Hello Loves!

You guys know that we’ve got the travel bug!! We’ve got it real bad!! When I’m home for even a few days, I go a little stir crazy. Yeah I know weird right! Sometimes I forget that I live in one of the biggest travel destinations. No I’m not talking about Toronto, this time some place a little quieter and a lot more gorgeous.

Just a short 3.5 hour drive away lays endless rivers, lush forests, the true Canadian North, Temagami and Kilarney. Or quicker still hop on a flight from Toronto and in as little 40 minutes you’ll be Sudbury. That simple!

Temagami

Our adventure started as soon as we jumped in the car, the drive up North is seriously stunning. Thankfully I had SD cards galore, and old Tripod Bob on board to help us document every single tree and lake we passed. After a breezy 3.5 hours we arrived to Temagami. Although I had ZERO clue how to pronounce the name, I quickly fell in love with this town. Home to around 800 people Temagami is the perfect city escape.

Stay

Located on Lake Temagami lays the newly renovated Temagami Shores, the place you want to stay. Owned and operated by the Wagner family, you are welcomed with open arms. You will feel like part of the family. The property features clean and friendly rooms and suites with stunning lake views that compliment the nature that surrounds you. The lake is definitely the heart of the property. Waking up to a gorgeous sunrise, you undoubtedly feel the urge to jump right in. Actually, at 8 in the morning, we saw a family from New York grab their kit and dive in. Darn, I wish I had my camera handy. In fact, families from all over the world stay at Temagami Shores, they’re INTERNATIONAL ya’ll.

Play

Although, Temagami is the perfect place to sit lake side with a cold brew, it also is the place to get out and explore. There is so much to do! We had the opportunity to test and try… I gotta make sure it’s safe, right! Haha. We started our day the only way I think everyday should begin, by checking out the world from above. Thankfully we had pilot Darren from Lakeland Airways for that. We all jumped into his 6 seater Beaver floatplane and set off for the clouds! Now let me tell you guys, if flying in a floatplane isn’t on your bucket list, then stop whatever you’re doing and add it. It’s one of the most epic experiences I have ever had. Seeing this scenic area from the sky made it that much more magical.

Trails, bikes, canoes ohh my! Temagami has such an extensive list of beautiful walking and biking trails. Only minutes away from our motel was a stunning hike through the woods to Temagami Fire Tower. Set atop of Caribou Mountain, is a lookout like no other, trust me you guys will get some insta-worthy shots from up here. Stretching 100 feet in the air, for those whose legs allow them to make the climb, a reward of 360° views of the horizon out on all sides lays ahead. For those of you who aren’t destined to climb, a viewing deck only a few feet away from the tower gives a less intimidating but equally as beautiful view.

After a fun filled day, we were thrilled to end it on a boat, our favourite activity. HAHA, yeah we’re boujee like that! Following much of what we saw from the sky, travelling through the lakes gave us a different perspective. Lake Temagami, in Ojiwa language, actually means “deep water”, it’s so crazy to think in some areas the depth can get down to 350 ft. Man that’s a lot of football fields haha!

Eat

Phew! You betcha, after all that, we definitely worked up an appetite. When it came to dinner, luckily we didn’t have to venture far. 10 steps from our room, Temagami Shores, had us covered. In their newly renovated restaurant, we were sure to find some great quality food at affordable prices.

Killarney

Next on the agenda, Killarney! We’ve heard many tales of our friends heading up to this outstanding little town, but have never visited ourselves. Boy was it a treat! During our 3 hour drive from Temagami, we got to see so many lakes, rivers, and trees for days. But our best sighting was that some of these beautiful forests had begun to change colour. I can only imagine what this will look like in the Fall.

Stay

Arriving at the Killarney Mountain Lodge, you definitely get the resort vibes. This place is beautiful. Situated along the Killarney Channel, the lodge boasts some the greatest views in town. After their multi-million dollar renovation, the rooms still stayed true to their northern style but offered a modern flair. Also currently under construction, is the worlds largest log convention centre, so if there are any brides out there, you heard it here first. This is where you want to get married!!!

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The Killarney area is known best for Killarney Provincial Park. Here you can find trails for days!! But after our Temagami hikes, I opted for a slower pace. We were able to rent kayaks on the Killarney Mountain lodge property which we paddled to a lighthouse… I know it was as magical as it sounds.

After, we took advantage of the summer heat by sunbathing and lounging beside the lake and pool. I also wanted to take a peek at Killarney a little more, so we wandered off resort to the main street. There we found people from all different places relaxing and exploring. Before lunch we went to check out Pierre AJ Sabourin, an incredible Canadian artist. He is located in the most intriguing historic building. Cell Block Nine, the old jail. Pierre was gracious enough to show us around, even allowing us to get into what would have been a actual jail cell! Trust me I’m on the straight and narrow after that.

Eat

With all the ‘hard work’ of the day we had quite the appetites. Lunch was on our minds. Herbert’s Fisheries here we come! Herbert’s, supposedly the world’s famous fish and chip shop definitely lived up to the hype. It was freshly caught pickerel from only a few miles away. Lightly battered with some salty chips, what more could a English lass ask for.

After a couple of cocktails in the Carousel Lounge, the lodges super cool circular bar, we headed to their main dining hall. Although, we opted to eat outside on this beautiful day, we were still greeted by great staff and ohh so fresh food. My favourite was the smoked trout! MMM MMM Good!

We’ve travelled to many places, but there is just something about North Eastern Ontario that’ll always bring you back. We’ve heard so many stories of people coming up here for generations. From tourists to locals, old memories are past down and new memories are created, and everyone leaves with a piece of the true north in their heart. I know I did and I know I’ll be back!

Thanks North Eastern Ontario Tourism for having us. It was truly a pleasure!

xoxo Fil

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