Travel
RAINBOW COUNTRY ROUTES
Summer 2009 |
This summer many families are planning staycations–holidays close to home. They’re easy on the pocketbook. And with so many options for day trips and overnight adventures in Rainbow Country, why leave home? Manitoulin Island
Parry Sound is the gateway to Rainbow Country and this tourist region continues north to the French River, Killarney, Greater Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island. The area is known for majestic scenery with pristine lakes and rivers that attract boating, snorkelling, fishing, camping and hiking enthusiasts from around the world.
This summer, Sudbury families can also enjoy outstanding music and cultural festivals, great food, art galleries, museums and more all within a few hours drive from home.
Parry Sound
The community of Parry Sound takes its name from the Bay of Parry Sound. Commander Henry Wolsey Bayfield, who first mapped the area, named the bay after Sir William Edward Parry, the explorer of the Northwest Arctic Passage.
There are some lovely shops and restaurants on main street including Parry Sound Books at 26 James St., one of the best independent book stores in Northern Ontario. It carries an enchanting selection of books by Canadian and regional authors as well as children’s books.
The West Parry Sound Museum at the base of Parry Sound’s 96-foot observation tower, in Tower Hill Park, overlooks Georgian Bay. The museum features a changing calendar of exhibits. Themes of trapping, First Nations, shipping, logging and agriculture are featured.
The Festival of the Sound runs from July 17 to Aug. 9. Most concerts take place at the beautiful Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts. The festival brings some of the finest classical and jazz musicians together for this world class event.
The centre is also home to The Bobby Orr Hall of Fame. Exhibits pay tribute to Parry Sound native and Boston Bruin hockey star Bobby Orr.
The Charles W. Stockey Centre/Bobby Orr Hall of Fame is located on the waterfront on Bay St., across the street from the town docks where the Island Queen anchors.
The Island Queen cruises around the rugged coast of Georgian Bay’s 30,000 Islands. A former RCMP officer, Hugo Anderson, and his family started the Island Queen Cruise in the 1970s. The first cruise boat was purchased from Expo 67 in Montreal. The current vessel, the Island Queen V, holds 500 passengers. Tickets for the cruise can be purchased in the gift shop.
Pointe-au-Baril
Heading north from Parry Sound toward Pointe-au-Baril, the Moose Lake Trading Post is always an inviting place to visit. It is open seven days a week from April to December. The Coffee Corner sells ice cream as well as treats such as homemade pie and fresh fudge. Those who want to extend their stay can rent a lakeview or lakeside cottage.
The trading post sells cozy fleece jackets, Kyber knitwear, Tilley hats, moccasins, leather gloves, wallets and purses, jewelry, pottery, prints by Canadian artists, native crafts, quill baskets, quilts, blankets, lamps, accent furniture, many other unique gifts and specialty foods.
Sudbury travellers know from experience that Pointe-au-Baril is the strip of Highway 69 where they have to slow down to 70 k/hr. If they are running low on gas, it has the last gas station before Alban. But there is good reason to turn off the highway to see what this community has to offer. The Information Centre on the highway has brochures about places of interest.
This area was explored by Samuel de Champlain in 1615. A monument erected in the 1940s to commemorate his travels can be found near the newly renovated Ojibway Club.
In the mid-1800s when the first boats navigated the waters of Georgian Bay, few of the channels were marked with anything more than a pile of stones. A barrel was erected with a lantern placed on top to guide the boats into the channel after dark or in the event of a storm. This served as the first lighthouse for Pointe-au-Baril, which translates to “Point of the Barrel.” In 1889 a lighthouse was built and it is still in use today. This historic lighthouse is open to the public in summer and tours are available June through August.
The Ojibway Club is an island community centre as well as a historic landmark. The building is one of only a few century-old lodges that remain in Northern Ontario from the hundreds that were originally built and is managed by the Ojibway Heritage Society. The lodge is no longer a hotel, but this social and recreational centre has a restaurant, gift shop, grocery store and gas dock, and tennis courts.
Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park is located on Highway 529 about six kilometres north of Pointe-au-Baril in the heart of the 30,000 Islands. The park is a popular recreation destination for boating, fishing and swimming, picnics and hiking. It is a sweet spot for pike, pickerel, muskie, bass, perch, black crappie and sturgeon. The sand beach is 77 metres long and is a lovely place to have a swim. There are 81 campsites (including 31 electrical sites). Canoe and motorboat rentals are available at the park store. ([705] 366-2521)
Britt
Britt is a cozy hamlet of 350 residents, although the population grows in the summer months. The port has two large marinas, a post office, a liquor store, two churches, a legion hall, two bars, a volunteer fire department, two general stores, two restaurants, two inns, recreational facilities and a Canadian Coast Guard Crew stationed at Gereaux Lighthouse.
Britt has a fascinating history and is worth a day trip to explore. Britt was originally a sawmill village established in the 1880s. As the lumber industry reached its peak, prior to the building of the CPR between 1903 and 1908, the community on the north shore was established as a port for receiving coal, required for the railway’s steam locomotives.
Byng Inlet North was renamed Britt, for the CPR superintendent of fuels.
Little Britt Inn is a popular restaurant which is listed in the prestigious Where to Eat in Canada. St. Amant’s Waterfront Inn & Restaurant offers comfortable rooms and cottages overlooking breathtaking Georgian Bay. Both places offer fresh fish dinners in season.
Located on Byng Inlet about an hour south of Sudbury, Britt lies at the southern end of the 30,000 Islands in the Georgian Bay. The community is approximately five kilometres west of Highway 69, at the end of secondary Highway 526.
French River
Surrounded by natural beauty, one of the northeastern Ontario’s most significant architectural gems is the French River Visitor Centre. The entrance to the site is just south of the bridge on Highway 69 near where the former rest area used to be. The centre is not visible from the highway, so watch for the turn-off sign.
