The Best Rainy Weekend of My Summer: A Long Weekend on Beausoleil Island

I grew up in Muskoka. For a lot of people it’s the peak summer destination. For me, it’s home. As a local, it’s easy to take for granted how special this place is, or to forget to notice the changes in each season. Just a couple of days ago I was thinking about what a privilege it is to swim in these lakes and explore this diverse region. It’s a little wild to admit, but as a local I might only go swimming a handful of times a summer. That’s exactly why I was so excited to take a long weekend at Georgian Bay Islands National Park.

The park sits in the far corner of Muskoka and is overflowing with natural wonders, from the biodiversity in the ever-changing foliage to its rich cultural heritage and some of the best rock and storm watching I’ve found east of Tofino. There is also something extremely calming about how it’s away from the hustle and bustle of a the Muskoka cottage compounds. It instantly took me back to my childhood: canoe trips, watching the weather change, appreciating the storms, noticing the tiny creatures on the ground, and remembering we aren’t the only ones sharing this land.

The park sits in the world’s largest freshwater archipelago and holds thousands of years of Indigenous history. Its ecology ranges from dense deciduous forest to the granite outcrops of the Canadian Shield.

When I think of a Canadian summer, this is it.
It’s home to Ontario’s official bird, the loon. If you’ve ever heard a loon call, you know it’s beautiful, peaceful, and haunting all at once. And if you’re close enough to hear one, you’re probably somewhere special. Ontario’s official tree is the eastern white pine, the windswept Georgian Bay pine the Group of Seven made famous, and it grows right here.

Georgian Bay Islands National Park is a group of islands, reachable only by boat. Beausoleil Island is the one you’ll visit. Its name is French for “beautiful sun,” and the Anishinaabeg know it as Bimadinaagogi. It’s where the trails, beaches, campsites, cabins and oTENTiks are, and it’s what you’re booking when you reserve a stay in the park.

How you get there depends on how you’re visiting:

• Day trip: Book the Landmark Cruises shuttle from Honey Harbour. Note that the shuttle is for half-day visits only.
• Tent campers: Book your campsite on the Parks Canada website, then arrange your own private water taxi to the island.
• Cabin and oTENTik guests: Book on the Parks Canada website. Your reservation includes the boat ride over.

If you’re new to camping, the cabins and Otentiks are a great starting point. They’re a first step into the experience: you get the comfort of sleeping in a structure, but you still need to be self-sufficient. You’re on an island, so come prepared with everything you’ll need.

• Sleeping Bag & Pillows
• Camp Stove & Kitchen Supplies
• Food

Once you’re there, there’s no corner store to grab anything you’ve forgotten. After you’ve experienced the island, you’ll want to come back and try something new, whether that’s tent camping in the campground or heading out to the backcountry sites.

Just remember to respect the land. Leave no trace. There are bears, rattlesnakes, deer, poison ivy and plenty more out here, and that’s part of what makes it so amazing. It isn’t just us out here. Respect for everything that shares this land goes a long way.

Our long weekend started with a drive from Bracebridge to Honey Harbour Marina, where a Parks Canada boat picks you up and takes you across to Beausoleil Island. Our captain, shared some history about the channel we were travelling through, and told us when to hold on as we picked up speed. Wind in our hair. Peak summertime memories.

We were dropped at the docks and greeted by Parks Canada staff, who handed us our Otentik keys and a cart to shuttle our luggage to our home for the weekend. An Otentik is a perfect mix of tent and A-frame cabin, and it was exactly right for us. We were only there because we’d scored a last-minute reservation that opened up, most likely thanks to the forecast: a lot of rain.

We unpacked and made our way to the visitor centre to pick up bikes. Like I said, rain was coming, so we wanted to make the most of the sun while we had it. We got fitted for our rentals, took some recommendations from the staff, and set off for Honey Moon Bay. It was on my list of spots to scout for future backcountry trips. We rode a multi-use trail halfway there, then left the bikes and walked in the rest of the way on the Fairy Trail. Honey Moon Bay was a classic Lake Huron view: hot rocks, families swimming, campers set up in the designated backcountry sites. We had a dip, a snack, a nap on the hot rocks before heading back to return the bikes for the evening.

The next morning started with the sun on my face, a coffee in hand, and good conversation made even better by the surroundings. We sat out on rock smoothed over thousands, maybe millions, of years, looking out at Georgian Bay with the faint threat of rain adding to the drama. These are the moment I’ll hold onto as I look ahead into fall and winter.

On our agenda that day was the Indigenous cultural tour, led by Shawn Corbiere, the Beausoleil Island Indigenous liaison for Parks Canada. We walked the island with him. He’s a flint knapper and a storyteller, and he wove his own crafts into the afternoon. He even taught us to throw an atlatl, an ancient weapon that pre-dates the bow and arrow, that he carved himself. Shawn shared the history of the island through its people and its resources and experience and learnings. I would recommend to anyone visiting the island.

The storm rolled in just as we finished dinner. We ran for the Otentik, played cards, read our books, and fell asleep to the rain on the canvas roof, grateful for that raised floor and waterproof walls.

The next day we packed up and made our way home. What a perfect weekend. Beausoleil was a dream. It’s easy to picture a five-star hotel when you think of great service and hospitality, but Beausoleil is real. The staff were approachable and eager to teach you when you didn’t know something, and you could feel the respect they hold for the land, animals and plants. This is the place I’ll be thinking about all fall and winter. I can’t wait to go back.

If you go:

• Rent an Otentik. It’s the easiest way into island camping. You get walls and a real floor, and you still fall asleep to the sound of the bay.
• Rent a bike. The trails on the south end wind through hardwood forest, past granite outcrops, and along quiet bays. There’s something for casual riders and stronger cyclists alike. You can grab adult rentals at the Cedar Spring Campground Visitor Centre.
• Take part in the Indigenous programming. The guided programs go deep on the island’s Indigenous heritage, its plants and wildlife, and the geology of the Canadian Shield. It’s the best way I know to connect with the land and the stories it holds.
• Embrace the weather and come prepared. The rain made our trip; it didn’t ruin it. Pack for everything and bring what you need, because there’s no store once you’re on the island.
• Swim in Georgian Bay. Mind the water safety and don’t swim past your ability, then find a warm rock to dry of on.