If you are looking for some fun family time in the outdoors, get yourself on island time! Manitoulin Island time!
Let's go through the nitty gritty first.
How to get there
There are two ways to get to Manitoulin Island.
Drive
Take the Chi Cheemaun
1.We have always taken the Chi Cheemaun when we visited the Island. However, as you will by the end of this post, our most recent stay resulted in us taking the long drive home. Stay tuned.
The name Chi Cheemaun means "The Big Canoe". It is run by the Owen Sound Transportation Company and is closely associated with Georgian Bay.
The Chi Cheemaun leaves from Tobermory and arrives at South Baymouth on Manitoulin. There are daily departures from May to October. For more information you can check out the website:
Booking (or send us a message through Sunshine Adventure Travel)
You are able to bring your vehicle onboard, which is recommended as you will need this when you arrive on the Island. There is also a good restaurant onboard, bar, snacks and some information about the area and the boat. You can also enjoy the views from inside or out on the viewing deck. The schedule can be effected by the weather so always double check this before leaving. With that being said, Georgian Bay can pull up some rough waters, so be prepared for both a smooth and not so smooth crossing.
We know people who also take the Chi Cheemaun for a round trip ride and never depart. The trip is the ferry ride itself. Talk about an adventure date!
We also do recommend that you arrive early for your time slot. You can purchase a ticket but you want to make sure you get a spot in line for your car. When you arrive in Tobermory it is very well signed on where you need to go to get in line for the ferry. Get a spot in line then hop out and enjoy the boardwalk, marina, shops and restaurants in Tobermory before shipping out. Taking the Chi Cheemaun takes us about 5 hours from home to Island.
2.The other option is to drive. Now I do not know where you are driving from but for us this is a long haul. To drive on to the Island you will enter through Little Current, which is the other side of the Island from South Baymouth. Driving takes us about 7.5 hours. So depending on where you will be staying on the Island, and where you are starting from, driving may be the better option for you. You do go through some of Ontario's beautiful North country. You will see places like Barrie, Parry Sound and Sudbury. So if you wanted to add to your vacation you can always stop to see the Big Nickel! You know we did :)
Logistics
Manitoulin Island, also known as Mnidoo Mnising, is located in Lake Huron and is the largest freshwater island in the world. Manitoulin has plenty of hiking opportunities, accommodation's both roughing it and comfortable hotels, and lots of outdoor activities on its many lakes and rivers. You can enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, kayaking/canoeing, and more. The Island also offers cultural and historical sites and opportunities. Manitoulin is home to 6 Anishinaabe First Nations communities and provides the opportunity to learn the history and culture of these communities.
The Island is not what I would call luxury. It is very much a 'real life is happening, people live here, but you can also vacation here' Island. When I say there are comfortable hotels do not expect the Hilton. There are restaurants in most of the communities you will come across, but again do not expect luxury meals. Things are basic, but good. Manitoulin Island is where you go to escape the noise and bustle of mainland life. Things are slower there, truly back to the basics, back to nature. The roads are well maintained and you can drive from one end of the Island and back in a day. Add in a couple of hikes or stops to amaze at the coastal views and you have a full day trip.
At the beginning of this post I mentioned "getting yourself on Island time", this is a real thing. Do not expect things to run on time, once you get off the Chi Cheemaun (you should definitely be on time for that). Time moves slower on Manitoulin. Most places are run by families, so there is often one person in the back doing the cooking and someone else serving the tables. Just relax and enjoy the slower pace. With this being said the island can get busy in the higher tourist areas, such as popular hiking spots or viewpoints. So expect some of the same touristy crowds and what comes with that.
We have only been to Manitoulin in the summer. This is when most people are there for their cottages or camping. It is a great time to go. the Island is pretty north and on the lake so it can be cooler than further south, where we are. For packing, keep it simple. I bring shorts, t-shirts, workout type clothes and sweatpants, sweaters and coat. I also bring my Birks and hiking boots. Depending on how early or late in the summer I go I would also consider bringing hat and mitts. I may consider bringing a sundress for dinners out depending on who I was going with, but mostly I do not think this is necessary.
Our Most Recent Stay
Now onto the fun stuff!
On our last visit we stayed at Pirates Cove Cottages at Brookwood Brae Golf Course. These cottages are simple but have everything you need. We have stayed here with Jeff's family, so a total of 6 adults in one cabin.
The day we arrive on the Island we drive directly to the cottage and get settled in. Then we go out for supper wherever the group is going. This is a laid back supper with a beer then back to the cottage for bed.
