Editor's Message
One of the best parts of my job is getting out to see our member resorts in person.
Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to visit many of our properties, including several that have recently joined Resorts of Ontario. Every visit has given me a chance to see something different: a new approach to hospitality, a thoughtful renovation, a memorable meal, a beautiful setting or simply a team that takes genuine pride in looking after its guests.
What has struck me most is how consistently that sense of hospitality comes through.
Our members are wonderfully diverse. Some have been welcoming families for generations; others are newer properties bringing a fresh perspective to the Ontario getaway. Yet there is a common thread. People care about the experience they are creating for their guests.
That spirit has been part of Resorts of Ontario from the beginning. Founded in 1942, the association has spent more than eight decades supporting the people and properties that make Ontario’s resort industry so distinctive. Hospitality has changed considerably over those years, but the fundamentals have remained remarkably constant: making people feel welcome, creating memories, and giving guests a reason to return.
This issue of Great Escapes is another opportunity to introduce you to some of those people and places. I hope you’ll discover a few familiar favourites along the way, as well as some new reasons to explore.
And perhaps that is one of the nicest things about travelling around our province: there is always another resort to discover, another host to meet, and another welcome waiting for you.
Kerri Sass
Executive Director, Resorts of Ontario
kerri@resortsofontario.com
Features
A Culinary Stay on Lake Joseph
Enjoy a weekend of food and wine at historic Sherwood Inn
Century-old white pines, 2,500 feet of pristine shoreline, and a multi-award-winning wine cellar make Sherwood Inn a classic Muskoka retreat, where quiet elegance is found in the details.
Caution: Unwinding Ahead
Relaxation is the goal at Ste. Anne's Spa
Set on 500 acres of rolling countryside, with historic stone buildings, peaceful gardens, and an all-inclusive approach to wellness, Ste. Anne’s Spa offers a restorative retreat where the luxury is in slowing down.
Let The Games Begin
Year-round activities at Fern Resort make it easy to create your own Olympic-style games
Nearly two kilometres of Lake Couchiching shoreline, a long tradition of family hospitality, and activities for every season make Fern Resort a classic Ontario getaway, where there is always fun something to do.
Features
A Culinary Stay on Lake Joseph
Enjoy a weekend of food and wine at historic Sherwood Inn
Century-old white pines, 2,500 feet of pristine shoreline, and a multi-award-winning wine cellar make Sherwood Inn a classic Muskoka retreat, where quiet elegance is found in the details.
Caution: Unwinding Ahead
Relaxation is the goal at Ste. Anne's Spa
Set on 500 acres of rolling countryside, with historic stone buildings, peaceful gardens, and an all-inclusive approach to wellness, Ste. Anne’s Spa offers a restorative retreat where the luxury is in slowing down.
Let The Games Begin
Year-round activities at Fern Resort make it easy to create your own Olympic-style games
Nearly two kilometres of Lake Couchiching shoreline, a long tradition of family hospitality, and activities for every season make Fern Resort a classic Ontario getaway, where there is always something fun to do.
The Art of Getting Cozy
Crackling fireplaces, quiet cabins, hearty meals, and views of snow-covered lakes make Ontario resorts particularly inviting in winter, when staying in can be every bit as appealing as heading outdoors.
Seasons of Celebrations
From Thanksgiving weekends and festive holiday gatherings to New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and March Break, Ontario resorts turn the colder months into a season of traditions, getaways, and reasons to gather.
The Rise of Wellness Travel in Ontario
Hydrotherapy circuits, destination spas, restorative treatments, and nature-based retreats are changing the way we think about getting away, as wellness becomes an increasingly important part of the Ontario resort experience.
Chasing Fall on the Trent-Severn Waterway
Brilliant forests, historic locks, waterfront towns, and lakeside resorts line the Trent-Severn Waterway, creating a spectacular route for following fall colour as it moves across central Ontario.
8 Ways to Enjoy Winter at Ontario Resorts
Snow-covered trails, frozen lakes, outdoor skating, fireside meals, and plenty of ways to warm up afterward make Ontario resorts an ideal base for embracing winter rather than escaping it.
A Guide to Winter Fishing at Ontario Resorts
From perch and walleye to northern pike, whitefish, and lake trout, Ontario’s frozen lakes offer rewarding winter fishing, with lakeside resorts providing a comfortable base close to the action.
An Analog Winter
Trade screens for snowy trails, board games and unhurried family time. At Ontario resorts, an analog winter can mean skating, sledding, swimming, sharing meals and settling in together after a day of adventure.
A Winter Getaway To Match Your Mood
Whether you’re craving quiet time by the fire, a weekend built around good food and wine, or fresh air and winter activity, Ontario resorts offer a getaway to suit the mood.
Missed an issue of Great Escapes?
Great Escapes Magazine is a publication of Resorts of Ontario, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the resorts, lodges and inns of Ontario's tourism industry.
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Cover image featuring Pillar and Post Hotel and Spa
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