This trip idea was thanks to Jose. We were thinking of where to go for summer vacation. He found Muskoka County on National Geographic. We flew to Toronto (July 2013) and had a delay because of rain, thunder and lightning. They wouldn't unload the baggage until the storm passed. We spent a while in baggage claim before heading out on our drive to Huntsville. With all the summer storms and rainfall, the landscape was green! So many barns/ agriculture as we drove. We arrived to Deerhurst Resort after dark so we relaxed and went to bed. Excited to wake in the morning to enjoy the beautiful property and all the water right outside our door. Below are pictures taken right outside our door. It wasn't a fancy resort but worth being right at the lake.
Our first day- kayaking on the lake. Some mishaps...
There was a huge lake activity area. We were required to wear life jackets.
It was fun to "play" with our kids!
We dried off and wandered the property to get lunch. Great views and wonderful weather!
We order a Canadian classic dish- Poutine. It's french fries topped with cheese curds and a light brown gravy-like sauce. Sounded so gross on menu (I don't care for gravy).
We had to try it...and no wonder it's a classic- it was yummy.
There was a family of ducklings on the property. Each day they would wander up to rooms. We got some crackers so they would stay a little longer. So much fun. This is our best video- that's ME filming and screaming. The seagulls were a little aggressive- hahaha:)
Rock Buggy Ride- This was the best event of our trip!
You can see the struts/ suspension on those buggys- the cab moved so much (as seen in the video). It was a guide-led tour. Jose and I drove and the kids were our passengers. At some points in the tour, I felt like we were on a roller coaster. We would be at the top of a rock formation ready to drive down. At the steep incline, I didn't have a clear sight of the path until I started driving down. Pretty scary! It was exhilarating and somewhat terrifying at times for the passenger (Ryan having mom drive).
Hunters Bay Trail-
A hike is one of our family's favorite activities- head out to enjoy the surroundings and each others' company. We found a cute market and got items for a picnic. The trail was about 4 miles. The trail ran along a lake...so green! The end of the trail was a floating bridge. The "bridge" had water on both sides. I think we only saw two other people the entire time we were on the trail/ bridge.
We enjoyed our lunch then swam. We spent a bit of time playing there. The water was a little chilly. We dried off, packed up and enjoyed the 4 miles back to the car.
Dinner then back to resort for the "decades" show. It was entertaining and we laughed a ton. The show was similar to entertainment on a cruise ship. The cast performs the same show several times a week. They performed songs from several decades past. It was fun to sing along!
Downtown Huntsville for lunch
An employee at the resort recommended we travel to Burks Falls to see the Screaming Heads exhibit. The artist was a college professor of hers. It was a rather interesting visit- kind of creepy. There was no one else there! It was a large expanse of property in the middle of nowhere. Tons of mosquitos and lots of bites- we didn't prepare with repellant.
Jose and I decided to go on a romantic canoe ride at sunset. The kids walked out with us to take these pictures. We had brought with us a bottle of wine, cheese, crackers and grapes. Just after we were out on the middle of the lake, I turned around to face Jose in the canoe. Not being familiar with canoes, I stood up and tipped us over! We were fully dressed- not expecting to be in the water. In the water, we scrambled to gather all the food and wine that went overboard with us. We couldn't get the canoe turned right side up so we chose to abandon the canoe and swim to the boat dock. We were laughing so much as we were swimming. A guy that was getting into his boat was all concerned we were injured. It was so embarrassing! We sat on dock and wrung out our clothes and walked back to the room. Our kids were surprised when we returned all wet. It still is a great story to recall and laugh about. Not so romantic but a fun time together.
Tree Top Trekking
This was the coldest morning here...my jacket was still drying from canoe mishap the evening prior! This was a ropes course with a few zip lines. Great way to enjoy the beauty of the forest. This day was physically and emotionally demanding. Some of the courses were so tricky- so much concentration to get across. A great adventure!
The grand finale of the course- the Tarzan swing. I was terrified!
Our last evening, we rented a boat to ski and tour the lake to see all the beautiful houses.
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