Family R&R on Lake Stoney, Ontario

Following a whirlwind tour of the city of Toronto in July 2016, my family headed for the calming shores of Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes.

My husband, Adrian, and I along with our daughter, Sabine, and my parents — better known as Grandma and Papa — drove northeast for 2½ hours in our minivan. Four-lane highways dwindled to winding backroads, skyscrapers faded into the horizon, and toe-dipping waters rounded every corner.

A small wooden sign, partially hidden by lush evergreens, marked the entrance to our home for the next four days and three nights: “Viamede Resort” (595 Mt. Julian-Viamede Rd., Woodview, ON, K0L 3E0, Canada; 800/461-1946, viamede.com).

After extensive Internet searches for suitable lodging, Viamede seemed the best choice for our diverse group (two fishermen, two moms who enjoy the comforts of home, and a toddler), so we splurged on a 2-bedroom, one-bath cabin, booked in advance through the resort, for US$1,200 ($400 per night).

The mid-week rate, while expensive for the area, included a hot breakfast and air-conditioned rooms — amenities the nearby motels and campsites didn’t offer.

A local grocery store helped offset some of the expense. We prepared most meals in our cabin’s modest kitchen or barbecued on the grill. The resort did offer two restaurants. One provided only high-end, farm-to-table dinners. The other, a small lakeside bistro, which we dined at once during our stay, sold fries and good burgers but at New York strip prices.

The best food, by far, was the daily breakfast served in the resort’s dining room. Bacon, eggs and an assortment of fresh fruit and breads greeted us each morning, giving us sustenance for fun-filled days.

During the day, Adrian and Papa cast their rods, trying their luck at catching the bountiful carp, bass and perch. Sabine swam in the pools (both indoor and outdoor), built sand castles or tagged along with Grandma on a canoe ride. I experimented with the open-use paddleboards, meandered down well-kept paths and dangled my feet from the dock.

We spent our evenings relaxing on our cabin’s covered porch or watching a show on the cabin’s lone satellite-equipped TV. Some nights, we borrowed a movie from the resort’s library. The only thing lacking was the Wi-Fi, which was spotty at best. However, it was only a 5-minute walk to the main building, where we found the signal boosted.

Overall, our four days in the Kawartha Lakes area were well worth the steep price tag. My whole family keeps asking, “When are we going back?”

WENDI DASS
Charlottesville, VA