Penny's Guidebook local food, drink & activities
Food Scene
Crossroads
2 Cardwell RdUpscale menu, excellent choice for a nice dinner out
Open year-round and one of our favourite spots. Generous portions of pub style food, plenty of seating, including high-top tables near the bar and TV screens. Busy on a Friday night so plan ahead!
19 locals recommend
Bass Lake RoadHouse
4700 Muskoka District Road 169Open year-round and one of our favourite spots. Generous portions of pub style food, plenty of seating, including high-top tables near the bar and TV screens. Busy on a Friday night so plan ahead!
Worth the drive to Bala. Don's butter tarts have been featured in The New York Times! (check hours in advance)
48 locals recommend
Don's Bakery
3119 Muskoka District Road 169Worth the drive to Bala. Don's butter tarts have been featured in The New York Times! (check hours in advance)
Summer season only -- Very popular restaurant in Port Carling, with a dockside view of Lake Muskoka. On beautiful sunny days the patio umbrella tables are full, so be prepared to wait. But you'll be given a buzzer and usually offered an inside table while you wait.
66 locals recommend
Turtle Jack's Port Carling
123 Medora StSummer season only -- Very popular restaurant in Port Carling, with a dockside view of Lake Muskoka. On beautiful sunny days the patio umbrella tables are full, so be prepared to wait. But you'll be given a buzzer and usually offered an inside table while you wait.
Nice spot for a casual lunch. Often have homemade soup. Great baking but it sells out quickly. Closes early (maybe 3 PM) so check the hours so you're not disappointed
6 locals recommend
Cottage Law Canteen
1141 ON-141Nice spot for a casual lunch. Often have homemade soup. Great baking but it sells out quickly. Closes early (maybe 3 PM) so check the hours so you're not disappointed
Open year round, with a view of the Island Queen and Parry Sound Harbour. A great stop after a walk on the Parry Sound Fitness Trail.
11 locals recommend
Boston Pizza
10 Bay StOpen year round, with a view of the Island Queen and Parry Sound Harbour. A great stop after a walk on the Parry Sound Fitness Trail.
This is a new restaurant in MacTier that is getting great reviews. I hear there aren't many tables so it's best to reserve. If you go, message me and let me know how you like it? Thanks!
9 locals recommend
Chef Henrie Bistro & Café
339 High StThis is a new restaurant in MacTier that is getting great reviews. I hear there aren't many tables so it's best to reserve. If you go, message me and let me know how you like it? Thanks!
Fine dining can be reserved for a special night out. The outdoor bar and casual menu on the docks is excellent too. Short season from about June to early September, so call ahead to be sure it is open.
7 locals recommend
Waters Edge Restaurant
1072 Elgin House RdFine dining can be reserved for a special night out. The outdoor bar and casual menu on the docks is excellent too. Short season from about June to early September, so call ahead to be sure it is open.
Essentials
Small store offering everything you need for everyday groceries
12 locals recommend
Foodland - Mactier
7 Front StSmall store offering everything you need for everyday groceries
Excellent, large, well-stocked grocery store. Well worth the short trip up Hwy 400 for groceries if you're staying for a week or two.
25 locals recommend
Sobeys Parry Sound
25 Pine DrExcellent, large, well-stocked grocery store. Well worth the short trip up Hwy 400 for groceries if you're staying for a week or two.
LCBO
19 Seguin StSummer season - This covered farmers market has an abundant choice of fresh local produce and baking. There is also a deli and freezer section with specialty goods from "The Village Kitchen" in Unionville, ON. Try their flattened chicken on the BBQ, or apple crisp in the oven. Yumm.
12 locals recommend
Farmers Market
83 Bowes StSummer season - This covered farmers market has an abundant choice of fresh local produce and baking. There is also a deli and freezer section with specialty goods from "The Village Kitchen" in Unionville, ON. Try their flattened chicken on the BBQ, or apple crisp in the oven. Yumm.
Well kept small butcher shop that will cut your meat to order. Plenty of customers from the local town which tells me their meat is well respected. It has never let us down.
7 locals recommend
Orr's Fine Meats & Deli
2 Bowes StWell kept small butcher shop that will cut your meat to order. Plenty of customers from the local town which tells me their meat is well respected. It has never let us down.
Shopping
Nice spot for a rainy day trip. Interesting collection of accessories and gifts for home or cottage. Rosseau General Store is right across the street, making your drive even more worthwhile.
Hilltop Interiors Inc
1150 ON-141Nice spot for a rainy day trip. Interesting collection of accessories and gifts for home or cottage. Rosseau General Store is right across the street, making your drive even more worthwhile.
