Orillia and Lake Country

Orillia, the Narrows and Lake Couchiching

The resort is a short drive from the Atherley Narrows, where Lake Simcoe meets Lake Couchiching on the Trent-Severn Waterway. A night here is a good excuse to see the town across the water.

Illustration drawn for this guide — not a photograph of the resort.

The resort places itself in Ontario's Lake Country — Orillia, Oro-Medonte, Rama, Ramara and Severn — and recommends a short list of places nearby. Downtown Orillia is about 11 km and 15 minutes by car by our calculation.

The Leacock Museum

The Leacock Museum National Historic Site at 50 Museum Drive, Orillia, is the summer home of the humorist Stephen Leacock, who bought the Old Brewery Bay property in 1908; the house was built in 1928. The City of Orillia runs it. Autumn hours in 2026 are Thursday to Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM (last entry 3 PM), from 31 August to 18 December. Phone 705-329-1908.

Downtown, the Opera House and the museum

The resort's own list of things to do includes downtown Orillia, the Orillia Opera House, the Orillia Museum of Art and History and the Orillia Chamber of Commerce events calendar. For the morning after a show, a walk and lunch downtown is the easiest plan. Destination Ontario names Couchiching Beach Park — a sandy beach, an aqua theatre, flower gardens and picnic tables — on the waterfront.

The Mnjikaning Fish Weirs

In the Narrows between Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching are the Mnjikaning Fish Weirs, a National Historic Site administered by Parks Canada. The weirs — wooden stakes set in the water — lie below the surface and the site is accessible all year. Wikipedia describes the weir system as about 4,500 years old. The Ojibwe name Mnjikaning, which the Chippewas of Rama First Nation also use, refers to these weirs. See Rama First Nation.

Mariposa Folk Festival 2027

Orillia's Mariposa Folk Festival has announced its 2027 dates as 9 to 11 July 2027, with tickets already on sale. Secondary listings place it in Tudhope Park. Hotel rooms in the area fill early for that weekend; if you want a room at Rama for the festival, ask us early.

Outdoors

Destination Ontario also lists Hardwood Ski and Bike near Orillia, with ski and mountain-bike trails for all levels. In winter it pairs well with a show on a Saturday night.