I have just completed my sixth adventure with Red Orchid Travel in Barrie. These adventures…read moreinclude a tour of Morocco, a Clipper Ship sailing from Athens to Venice and a Christma Market Tour on the Rhine River. Rene Blokzyl arranged these trips and everything always went off without a hitch. She has organizational and communication skills. if you would like to travel with a group of women, try The Red Orchid Women's Travel Group. A supportive group of women who love to travel and make new friends.

Just went this Saturday with a few girls and everything was amazing! From start to finish! Our…read morecaptain was awesome! Friendly, so funny and knowledgeable! I've lived here my whole life and learned a few things so that was cool! Definitely a must do!

We had an incredible boat tour with Captain Dwayne! Such a beautiful area. Photos don't do it…read morejustice. Loved learning about the history of the islands and about the big cottages. My kids had a great boat ride, dancing to their favourite songs, looking through binoculars, and exploring islands. Can't wait to do it again.

This is the first Barrie stop through town, but if you want to see waterfront, wait for the next…read moreBarrie stop at Allendale. I generally found this stop without any live attendant. This is the stop after Newmarket...

Was visiting one motel down the street for the long weekend and couldn't be accommodated so we…read morefound ourselves at this delightful little retreat. Although long weekend made for prices to go up, I still would've rather preferred staying here than the other we had done so the last 3 times. This definitely brings light to the fact that you get what you pay for. Can't complain for anything as it was clean, had the basic essentials and a quaint balcony to look towards the sunset at the beach. They even have complementary free coffee in the office for those checking out or waking up early in the morning.

Close range to Toronto, top tier snow machines, great runs…read more This is where I choose to frequent my winter snowboard season, as it's close enough for a 1.5 hour drive to get on the slopes. Their snow making machines are the top notch ones, they really spent a pretty penny for this and their investment shows since there's hardly ever any icy runs, mainly snowy ones. They're quick to start their snow machines early for the season to ensure they have a perfect snow base for the rest of the season - this is why they're always busy, because people know they have good runs here! Purchase your lift tickets online rather than in person, since it's about $15 cheaper even on the day of. The bonus here is the beaver tail cart at the base of Moonstone that you can get your sweet treat at at the end of the day.

Level up on these slopes!…read more MSLM or Mt St. Louis Moonstone is where our family learned to ski and while it's an intermediate level hill, it does have some of the best snow conditions in Ontario. That's because MSLM features 36 slopes down two adjacent mountains, with plenty of snowmaking equipment and lifts. On the one hand, the slopes here can get packed with passholders depending on the time of week. However the slopes are generally wide and there are plenty of easy black diamond slopes to work your way down. These sometimes get icy and choppy after a long day but the slopes are usually well-groomed and you might find yourself skiing through the snow gun mist. On the positive, there are plenty of lifts including Ontario's first 8-seater chairlift equipped with heated seats and automatic safety bars. They also have lift gate entry RFID scans and cafeteria checkout for efficiency. There are moguls and two terrain parks, including a smaller one for beginners. One slope is colourfully lit. While the experience here isn't that of a sprawling ski village, you can tell the owners prided in the pure European skiing spirit. In the past decade MSLM added night skiing with plenty of lighting on over 20 slopes and we've always enjoyed this experience perhaps even more so than day skiing here due to the slightly smaller crowd. Note there tends to be many ski instructors and many demographics on the slopes due to the reputation for good snow conditions as outdoor recreation has boomed. A day here costs around double that of entry ski resorts. Location-wise, it is conveniently off of Hwy 400. Skip it or hit it? We'll be back again as it's one of the better options in Ontario.

