My husband and I try to sneak away, without the kids, every August to celebrate our wedding anniversary. On one of these getaways we headed to the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula to the town of Tobermory, Ontario, 300 kms northwest of Toronto. It’s a small harbour town with quaint shops, art galleries, pubs and restaurants surrounded by some unique outdoor recreation opportunities.
You can hike or bike part of the 700 km Bruce Trail, take in the views from the top of the Niagara Escarpment or play in the crystal clear blue waters known as the freshwater scuba capital of the world.
It’s a very busy spot in July and August so if you plan to visit in the summer, you will need to book in advance, especially if you require overnight accommodations or plan to visit the Tobermory Grotto. To help preserve the Grotto and prevent overcrowding, visitors are now required to pre-purchase a parking pass for a specific 4 hour time slot to help ease congestion.
We arrived on a Friday afternoon and stayed at a bed and breakfast for 2 nights. That afternoon we strolled along the boardwalk visiting some of the shops and ate dinner at one of the local restaurants then climbed the Visitor Centre Tower to take in the views before heading back to the B&B for the night.
On Saturday we met up with the husband wife team of Zane and Muffy from Explorer’s Tread (A four season outdoor adventure guiding company specializing in trekking, paddling and biking) and spent the day on a private kayak tour around Lion’s Head with lunch before hitting the trails for an an afternoon mountain bike ride.
On our final day, Sunday, we spent the morning at the Grotto and in the afternoon, we booked a glass bottom boat tour to Flowerpot Island. On the way, the boat makes a stop to see a few of the shipwrecks before dropping you off on the island for a few hour visit.
We couldn’t possibly see and do everything that we would have liked to with only 2 days time, so we agreed on a few must do activities that were unique to the area that we couldn’t do back home.
Friday: Big Tub Harbour and Bruce Peninsula National Park
Big Tub Harbour where we walked around Friday afternoon on the boardwalk, exploring the shops and picking up a few snacks at the grocery store. You can’t miss the MS Chi-Cheemaun Ferry that crosses Devils Gap to and from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island. Chi-Cheemaun means “big canoe” in Ojibwe and it lives up to it’s name by carrying transport trucks in addition to regular passenger vehicles. The Bruce Peninsula National Park has a Visitors Centre with a 65 foot lookout tower that we climbed just before sunset with beautiful views of Georgian Bay.
Saturday: A Private Lion’s Head Guided Kayak and Mountain Bike Tour
A great shot of Zane adjusting our kayaks before heading out on the water at Lions Head. Photo Credit: Muffy from Explorers Tread
Explorers Tread provided us with kayaks, paddles and life jackets which meant that we didn’t have to worry about bringing ours with us for the weekend. Photo Credit: Muffy from Explorers Tread
After our morning kayak tour, a freshly cooked lunch was waiting for us on the shore with a nice glass of wine for me and cold beer for Joe. Photo Credit: Muffy from Explorers Tread.
On the final part of our private tour, Zane led us on an afternoon mountain bike ride through the local trails so we didn’t have to worry about getting lost. I’m not an avid mountain biker so I had to keep reminding myself to look up so that I could enjoy the beautiful scenery instead of just looking at the ground to navigate where I was going. Photo Credit: Muffy from Explorers Tread.
We recommend hiring private guides or joining a small group guided tour in the area that you are visiting to get the most out of your visit.
Sunday: The Tobermory Grotto and Flowerpot Island
If you are planning to visit the Grotto, I suggest purchasing your 4-hour parking pass for a time slot in the morning. There are 2 walking trails to get to the Grotto from the parking lot. The Georgian Bay Trail takes about 30 minutes (each way) on a wide, fairly level pathway. We chose the Marr Lake Trail which is about an hour (each way) through a more natural and hilly trail that rewards you with a beautiful lookout. This trail was a bit more difficult but the view from the top was worth it! There is a small scenic inlet with a white boulder beach (Indian Cove Head) close to the Grotto. And this is the famous Tobermory Grotto – a shoreline sea cave with beautiful blue, cold and clear water. You enter the Grotto area by either climbing through the “Chimney Hole” (a hole in the ground with a vertical tunnel) or climb down the rock cliff wall. There is a nice little spot to swim and sunbath. Although the beautiful colour of the water looks inviting (like something you would find in the Caribbean) it’s very cold and not too many people were swimming when we were there. In the afternoon we booked a Flowerpot Island tour on Blue Anchor Cruises in a glass bottom boat. On the way to Flowerpot Island we passed by the Big Tub Lighthouse which was originally built in 1885. About 5 minutes into our boat ride, we visited the Fathom Five National Marine Park and were able to view two 19th century shipwrecks, The Sweepstakes and The City of Grand Rapids, resting just a few feet below the surface. We were dropped off at the dock on Flowerpot Island, famous for its natural “flowerpot” rock pillars, caves, historic light station and rare plants. We spent a few hours walking around and exploring the island. One of the walking paths on Flowerpot island. The famous sea stacks known as the flowerpots, formed over many years as wind, rain, waves and ice hammered away at the cliff that once stood alongside the water’s edge. The softer rock eroded more quickly, leaving the harder rock remaining in the shape of these flowerpots.
We drove home after dinner on Sunday night talking about how we would like to go back and spend more time hiking the Bruce Trail. Tobermory, Ontario was the perfect choice for a couples-only getaway but it’s also a very family-friendly destination and I could also see myself bringing a group of friends here for a girlfriend getaway.
What other suggestions do you have for “things to do in Tobermory” for when we go back? Please share in the comments section below.
