prefer to stay in? Let your Concierge arrange grocery delivery from the Rosseau Farmers Market or bring in a private chef for a full dock-to-table dinner.

Small Town Strolling

Take a leisurely stroll through Muskoka’s charming lakeside towns. In Port Carling, browse indie shops like Red Canoe Gallery for Canadian art and The Muskoka Store for locally made cottage goods. Stop for a coffee at Oliver’s Coffee or treat yourself to Kawartha Dairy ice cream by the water. Nearby Gravenhurst and Bracebridge offer more boutiques, markets, and cozy cafés — perfect spots to soak up the easygoing Muskoka vibe.