A high end butcher with very interesting cuts of meat -- both fresh and frozen. We sometimes make this our first stop when touring the area and build our menus from there. It's about a 30 minute drive each way from the resort, so more of an adventure. Not sure if it's open off season (in fact, most of Port Carling closes)
7 locals recommend
Morley Stephen Ltd - Stephen's Butcher Shop
8 Harris StA high end butcher with very interesting cuts of meat -- both fresh and frozen. We sometimes make this our first stop when touring the area and build our menus from there. It's about a 30 minute drive each way from the resort, so more of an adventure. Not sure if it's open off season (in fact, most of Port Carling closes)
Entertainment & Activities
Small but well-done museum showcasing hockey legend Bobby Orr, who came from Parry Sound. Located inside the Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts in Parry Sound.
32 locals recommend
Charles W. Stockey Centre & Bobby Orr Hall Of Fame
2 Bay StSmall but well-done museum showcasing hockey legend Bobby Orr, who came from Parry Sound. Located inside the Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts in Parry Sound.
Since it opened in 2000, this spectacular Thomas McBroom design has accumulated many accolades, and justifiably so. Amidst the beauty of the surrounding giant forests of pine, white birch and hemlock, the rolling fairways will captivate you as the granite outcroppings challenge your skills.
This course is adjacent to the Rocky Crest Resort, a favourite among Ontario Golf Resorts in the Muskokas, and Lakeside at Rocky Crest, a fractional ownership vacation community. With tees stretching from 6,936 yards down to 5,131, Rocky Crest is a delight for golfers of all abilities.
8 locals recommend
Rocky Crest Golf Club
Hamer Bay Road Since it opened in 2000, this spectacular Thomas McBroom design has accumulated many accolades, and justifiably so. Amidst the beauty of the surrounding giant forests of pine, white birch and hemlock, the rolling fairways will captivate you as the granite outcroppings challenge your skills.
This course is adjacent to the Rocky Crest Resort, a favourite among Ontario Golf Resorts in the Muskokas, and Lakeside at Rocky Crest, a fractional ownership vacation community. With tees stretching from 6,936 yards down to 5,131, Rocky Crest is a delight for golfers of all abilities.
Excellent cruises of 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay. Island Queen Cruise departs from main dock in Parry Sound. Advance reservations recommended.
67 locals recommend
Island Queen Cruise
9 Bay StExcellent cruises of 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay. Island Queen Cruise departs from main dock in Parry Sound. Advance reservations recommended.
A great craft brewery in Parry Sound with a view of the historic railway trestle bridge and awesome food and flights of beer. Year-round. Limited restaurant house off season, check website or call.
41 locals recommend
Trestle Brewing Company
9 Great North RdA great craft brewery in Parry Sound with a view of the historic railway trestle bridge and awesome food and flights of beer. Year-round. Limited restaurant house off season, check website or call.
As a registered guest at ClubLink's Rocky Crest Resort, you will be able to book tee times at the Lake Joseph Golf Club. It has a full 18-hole golf course for the advanced golfer and a 9-hole par 3 for more social golfers. Enjoy Lake Joseph's Waters Edge restaurant (when open) after your game (see Restaurant info).
11 locals recommend
Lake Joseph Club
1072 Elgin House RdAs a registered guest at ClubLink's Rocky Crest Resort, you will be able to book tee times at the Lake Joseph Golf Club. It has a full 18-hole golf course for the advanced golfer and a 9-hole par 3 for more social golfers. Enjoy Lake Joseph's Waters Edge restaurant (when open) after your game (see Restaurant info).
Parks & Nature
Killbear Provincial Park
35 Killbear Park RoadDay trips to Killbear Provincial Park
Well-maintained fitness trail in Parry Sound with great scenery along Georgian Bay. Park at the Stockey Centre near Parry Sound harbour. There is a north and south loop -- be sure to do both as they are very different. About 5 km in total.
Fitness Trail
Fitness TrailWell-maintained fitness trail in Parry Sound with great scenery along Georgian Bay. Park at the Stockey Centre near Parry Sound harbour. There is a north and south loop -- be sure to do both as they are very different. About 5 km in total.
Sightseeing
Tower Hill Lookout was formerly a Forest Fire Lookout. It is still maintained, and the 30m climb to the observation area gives you a spectacular 360 view of Georgian Bay, the famous Canadian Pacific Railway trestle bridge, town of Parry Sound and surrounding area.
17 George St
17 George StreetTower Hill Lookout was formerly a Forest Fire Lookout. It is still maintained, and the 30m climb to the observation area gives you a spectacular 360 view of Georgian Bay, the famous Canadian Pacific Railway trestle bridge, town of Parry Sound and surrounding area.
Parry Sound Guide Map
Parry Sound