The Pier offers entertainment, including live acts. Friday Harbour is a 600-acre, four-season resort and mixed-use development in Innisfil, Ontario, on the shores of Lake Simcoe. (Photo courtesy of Friday Harbour)
Since officially opening in 2015, Friday Harbour Resort, located about one hour north of Toronto, has become a premier, year-round destination for city slickers yearning for a luxurious, cottage country getaway close to home. Ideal as a day trip or a weekend escape, the resort offers appealing adventures that cater to all travel types, and culinary connoisseurs.
Vancouverites may meander to Whistler, and Montrealers trek to Mont Tremblant, but Torontonians flow to Friday Harbour. It’s got something for everyone, including me who enjoys a scrumptious meal, and burning off the calories soon after. Summer activities include waterfront yoga sessions, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, and my personal favourite, pedal boating.
The Fashion Collective Series, which ran in August, is an event that showcased home-grown designers and artists. (Photo courtesy of Friday Harbour)
It makes for a fun day/workout, without the pain that sometimes comes with a gym session. Fall ushers in beach campfires and s’mores, not to mention perfect leaf-peeping opportunities thanks to comfortable forest hikes along accessible trails. Enjoy winter fat biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or ice skating in the resort’s main square. Plan your visit around the Tree Lighting ceremony and festive holiday market. In the spring, break out the clubs and hit the links. Friday Harbour’s The Nest golf course, designed by award-winning architect Doug Carrick, is an 18-hole tranquil oasis with lovely landscapes. Score Golf ranked it as one of 2023’s top 59 best public golf courses in Canada. For those eager to golf in the offseason, The Nest Clubhouse offers a boutique pro shop and indoor golf simulator.
Friday Harbour offers amenities and lifestyle opportunities, including homeowner-exclusive clubs and public access to its facilities. Development is ongoing. (Photo courtesy of Friday Harbour)
Stroll the boardwalk promenade, and hit the pier. Take in North America’s largest inland freshwater marina. It’s here the resort hosts seasonal events, including vendor markets, weekend performances by local musicians, and the Fashion Collective Series, an event that promotes Canadian designers and artists. Shop and dine at your leisure thanks to the many retailers onsite, including ADM Design & Décor, Feather + Stone Boutique, and One11 Beauty Bar.
Nearly a dozen cafes and restaurants offer everything from casual cravings to dynamic dinners. Lake Club Restaurant, designed by Graziani + Corazza, is a gorgeous space that features elevated dining with unobstructed marina views. Beach Club Restaurant’s fun, fresh and locally sourced dishes, coupled with its cool, coastal vibes transported me to the Mediterranean. For dessert, I couldn’t help but pop into Parisienne Patisserie and Bistro to bite into a few irresistibly fresh French pastries.
A delicious seafood dish at Beach Club is among the dining highlights at Friday Harbour. (Jim Bamboulis photo for Vacay.ca)
But this lovely waterfront community along the shores of Lake Simcoe isn’t your run-of-the-mill pampering playground. One-third of the 600-acre resort is a nature preserve, ensuring that wildlife enjoy a full-season experience as well. A relaxing respite, the sound of silence intoxicated me, fresh air filled my lungs, and brief deer sightings took my breath away. The resort understands and appreciates its responsibilities to nature, and supports over 40 species of birds, making it a safe sanctuary for our fine feathered friends. It also works diligently to enhance storm water management, abundantly replant nationally endangered Butternut trees, and create, protect and preserve its forest and wetlands, which in turn provide further habitat opportunities for a range of plants and animals.
Townhomes and condos are available for purchase, but for those looking to enjoy the resort for private events, holiday parties, or corporate team-building retreats, Friday Harbour offers a wide range of fully furnished accommodation options perfect for couples to large families in need of more space. I loved staying in the Tamarack, a cozy one-bedroom, one-bath condo suite close to the restaurants and festivities. It allowed me to enjoy the vibe while being steps away from a comfortable bed at all times.
MORE ABOUT FRIDAY HARBOUR RESORT
One-third of the 600-acre Friday Harbour resort is a dedicated nature preserve. (Jim Bamboulis photo for Vacay.ca)
Location: 3999 Friday Drive, Innisfil, Ontario (see map below)
Website: www.fridayharbour.com
Accommodations: The Birch is a spacious two-bed, two-bath space that includes a balcony, uncovered deck patio, and an outdoor grill, while the Magnolia is a more expansive four-bedroom, two-bathroom suite that can accommodate up to eight guests with lovely water views and fully functioning kitchen. The Butternut is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom hideaway, comfortably houses six guests, and comes with a kitchen and backyard or garden. With the resort’s popularity soaring, a 200-room lifestyle hotel, complete with conference facilities is being planned with construction starting by 2026. Room Rates and Packages: The resort has a number of packages available, several with minimum night stays required. View them all on the resort website.
