The Harbour Village: Tobermory

Remember back in the good ol’ days when we were kids and summer felt like it lasted an eternity? When everyday would be an adventure and we’d be frolicking through fields and enjoying the great outdoors? (LOL AM I EXTRA) With the hectic schedules we now lead, packed with a job, summer courses, and whatever else we claim to be busy with, it’s often difficult to find time to just kick-back and enjoy the simplicity of life. SO since the end of summer is nearing, I urge all of you to take advantage of the time you have left and enjoy the last few weeks 🙂

You don’t need to travel far OR spend a lot of money – road trips with friends or family are the perfect getaways from the hustle and bustle of big cities. Luckily, Ontario is filled with natural getaways and beautiful landscapes, offering several great destinations for those weekend adventures.

Last weekend, I spent two days in Bruce Peninsula National Park and explored the small community of Tobermory with my family. Tobermory is known as the “fresh water scuba diving capital of the world”, and it really comes as no surprise because the water is blue and clear AF. Beaches, diving, hiking, sight-seeing, you name it – this place has it all 🙂

Here’s what our two days looked like:

DAY ONE

The drive from Toronto to Tobermory is 3.5-4 hrs so we left at 9 AM in the morning and arrived at around 1 PM later that afternoon. First stop: LUNCH!! 😀

1.) The Fish & Chip Place

“The Fish & Chip Place”, located @ 24 Bay St, Northern Bruce Peninsula

Tobermory is known for their fresh whitefish and The Fish and Chip Place did not disappoint! The fish here is lightly battered and deep-fried to golden perfection, not too oily and fresh tasting.

6 pc fish & chips, small fries, caesar salad

Onion rings & Shimp in a Basket

Sleeman Dark & Honey Brown

2.) Blue Heron Cruise

After lunch, we bought tickets for the Great Blue Heron Scenic Tour (you can buy them close to the harbour). We took the Fathom Five Non-Stop Glass Bottom Tour which lasted around 1.5 hrs and costed around $35.40/person (rates may change depending on when you go). This scenic cruise takes you around many islands including Cove Island and Otter Island, as well as the Big Tub Harbour, two shipwrecks, and stops at Flowerpot Island.

3.) Flowerpot Island

The cruise tour makes its final stop at Flowerpot Island, where you can take a boat going back to Tobermory every 1.5 hrs. Flowerpot Island is famous for its natural rock formations, caves, and historic light station. You can go hiking, explore caves, go picnicking or spend the day by the shore and go swimming 🙂

4.) Ice Cream Cones & Dishes

Next stop: Ice cream!!! After a few hours in the sun, treat yo-self to some well-deserved, refreshing ice cream cones 🙂 We took the boat ride back to Tobermory after exploring Flowerpot Island, and came across a cute little ice cream shop, grabbed a few cones, and walked around the cozy village.

5.) Georgian Bay

If you have the time, I would definitely recommend spending a good half-day at Georgian Bay because this place is beyond gorgeous with so much to do. Since we were a little short on time, we decided to end our day off here and catch the sunset. We headed to the Georgian Bay- Marr Lake Trail which is roughly a 3km hike. This is the quickest and easiest path to the actual Bay area with all the surrounding cliffs and rocks. Make sure to check out the Indian Head Cove and if you’re brave enough, go cliff-diving!!

6.) Crowsnest Pub & Restaurant

A long eventful day calls for a good hearty meal 🙂 You’ll find that a lot of the restaurants in Tobermory close relatively early (around 8/9 PM), so head on over to Crowsnest Pub as it’s open the latest out of the bunch. Food is pretty decent, and there’s live music on the outdoor patio which is always a bonus 🙂

Two whitefish dinners, a greek pizza, and the Crowsnest burger

DAY TWO

7.) Sauble Beach

For the second day, we felt like taking it easy and spending the day being lazy beach bums hehe. We drove to Sauble Beach, which is around 1 hr away by car from Tobermory. The town itself is incredibly lively and it’s the perfect spot for an ideal summer day! You can also rent kayaks/canoes/pedal boats here which is what we would’ve done if my dad didn’t fall asleep on the beach for two hours LOL 😦