Collingwood & Blue Mountain

A four-season getaway on the south shore of Georgian Bay, close to Ontario's largest ski resort at Blue Mountain, a Nordic spa, escarpment caves and Wasaga Beach, the world's longest freshwater beach.

Collingwood and Blue Mountain sit on Nottawasaga Bay on the south shore of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada, about 150 km (roughly a 2-hour drive) from Toronto, and are Torontonians' favorite four-season getaway. Here the Niagara Escarpment (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) rises to form Blue Mountain, and Ontario's largest ski area, Blue Mountain Resort, along with the Village at Blue Mountain at its base, is built on the escarpment slopes. A visit breaks down into four parts: first, Blue Mountain Resort and its village, with skiing in winter and a mountain coaster and scenic gondola in summer, plus a Nordic spa nearby and the Scenic Caves atop the escarpment; second, the town of Collingwood, with its red-brick historic main street, landmark harbour grain elevators and Sunset Point Park; third, Wasaga Beach, about 20 minutes' drive east, the world's longest freshwater beach; and fourth, Beaver Valley and Thornbury to the southwest, where Old Baldy, Eugenia Falls and the Bruce Trail are popular fall-color hikes, and the Georgian Trail along the shore is great for cycling. Winters (December–March) bring plenty of snow and the ski season; July–August is warm enough for swimming at the beach; fall colors are best in early to mid-October. Public transit is limited, so driving is strongly recommended, with snow tires in winter; on winter weekends, ski buses run to and from Toronto. Plan on 2–3 days: one at Blue Mountain (skiing or mountain activities plus the spa), one for the Scenic Caves, Old Baldy and Thornbury, and in summer an extra day at Wasaga Beach. Accommodation is tight and pricey during ski season and on summer weekends, so book ahead.

Top sights

• Blue Mountain Resort – Ontario's largest ski resort, with more than 40 runs on the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Georgian Bay. In summer there are mountain coast…
• Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain – An outdoor Nordic spa set in the forest, with alternating hot and cold baths, saunas and steam rooms. Hot pools in the snow are a signature…
• Scenic Caves Nature Adventures – Caves and a 128-metre suspension bridge atop the escarpment. Squeeze through limestone crevices and take in panoramic views over Georgian B…
• Wasaga Beach – About 14 km of sand along the eastern shore of Nottawasaga Bay, said to be the world's longest freshwater beach. The shallow, gentle water…
• Village at Blue Mountain – A pedestrian resort village at the foot of Blue Mountain, where colorful wooden buildings house hotels, restaurants, bars and outdoor gear…
• Thornbury Harbour – A small harbor town where the Beaver River meets the bay, with yachts, a lighthouse and a fish ladder, plus refined restaurants and boutiqu…
• Bruce Trail (Blue Mountains Section) – Canada's oldest and longest marked hiking trail runs along the Niagara Escarpment through the Blue Mountains. The Pretty River Valley secti…
• Collingwood Harbour & Sunset Point Park – A lakeside harbor of a former shipbuilding port, where the landmark grain elevator and Inuksuk stones overlook Georgian Bay sunsets. It is…
• Downtown Collingwood – A main street lined with well-preserved 19th-century red-brick buildings, filled with independent shops, restaurants and craft breweries, w…
• Georgian Trail – A 34-km flat lakeside greenway built on an old railway line, connecting Collingwood, the area near Blue Mountain Village and Meaford. Ideal…
• Eugenia Falls – A waterfall where the Beaver River drops about 30 meters into a gorge, with the Bruce Trail along both canyon rims and vivid autumn foliage.
• Old Baldy Conservation Area – A viewpoint on the cliff top east of Beaver Valley overlooking the entire valley, and one of Ontario's most popular autumn-foliage hiking s…
• Craigleith Provincial Park – A small provincial park on the Georgian Bay shore, where flat shale beds hold fossils such as trilobites from about 450 million years ago.
• Nancy Island Historic Site – A small island formed from the wreck of the schooner Nancy, sunk during the War of 1812. Its museum tells the story of the Great Lakes camp…

Where to eat

• Tesoro Italian Restaurant – Known as Collingwood's most popular Italian restaurant, famed for handmade pasta and pizza, with a patio in the downtow…
• The Alphorn Restaurant – A Swiss-style restaurant on Highway 26 that has been run for more than forty years; schnitzel and fondue are classic ch…
• Northwinds Brewhouse – The flagship pub of a local Collingwood craft brewery, serving house-brewed beer alongside a seasonal menu of well-exec…

Itineraries

• Georgian Bay Ferry Loop – Depart from Toronto to loop around Georgian Bay, visiting the Bruce Peninsula, Manitoulin Island, and the 30,000 Island…