Blue Mountain Resort is perfect for an Ontario family getaway.
Despite residing in the Toronto area for more than 20 years, I have never had the opportunity to visit the popular recreational area of Collingwood on the shores of Georgian Bay north-west of the city. After a recent stay at Blue Mountain, I now know just what I have been missing.
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Located just outside the town of Collingwood, Blue Mountain is Ontario’s largest mountain village resort with a fabulous location between the Niagara Escarpment and the shores of Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay. Blue Mountain was founded as a ski resort in 1941 but over the last few years has evolved into a four season resort that is ideal for family getaways.
The resort is a mere 90 minute or so drive north of the Greater Toronto Area but a world removed from big city life. The resort appeals to families who are outdoor enthusiasts and want to participate in a range of adventures from the soft to the extreme as well as those that want to simply relax and enjoy the slower pace of life and commune with nature.
My 9 year-old daughter and I headed to Collingwood as soon as her last day of school for the year wrapped up. It should have been a 2 hour drive from our home in Oakville but due to a number of navigational errors (I’m a pro at getting lost), we didn’t arrive until early in the evening on Wednesday for a 2 night stay.
We dropped our bags in our fabulous suite at Westin Trillium House and headed out to explore the Village before dark. Charmed by what we saw, we could not wait for the following morning and the official start of our Blue Mountain experience.
Check current rates and read reviews for Westin Trillium House Blue Mountain on TripAdvisor
Accommodations at Blue Mountain Resort
Guests at Blue Mountain have a variety of affordable accommodation options to select from year-round ranging from hotel rooms or suites to condominium rentals. All told the resort can accommodate more than 2,000 guests on a nightly basis.
We stayed at the Westin Trillium House which looks like a grand lakeside cottage from another era. Our spacious 2 bedroom suite included a full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, a gas fireplace and a balcony with a lovely view of the mountain.
Emma was thrilled to have her very own bedroom and since her sister wasn’t along on this trip she had first choice of rooms as well. Condo rentals and suites such as ours are perfect for visiting families who will appreciate the extra room to spread out in as well as the ability to reduce expenses by preparing some meals in their suite.
Our suite was awesome but more than anything else we loved being able to exit at the back of the resort onto the boardwalk alongside Mill Pond and take a leisurely stroll toward the Village while pausing to watch the frogs and listen to the birds. I never would have imagined that my daughter (who can be a bit of a princess) would have the slightest interest in frogs and tadpoles but we could not walk past that pond once without stopping to have a good look. Simple pleasures such as these are one of the benefits that families escaping the city will appreciate the most at Blue Mountain.
Activities at Blue Mountain Resort
I have always thought of Blue Mountain as a winter destination, however, I discovered during our visit that a variety of activities both on and off-site are now available year-round. There is now such a lengthy list of things to do that a family can easily keep occupied for several days without fear of anyone announcing that they are bored.
We had a great time hiking nature trails, exploring caves and playing at Scenic Caves Nature Adventures and Emma couldn’t get enough of Plunge! Aquatic Centre with its indoor/outdoor pool, slides and rope swing.
The resort also has both high and low ropes courses for various skill levels and age groups, the exciting Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster, Cascade Putting Course which is perfect for families, and an open-air gondola which provides a spectacular view over the resort area as well as an easy ride up the mountain.
Mountain biking, golf, ziplining and Segway tours are just a few of the other activities available at Blue Mountain. There’s even a playground near Mill Pond that will appeal to families with smaller children.
Blue Mountain Village
The Village is the place to head at Blue Mountain for dining, shopping, entertainment, or just hanging out. We had a delicious dinner at Firehall Pizza Co. the night we arrived followed by ice cream at Hatley Scoops and returned several times over the course of our 2 day stay to eat, browse the shops or pick up a latte at Starbucks.
The pedestrian village is perfect for families as older kids can be given a bit of freedom and younger kids can run off a little steam without parents having to watch for vehicles.
Weekends are festival time in Blue Mountain Village and we witnessed the stage being set for Salsa at Blue but sadly had to leave for home before the celebration got underway. Families may wish to check the Events Schedule ahead of time to plan for their visit.
The last few weeks of this school year had been particularly busy and our stay at Blue Mountain Resort was the perfect way to celebrate and to kick off our summer holidays in grand style. Before we had even left the resort, Emma was asking me when we could return – when that happens you know that you have found the perfect family getaway.
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Thank you to Blue Mountain Resort for inviting us to experience all that they have to offer families.
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Rob Bruce
Great post Lisa. Wish I could take my five munchkins and visit this place, they would love it. I think our next family trip will be to the lakes in Arkansas. They are crystal clear, and perfect for water skiing.
Take care,
Rob
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Rob! I’m sure your family would love Blue Mountain – it’s nice when larger families don’t have to try and squeeze into small hotel rooms and you would love all the outdoor activities as well. Have fun on your Arkansas trip!
Ann
This looks like a great place for a family reunion. Thanks for tips!
Jackie Smith
Had never heard of this before your post. Thanks for the information and photos; I’ll keep this one for future reference!
Lisa Goodmurphy
It would be a fabulous resort to hold a family reunion – both accommodations and activities to suit everybody!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Jackie! It’s a great choice for anyone who is visiting the Toronto area and would like to get out of the city and spend some time in the natural areas that Canada is famous for!
Sophie
I’ve never really thought of Ontario as a skiing destination; seems Western Canada gets all the attention in that department. But I suppose all of Canada is a skiing destination, really, just like all of Norway. 🙂
Mishele
Great information! My family would like to travel across the U.S. next summer and this seems like a great place to rest for a few days. Thanks for all of the detailed information.