The $5.5-million building was designed by Baird Sampson Neuert Architects of Toronto and built on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The centre tells the story of the river, First Nations people, the explorers, missionaries, fur traders and pioneer families. This is the story of Canada.
The building plays tribute in its design to the Canadian Shield and the colourful multicultural history of the area. The interior of the exhibition hall is characterized by materials chosen to reflect the rocky and wooded qualities of the landscape. Admission to the centre is free. Pack a lunch, tour the centre, and then go on a nature walk to the river’s edge.
Remember to leave time for a stop at the French River Trading Post. It is one of Northern Ontario’s oldest and largest gift shops; a treasure house of Canadiana.
Killarney
Killarney is located about 60 kilometres south of Greater Sudbury. Killarney Provincial Park offers more than 49,000 hectares of majestic beauty. Travellers from around the world come to this area to see Group of Seven vistas, canoe on crystal clear lakes, get hooked on good fishing, and enjoy the wilderness experience.
The Killarney Mountain Lodge, in the town of Killarney, was originally built by a rich industrialist as a summer retreat for his friends. This wilderness adventure lodge has an international reputation for its accommodations and hospitality.
Sunday is considered “Sudbury Day” at Herbert Fisheries. It has become a tradition for many families to drive to Killarney for fish and chips. Fresh white fish and lake trout are on the menu at the dockside. The fish is caught daily, says Jennifer Herbert. Over the years, she has served customers from all over the world including Germany, Australia and France. Fresh fish and smoked fish are also available for purchase in the fish house. Herbert Fisheries is open from May to Thanksgiving. It is open seven days a week in June, July, August and the first two weeks of September.
There are several pleasant Bed and Breakfast homes in Killarney. These include The Pines Inn on Channel St., which is located across the street from Herbert Fisheries, and open year round.
Greater Sudbury
Science North and Dynamic Earth are the major attractions in Greater Sudbury. There is always something new to see.
The city has other attractions. The Art Gallery of Sudbury, located on John St., presents Substantial Resources to Aug. 30. This historic and contemporary survey of art considers the mining and industrial landscape, featuring Canadian artists such as John Hartman, Shayne Dark, Jessie Boles, Mark Thompson, Louie Palu, and Edward Burtynsky. The exhibit also features Charles Paxy’s wood carvings that depict a large segment of mining operations.
There are also two outstanding museums in Greater Sudbury. The Anderson Farm Museum in Lively has displays about pioneer farming life in the area. The farm was the site of one of the largest dairies in the area during the 1920s and 1930s.
In addition, people interested in learning about the lost mining community of Creighton Mine can visit the Creighton log cabin. When the town was bulldozed in the late 1980s, the cabin was moved to the farm to preserve the memory of the town.
The Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre in Capreol is a must visit for people who are interested in the history of this area, and for railroad buffs.
The museum, located at 26 Bloor St., is located in the former home of the first CN superintendent in Capreol. Developed by volunteers, the museum pays tribute to Capreol’s rich history as a railroad town and the men and women who worked the rails.
Next door, Prescott Park showcases the 6077 steam locomotive, nick-named “Bullet-Nosed Betty,” a caboose, a rules instruction car and other railroad items.
There are also museums in Copper Cliff and The Flour Mill owned and operated by the city.
Perhaps this is the summer to discover the pleasures of Lake Wanapitei. Rocky’s is located minutes from Capreol. It is nestled among the shores of beautiful Lake Wanapitei, surrounded by wilderness and ATV trails. Rocky’s has cabins and motel rooms, a seasonal campground, boat launch, convenience store, waterfront restaurant and sports bar
Slots at Sudbury Downs in Chelmsford has more than 343 slot machines. The action is hot, the smiles are warm and the fun never stops.
Live horseracing takes place April through December at Sudbury Downs. There’s racing twice weekly every Wednesday and Saturday night through to the third week in November, and then it continues every Saturday night.
The 2009 season will see 67 race days and will close on New Year’s Eve afternoon.
Massey
Massey is about one hour east of Sudbury. The town is located where the Spanish River meets the Aux Sable River.
The Massey Area Museum, located on Sauble St., has a display of photographs depicting the life and times of Massey pioneers. Housed in the original Otto Bretzlaff General Store, the highlights are the First Nations/Fur Trade Room that contains artifacts that portray the original Ojibway culture of the area.
The lumbering room features pictures and models of bush operations and logging crews in the late 1800s. The farming room displays unique tools and equipment used in the early 19th century. The mining room contains a large display of rocks, fossils, and minerals found in the Massey area and around the world.
The general store room displays the many items that would be found in such a store in the early 1900s.
Massey holds a fall fair every year at the fairgrounds. This is one of the few traditional fall fairs held in Rainbow Country. There are rides, contests, prizes, many games and vendors.
This is the summer to get to know or to rediscover Manitoulin Island, which is about a two-and-half hour drive from Sudbury. It is the largest fresh water island in the world.
The Manitoulin Island Information Centre is located to the right of the road as drivers leave the swing bridge. It is open year round with extended evening hours in July and August.
Many visitors enjoy gallery hopping and shopping for antiques while visiting the Island. There are many of lovely motels, inns and Bed and Breakfast places available for those who want to spend more time in this vacation paradise.
The Haweater Weekend in Little Current (July 31- Aug. 2) and the Wikwemikong Cultural Festival and Pow Wow (Aug. 1-3 ) are not to be missed.
Great Spirit Circle Trail Tours offer group and self-guided tours of the eight First Nation communities on Manitoulin Island and the Sagamok region The office is located at The Ojibwe Cultural Foundation in M’Chigeeng First Nation. For information, phone (705) 377-4404.
