Manitoulin Island is one of Ontario, Canada’s most pristine pieces of natural beauty.  Located in Lake Huron, Manitoulin Island holds the title of the worlds largest fresh water island, measuring in at 2766 squared kilometres.  

Manitoulin Island is home to a plethora of inland lakes and smaller islands, making for a truly unique island experience. With plenty of small towns spread across the land, Manitoulin island will take you back in time and put you in touch with nature.  From hiking, to waterfalls, and stunning views, Manitoulin Island is sure to captivate your inner nature lover.

Getting to Manitoulin Island

Given that Manitoulin is an island, some planning may be required prior to your visit.  If you’re coming from north of Manitoulin Island, you can take Hwy 6 from the Espanola area and then take the bridge across to Little Current.

Alternatively, if you’re coming from the south of Manitoulin Island, taking the Chi-Cheemaun from Tobermory is your best bet.  The Chi-Cheemaun leaves daily and takes approximately two hours to reach Manitoulin Island.  The Chi-Cheemaun allows you to drive aboard the ferry and is pet friendly.  Making reservations for the Chi-Cheemaun is highly recommenced as it can get busy.  Lastly, there are two small airports on Manitoulin Island, making flying an option as well.

With plenty to do on Manitoulin Island, these are my recommendations for an epic time!

Camp

Manitoulin Island is ultimately natures playground offering all things outdoor.  To stick with the theme of the island, find a site and spend your time camping.  Nothing quite beats, cooking over a camp fire, gazing up at a sky full of stars and taking in all the fresh air.  With plenty of camp sites on the island, finding a place to camp isn’t difficult.  During peak summer hours, be sure to book your site in advance.

Gore Bay

Gore Bay is a small town that offers visitors many amenities.  In this charming town, you will find an alluring downtown area with restaurants, shops, a brewery and most importantly, a beautiful body of water.  Gore Bay is home to a lovely marina and is surrounded by the most pristine water.  Plenty of people spend time boating and taking in the beautiful views this town has to offer.

Bridal Veil Falls

Ontario, is home to a number of amazing waterfalls, and Bridal Veil Falls is certainly welcomed on that list.  Bridal Veil Falls is conveniently located merely steps away from the parking lot. Once you leave the parking lot, you will be greeted by a viewing platform and a set of sturdy metal steps.  The steps take you a short distance down to the mouth of the waterfall.  During the summer months, Bridal Veil Falls turns into a popular swimming hole.  Regardless if you’re swimming or not, this waterfall is stunning.

Spend Time By The Water

With the number of lakes, and being an island, Manitoulin is a great place to kickback by the water.  Whether it be canoe, kayak or dingy, Manitoulin is the perfect place to pull up your anchor and go for a paddle or boat ride.  There are also a number of great swimming locations and peaceful places for a relaxing day of fishing.  Regardless of what you do on the island, spending time by the water is nearly unavoidable.

Cup and Saucer Trail

The Cup and Saucer Trail is the most popular hiking trail on Manitoulin Island, and for good reason.  Based on distance, hikers can choose various trails to reach the famous lookout via the Cup and Saucer Trail.  For the most part, the trail is fairly manageable, but does have some tricky vertical inclines along the way.  The highlight of this hike is reaching the look-out and seeing the amazing view over Manitoulin Island.

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