Lauranelson101@gmail.com
Great blog Lisa! We’ve been to Blue more times than I can count. It is a great place and you’ve captured it very well with all your pics and comments.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Well, Ontario’s mountains don’t compare to the Rockies but they’re a lot easier and less expensive for families in Central Canada to get to. Like Norway, we do a lot of cross-country skiing here as well.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Mishele! You’ll have to cross the border into Canada in order to enjoy Blue Mountain but it is the perfect place to spend a few days!
Tonya {The Traveling Praters}
Caves and nature trails, sounds like the perfect resort. I couldn’t believe how large your suite looked! Large rooms are a must for my family- we need to spread out and have our own space.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thank you, Laura! Now that I’ve been, I understand why families go back to Blue Mountain again and again!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Tonya, it was huge – there may or may not have been some squealing when we walked in! 😉
noel
looks like a wonderful place for family getaways and discoveries, thanks for sharing them
Nancie
I’ve heard of Blue Mountain Resort, but have never been there. It looks lovely!
budget jan
No wonder Emma could not get enough of the plunge aquatic – it looks fantastic.
Muza-chan
You’re right, a perfect place 🙂
Salika Jay
I haven’t heard of this place but it looks really beautiful. Looks like kids have some activities to be occupied as well. Beautiful photos too, Lisa!
Lisa Wood
GOSH that looks divine, especially love the look of that pool 🙂
We have the “Blue Mountains” here in NSW but its a place to visit for bush walking, its not actually a Resort.
Staying somewhere as a family would be ideal after being so busy with school/family life.
Sounds like it was just what you all needed, and yep when kids are asking when can they go back you kinda know they had a great time 🙂
Elena
Looks like a perfect place for a week or weekend retreat! From the hiking to that pool (and I kind of really adore those colorful adirondack chairs!)
Average Traveller
Wow that looks amazing! We’ve been meaning to visit Toronto for the last 10 years but haven’t made it yet. I’m sure if I show Mrs A|T some of these pictures it will help to move things along!
Marisol@TravelingSolemates
Hi Lisa, I love mountain reorts and Blue Mountain looks lovely. I like the photo with the 3 colorful chairs; it’s a perfect summertime photo – looks warm and relaxing.
Dana Carmel @ Time Travel Plans
It’s so awesome that you travel with your kids. And what a quaint-looking resort! Thanks for sharing!
Katja
I’ve visited the caves but never the town. Definitely have to get on that.
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Noel – It is a particularly great getaway for families but there’s so much to do that is really a lot of fun for anyone! We saw quite a few young men taking their mountain bikes up the gondola to go riding on the mountain – lots to do for any adventure enthusiast!
Lisa Goodmurphy
It is really quite lovely, Nancie – I think you would enjoy a relaxing stay there if you are passing through Ontario!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Emma loves to be in the water so it was perfect for her!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Muza-chan! 🙂
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks! It is a beautiful location – representative of some of the great natural beauty in our province and our country! The long list of activities – icing on the cake!! 🙂
Lisa Goodmurphy
It was the perfect break for the two of us after the craziness of the past few weeks!
Lisa Goodmurphy
The chairs are awesome, aren’t they?
Lisa Goodmurphy
Blue Mountain is a great side trip from Toronto. You should come and spend a few days in the city and then head north to Collingwood to spend a few days in the great outdoors of Ontario!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Marisol – that’s my favourite photo from our visit! The resort was perfect for our start of the summer holiday and I imagine that it would be beautiful in the winter as well!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Dana – it’s impossible for me to stay home and they go wherever I go! 😉 The resort is lovely, isn’t it?
Lisa Goodmurphy
Time for a return visit, I’d say! Blue Mountain is the perfect resort to return to again and again!
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
This sounds like a great way to kick off summer vacation. Your mention of a range of activities from the soft to the extreme really grabbed me since there’s a range of interests in my family. It looks like a lovely place for a long weekend or a very relaxed week.
femmefrugality
This is so neat! We have a ski resort in the mountains here, and in the summer I frequently camped there as a kid. Nothing as fancy as this, though! I’ll have to check out what its skiing is like. 🙂
Charu
This sounds like a slice of heaven!
Cathy Sweeney
Blue Mountain looks like a great getaway spot. Love your photo of the mill pond and the village. Just the place I’d like to hang out a while.
Julie
Great post Lisa! Thank you so much for visiting and sharing your experience. It gives me a whole new appreciation for the place I live & work 🙂
EverywhereAmy
Looking at the map, it looked like north of Toronto would be a beautiful place. Alas – I didn’t make it that direction, but it looks like I missed out!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Michele, we have a range of interests as well having a 16 year old and a 9 year old and I think Blue Mountain does a great job of appealing to all ages. Some of the activities such as the ropes courses have two versions – one for ages 10+ and one for ages 6+. Younger kids don’t get left out and older ones are not bored. There’s also plenty to do for those of us who aren’t adrenaline junkies! 😉
Lisa Goodmurphy
I know a lot of families who ski here every winter – they love it! Blue Mountain started out as a ski resort and more recently has been adding more 4 season activities.
Lisa Goodmurphy
It was a wonderful break for us – and one that we needed badly!
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Cathy! It is the perfect place to just sit and relax while the kids amuse themselves looking for frogs in the pond! 😉
Lisa Goodmurphy
Thanks, Julie – we had a wonderful visit – you are truly lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the province!
Lisa Goodmurphy
It is indeed a beautiful area of the province, Amy – you will have to plan on returning with your family to visit!