The evolving family-friendly resorts of Ontario

Resorts in southern Ontario have seen their share of ups, downs, and everything in between. When new railway lines began carrying guests from Toronto to lakeside destinations across southern Ontario, lakefront resorts boomed. Then came the Great Depression, followed by highways, motor vehicles, and a post-war economic boom.

Trends changed, and the local tourism economy dipped with the emergence of private cabins, all-inclusive sun vacations and cruise holidays. Then came 9/11, the Great Recession, online home rentals, the pandemic, a U.S. trade war, and… whatever comes next. While there aren’t nearly as many traditional resorts as there used to be, those that remain have adapted, evolved and diversified, with a value proposition as alluring as ever: escape with the family, create meaningful memories, relax, get the kids off the screen, and enjoy the outdoor beauty of central Canada.

Along with my teenage daughter, I’ve set out to explore four unique properties, representing a small sample of the 90-plus members of Resorts of Ontario, a not-for-profit association that promotes resorts, lodges, cottage resorts, and country inns across the province. Read More: