Tobermory Ontario - Travel Diary

This past summer, Jordan and I spent a few weekends exploring our home province of Ontario. We had such a good time celebrating Canada Day weekend in Tobermory. Remembering how beautiful it was the last time I was there, I was so excited to go back. I wanted to share all the things we did in the few days we were there!

When we were planning our visit, we booked our accommodations 6 m o n t h s in advance (which you for sure don't have to do, I just love planning things). Tobermory is a popular spot for tourists, but we were definitely not expecting the prices we saw when we looked at hotels in the area. Some were asking over $1000 for 3 nights. Because we only needed a place to sleep when we were there, there was no way we were going to pay that crazy amount. Then we found the cutest log cabin rentals at Little Cove Adventures. The cabins were perfect for what we needed. Each of the cabin sites have a fire pit, and a picnic table.

On the afternoon we got there, we stopped at the marina in Lionshead, and went down to the rock beach. Since Tobermory is right where Lake Huron and Georgian Bay meet, the water is freezing cold all season.

Once we got to the cabins we dropped our stuff off, and then went out to explore the town. We drove around by the cottages in Big Tub Harbour, and went to go see Big Tub Lighthouse.

We ate at the Crowsnest Pub and Restaurant on the rooftop patio and listened to the live music that was there. From the patio you can see the whole town and Little Tub Harbour. There were a lot of gorgeous boats there, Big Tub marina is a popular spot for transients. A lot of boaters who do the loop stay in Tobermory for a few days, since its roughly in the same area as Manitoulin Island and also not far from the North Channel.

Day 1:

The first full day we were in Tobermory we got up super early and went to the Grotto. In retrospect it may have been borderline too early in the day to go to the Grotto, the water was literally like ice. We got there at 8am, and it was so gloomy all morning. Jordan jumped in the water because he’s brave, I couldn’t do it. The water is always cold year round in Tobermory, but this was for sure next level. The water is so clear and blue everywhere in Tobermory though. The Grotto is around a 10 minute walk from the parking lot. Theres a trail you can follow, and it has some nice cliffs you can get to as well with really nice views of Georgian Bay. Climbing into the Grotto itself was difficult since the water levels were up so high. Thankfully no cameras were harmed in the rock climbing and taking of these photos. Cyprus lake is for sure one of the most beautiful places in Ontario, and should be on your summer bucket list.

We left around noon from the Grotto, and tried going to the beach, but the water levels were up so high that it wasn’t really a beach anymore. So instead we went into town to try and rent a canoe or kayak. We didn’t end up getting to rent either because it was too late in the day. We also learned that the only place you can rent a canoe in Tobermory is at the Grotto. Kayak and canoe rentals are very popular in Tobermory, so if you want to do that I suggest doing that before 10am as well, or calling the day before to reserve one! Instead of kayaking we walked down to the end of pier to look at the boats in the marina and had lunch at the cutest patio ever. It was right on the water next to a dock, and was full of landshark lager decorations. The vibes were like being on vacation.

After we walked around the harbour down the other side of the pier, and went into a few stores. All the stores are nautical themed. Big Tub Marina has a cute little store, I found a few things for my moms birthday present, and a hoodie

That evening we went to Mermaid Cove, which isn’t too far from the lighthouse. We sat on the rocks and watched the sunset. Mermaid Cove is a hidden gem, it's the perfect place to go to escape the busyness, there were no tourists there at all. I tried to swim while we were there but it was so cold I only got up to my knees.

We went back into town to eat, and went to a cute fish and chips place right on the water called Shipwrecked Lee's.

Day 2:

We spent the morning of our second full day in Tobermory hanging out in town a bit more. We checked in to the ferry ride to Flowerpot Island early to beat the lines (I highly recommend doing this) and checked out the other tours that are offered. There was a helicopter tour, but that was on the pricier side. There were also other ferry tours. We thought about trying to rent a kayak but we were too late again (call ahead so you can reserve a kayak lol). We ended up going to the grocery store to get food to bring with us to Flowerpot Island. We got on the 12:00pm glass bottom ferry ride to the island. This included a tour of all the shipwrecks in the harbour. Shipwrecks freak me right out, so this wasn’t my favourite part of the trip, but it was still cool to see since the water is so clear. Once we got to Flowerpot island we stayed for the rest of the day. It was so hot that I finally jumped in the water. Flowerpot Island was the best place to spend the afternoon, it was so beautiful.

We caught the ferry back to the mainland around 5, and went back to the cabin to get ready for our last night in town. That night we had a later dinner, and went to the Brewery. They had such good food there, and the best playlist filled with throwbacks. We spent way too much time sitting on this patio. After we ended the night sitting on the end of the dock waiting for the Canada Day fireworks.

Tobermory is a stunning place that has so much to offer, I highly recommend visiting. If you’re visiting on a budget, or just need a place to sleep at night while you’re there, Little Cove Adventures is perfect.

xo,

Jess