Cozy Place! Great Service!…read more This is the second year in a row that I've stayed here - girls weekend getaway! We originally chose to stay here for the Spa package, location and room availability. We had a great experience during our first stay and decided to come back again this year. One of the key reasons we chose to stay here was for the Scandinave Spa package. Going to the spa was the main event of our trip. With this package, we got a spa entrance time slot (early afternoon) and avoided the waitlist upon arrival. We were also provided a comfy robe and water bottle through the Inn. Check In: Check in was seamless. We drove up to the main house (also where breakfast is served) and we were greeted once we walked in. Everyone was very friendly. We were able to check in right away. We got our spa bags, a map of the grounds and some general information (i.e. Wi-Fi, best/least gravel-y roads, etc). We were then showed/oriented to our room (which was located in another building) and the Inn's facilities. Room: We stayed in "Duntroon Croft". Previously, we stayed in "Ben Nevis Croft". Both similar. Cozy room with country cottage feel. We were a group of four and the room was a perfect size. The room was two-stories (loft and main floor). Loft had two twin beds and there was also a king bed on the main level of the room. There was a Jacuzzi tub in the room and also a shower. The room had a seating area in front of the TV, a fireplace, a mini fridge and a shared balcony. There was complimentary pop, popcorn and bubbly! There was also a communal area in the building, on the same floor as our room, with seating, games, DVDs, microwave, etc. Property: Beautiful views! Coming from the city, this was very refreshing. Grounds seemed well maintained. There was a saltwater swimming pool with seating and also a hot tub. We enjoyed using both. There were other amenities too, like a gym, but we didn't use them. We explored the grounds a bit - there were horses, reindeer, etc. - and more, that we didn't have a chance to see. Also, our building had two cute little dogs that were very friendly and sociable.   Location: Again, really beautiful views and scenery! Just as a heads up, some of the surrounding roads are gravel and it can get quite dark when driving at night. This didn't bother my group, but is just different if you are used to city roads which are well lit and paved. Also, our GPS got a little funny when getting close to the Inn but there's a noticeable sign when you pull up to the grounds - you won't miss it! It's about a 20-minute drive away from Blue Mountain Village (fun to explore and get dinner) and the Scandinave Spa. Food: Breakfast was included and very yummy! I believe breakfast was 0800-1000. Each morning there was a buffet set up with a fruit platter, yogurt, pastries, etc. One morning, we had omelettes (delicious) which were made for us once we arrived for breakfast. Another morning was more of a buffet style with sausage, scrambled eggs and thick French toast set out! There was coffee on the tables too. Everyone was very friendly - we were greeted right away, offered juice, checked in on, etc. Very accommodating and felt homey. No other meals were provided for us so we brought some snacks and ate out in Blue Mountain Village and Collingwood. Wi-Fi: Included! Just as a heads up, I lost service when pulling up to the Inn and rarely got service during my stay. Not a big deal for me and again, there was Wi-Fi. Overall, very enjoyable experience. Very homey, intimate and country feel. Very calm, quiet and not overcrowded. Opposite from the busy city vibes that I'm used to, which some may or may not like depending on what you are looking for (I personally loved it for this reason). Yummy breakfast included. Great getaway for a group of friends - I also think it would be great for couples too!

People working in this Country Inn are very friendly. My mom and I enjoyed the stay there very…read moremuch. We walked around the farm within the Country Inn property. There are a very gentlemen-like rooster, chickens, Iceland horses and ring deers. There is a wood-burning fire place in the guest room. The room decoration is just a simple country style. There was nothing too fancy. There are 8 guest rooms in the property we were staying as per information provided by Linda who is the owner of this country inn. She was so nice showing us 3 other guest rooms in another property just located 3 minutes walk away. These 3 guest rooms are all gorgeously decorated with in-room Jacuzzi bath tubs. Clare who came from southern part of France cooked us a very full and delicious breakfast with lots of freshly cut fruits, bread and pastries, French toasts, bacons and boiled eggs, etc. The complimentary bottle waters, pops and sparkling wine made us feel so welcoming! The Inn has a small DVD library. Room guests can borrow DVD movies to play in the bedroom. The phone reception was bad around the area. However, the free wifi and free fixed line phone calls solved the issue. Linda said that her hubby is going to install a satellite on the roof to improve the phone reception. We booked a spa package. Therefore, we were given a bathrobe and a bottle of water each for our day spa at Scandinave Spa. One downside of this Country Inn is that it is located outside of Blue Mountain. It was a 30 minutes drive from Petty River Valley Country Inn to Scandinave Spa and Blue Mountain Village. I drove all the way in the dark, and really dark, at night after dinner returning to the Inn. However, it was a different and good experience other than staying at a modern hotel!

I had the opportunity to ski at this private ski resort in Collingwood. It's a VIP place with a…read moremembership cost. The convenience is the lot isn't as massive but I can see people store their skis patrons don't need to lug their gear in for the season. It's definitely one of the few experiences where you just show up and ski. There are ample of tables and space and changing areas. The upper area there's cafeteria style food , prices actually quite good for slope side dining. In the evening (I THINK) members get complimentary alcoholic beverages. The overall ski condition was quite good- but it's because a few factors. - the mountain had no line up ( which was strange because the inside was packed with bodies). - the capacity was low I mean I waited in queue for maybe two or three groups to board before I got on. So the hills were not over run to the point it's the icy base. But there were some icy spots- which is Canadian conditions. - the interior change area and cubby were nice, with washrooms on all levels - key benefit for newbie skiers who struggle with boots. - there were no vape, weed or cigarette smoke in the area- probably a private club thing to ensure fresh air for all patrons. - there were no wild kids running or being ridiculous- I mean there were many kids, it might just be the culture of things. - parents came out with the babies even though they weren't skiing. -staff came by to clear trays - wow It was an overall very positive experience, I will have to rethink my ikon pass holding.

My husband and I stayed at Georgian Bay Park for 9 nights in September. The park is immaculate, the…read morewashrooms and showers are new and clean. I found the owner very approachable and friendly. Also contacted the Camp host and he was very helpful. I would stay here again definitely. Situated in a beautiful area of a beach resort community and close to Barrie, Collingwood and other major centers as well.

My family and I were there for 4 nights and we had an amazing time. We chose to RV this trip and…read morethe sites were beautiful, they included electricity, water, and sewage. The owner Don would drive by the sites every day and make sure everything was okay. Along with Don, the staff there is very friendly and always willing to help! Beautiful trails and scenery along with a watchtower looking over the water. If I could rate this park 6 stars I would, highly recommend for you and your family.