Come the May long weekend, the 401 North to Barrie and Highway 11 are a congested, stop-and-go mess; a tangle of tired, weary weekend travellers hoping for a brief escape from the city. They cram their vehicles with kids, pets, suitcases, coolers and lawn chairs in search of a few short hours of sand and sun in the Muskokas.
"Bruce County is Ontario's New Frontier..."
Tired of paying exorbitant cottage rental rates and fighting traffic, many summer vacationers are discovering another tranquil retreat in the North: Bruce County and Owen Sound. Bordered on either side by Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, the Bruce Peninsula juts out to Tobermory, home of the Fathom Five National Marine Park, the Chi-Cheemaun ferry and world-renowned old-fashioned confectionary, The Sweet Shop.
Murray Elston, CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Association in Kincardine, has this to say of the area: "Bruce County is Ontario's new frontier. While clearly part of the southwestern Ontario economy, Bruce County has room for business to grow and prosper. It offers the history of the Great Lakes, the future of energy, and an idyllic setting for those who appreciate the great outdoors."
Exploring the Bruce- Hiking, Biking and the Top Ontario Beach
Once here, the possibilities are endless. Bruce County is home to the Niagara Escarpment, designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1990. The focus on conservation and environmental preservation is evident, with lush forest complementing jutting rock faces and pristine harbours at every turn.
The largest city center to Bruce County is Owen Sound, just over the border in the county of Grey. The Bruce Peninsula and Owen Sound have a variety of activities to offer family or adventure travellers, including:
- Cycling adventures, on and offroad in Bruce County and Owen Sound (with new bicycle lanes)
- Hiking over trails through caves, forest, bluffs and more
- River or lake canoeing or kayaking
- Diving in the scuba capital of Canada, amid historic wrecks and a below-surface continuum of the escarpment
- Rock to sand beaches, including an 11km stretch of gold sand ranked the #1 beach in Ontario, in Sauble Beach (http://www.explorethebruce.com/docs/explore-the-bruce-2008-1.pdf, pg 9)
- Two national and three provincial parks
- Amazing birding opportunities, including the Huron Fringe Birding Festival in late May
- Flora and fauna consisting of over 1,500 different plant species
- Fishing, with boat rentals, charters and derbies
- A variety of ferry and dinner cruise options all the way up the peninsula
Bruce County's Adventure Passport Contest
Bruce County sponsors a unique contest that has rapidly gained popularity since its inception in 2005. Visitors and locals download "passports" and have them stamped in each of the scavenger hunt locations. With over $12,000 in prizes, the Explore the Bruce Contest is fun and rewarding for families on vacation.
Participants follow clues that could lead them anywhere from the South Bruce and Kincardine area, into Sauble Beach, all the way to Lion's Head and beyond, to the Fathom Five Marine Park.
Ontario Cottage Rental and More in Bruce County and Owen Sound
The Bruce Peninsula and Owen Sound are home to numerous bed and breakfasts, hotels, motels, lodges, resorts, and private cottages. There are literally thousands of options to choose from, depending on the traveller's needs and budget. Book in advance, especially on long weekends or during July and August.
RentCottage.com is a comprehensive cottage listing service, and Owen Sound's newspaper, The Sun Times, offers classified rental listings online. Listings Canada links to many motels and lodges in Sauble Beach, Bruce County and Owen Sound.
Wherever a travelling soul and their family choose to stay, a few things are bound to happen. They will have fun. They will have a chance to relax, without spending six hours in mind numbing traffic first. And finally (and perhaps best of all), the trip won't blow their budget.
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