Day 2: We do not set an alarm when on vacation. Although we have a built in alarm now with a 4 year old. We rise, make coffee and breakfast and prepare for our day. The cottages have a very small park with swings. So Audrey plays on those most days. I also enjoy taking my coffee across the street to sit by the water and watch the Island wake up. Then we head out! On our most recent visit we were privileged to be visiting during a scheduled Powwow. We spent the morning at this event and learned a lot about the Anishinaabe culture and practices. This was the first Powwow we had been to and we did not know what to expect. When we entered the event there were handouts providing information and tips for etiquette. At the start of the ceremony the speaker also went over the appropriate etiquette and what we could expect. We sat at the back and enjoyed the different dances, costumes, music and general easygoingness of the experience. Everyone was there to have a good time, in a safe and welcoming environment. We enjoyed a nice lunch and shopped the many vendors. In the afternoon we returned to the cottage where grandma was ready to spend the afternoon with Audrey and Jeff and I took off to hike the Cup and Saucer Trail.
Parking for the Cup and Saucer Trail is a little tricky. The trail head is just off the highway, where you will see plenty of cars parked along the shoulder. Do not do this. We did this and we received a ticket from a very nice, if not frustrated with tourists, police officer. This poor officer was handing out tickets to countless vehicles that ignored the no parking signs on the side of the road, (again we were one of them). When people returned to their cars they lined up to share their thoughts with him. You can imagine many were not kind. We approached the officer and apologized for not following the signs and went on our, disappointed and feeling very sorry for the office, just doing their job and the rudeness he had to put up with.
Once on the trail traffic does thin out. You will want a map or directions on your phone for this trail. We got turned around a few times and our hike ended up a bit longer than we had planned. We also met several people who were in similar situations who told us they had been going in circles and had yet to make it to the viewpoint. Dress appropriately and bring adequate food and water. It is not a full day hike by any means but the outdoors are unforgiving. The terrain is also not a leisurely stroll on flat ground, like we are used to in Southwestern Ontario. There are stairs, or just inclines up mountains with no railings, rock caves and steep drops. You will want to be paying attention to the nature and scenery around you but keep a close eye on the trail and watch your balance.
After our hike we returned to the cottage for a BBQ supper.
Day 3: Again we did not set an alarm and instead started our day slow and steady. Then we hit the road driving from Mindemoya to Gore Bay and back. Audrey fell asleep on the drive so most stops were quick, which wasn't too bad as most places were closed. We stopped at Janet Head Lighthouse for some quick pictures and saw some crazy kids enjoying the water.
Then we headed into the town of Gore Bay. We were hoping to visit Split Rail Brewing for a drink, but it was also closed. We did a short walk along the boardwalk in Gore Bay then started our drive back to Mindemoya. We had lunch this afternoon at a charming restaurant, Maja's Garden Bistro. This cute little restaurant had simple, healthy lunch items. The best part was that you eat in the backyard in the very garden that grows the food you are eating. While you wait for your meal, enjoy a wander through the garden, or play a game of giant chess. We would 10/10 recommend this stop.
After lunch we headed to Bridal Veil Falls in Kagawong. This was more fun than I was expecting. By now Audrey was up from her car nap and ready to explore. We took a short walk along the trail then headed to the falls. When we arrived at the falls, we saw most of the people in the water. We did not prepare for swimming, but that didn't stop us. Stripping Audrey down and teaching her to be in the moment we went into the water to play. Walking along the rocks to get to the other side and seeing the falls from the water was a highlight. To be better prepared for this adventure I highly recommend water shoes. The stones in the water are both slippery and pointy, very hard on our adult feet but did not seem to bother Audrey's toddler tootsies.
To end our day we walked across the road from the parking space for Bridal Veil Falls and had ice cream at Buttercup Ice Creamery. Do not miss this for a sweet treat after your adventure. The owner scooped our ice cream and was amazingly friendly chatting with us for a bit about how she ended up on Manitoulin and her story. We shared about growing up along Lake Huron. It was small town friendliness for sure! If ice cream is not your sweetness, no worries directly next door is a candy store that can hold its own! Nostalgic treats, sweet, sour and everything in between.
Final day: Over the course of the night Audrey spiked a wicked fever. We decided, due to the dreaded C-word, that we would not take the Chi Cheemaun back to Tobermory, we were going to drive. So the next morning we packed up the car, made sure we had lots of snacks and water and children's Tylenol and hit the road! We headed back across the Island to Little Current where we waited for the bridge to lower so we could cross back to the mainland. We made a pit stop in Sudbury to see the Big Nickle. This is also where I spent my first year of Uni, it was neat to see how much things had changed, but also how much I still remembered. The drive was rather uneventful, with Audrey, thankfully, sleeping most of the way. The drive is beautiful with rugged trees and rocks, changing to highway then flat farm fields. It was all full circle when we finally pulled into our driveway and back into real life time.
Must sees
Stop at the many farm house shops along your drive
Beaches
Rent boats, canoes, kayaks