Vacation rentals in Orillia

The town of Orillia is a great base for exploring the Lake Simcoe region north of Toronto and all the outdoorsy activities that can be enjoyed there. Orillia is set on Lake Couchiching, which connects to the north end of Lake Simcoe, and the town’s beaches and parks are perched along the shore. For boaters, Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe are part of the historic Trent-Severn Waterway, connecting Lake Ontario with Georgian Bay. If you aren’t heading here with your own watercraft, local outfitters can rent you canoes, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and larger boats, and some offer lake cruises or fishing excursions. In town, the Orillia Museum of Art and History can introduce you to local culture, and you can learn more about a noted resident, the Canadian humorist Stephen Leacock, by touring his former home. You can also poke around the galleries and art studios of Orillia’s Peter Street Arts District downtown. From Orillia, head north to the Muskoka region — it’s a 30-minute drive to Gravenhurst — or explore the beaches and historic sites in the Midland area, 45 minutes to the northwest.

Orillia is a year-round community, but it really comes alive in the summer months when the weather is warm enough for activities in and around the lake. Since 1961, Orillia has hosted the summertime Mariposa Folk Festival, which has grown to include more than 100 music performances on several outdoor stages. The annual Streets Alive festival brings art outdoors every summer, too. Another good time to stay in one of the area’s cottages for rent is during the fall foliage season, usually most vibrant in October. If you’re a skier or snowboarder, you can head for the ski hills in the Lake Simcoe region from December through March.

Stephen Leacock Museum

Canadian humorist Stephen Leacock (1869-1944) spent his summers by the lake in Orillia, where he built a stately home in 1928. His lakeside house is now a museum about his life and works, which include Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, stories he published in 1912 about a fictional Ontario town that he likely modelled on Orillia.

Orillia Museum of Art & History

Located in Orillia’s Peter Street Arts District, the town’s culture and heritage museum has more than 10,000 artifacts from around the region. Although only a fraction are on view at any one time, the galleries also show temporary or travelling exhibitions.

Simcoe County Barn Quilt Trail

As you explore the Lake Simcoe region around Orillia, look for colorful barn quilts — quilt-inspired graphics painted on 4-by-8-foot aluminum panels and attached to barns around the area. There are more than 150 barn quilts in Simcoe County; you can find a map to guide your touring on the Tourism Simcoe County website.