Cottage Made Easy at Cherry Beach Resort
There’s something about August that always feels like you’re running for the last grasp at summer.
It can make you do crazy things like run even faster to the finish.
Or, if you’re lucky, you realize what’s happening and take the chance to slow things down.
We did that last week at a cottage at Cherry Beach Resort.
Welcome to Cherry Beach!
Located on an island in Lake Ontario, Cherry Beach Resort sits on 48 acres about 10 km south of Picton, Ontario in Prince Edward County. It’s one of seven family-friendly cottage resort properties owned by Great Blue Resorts. If you’ve never been to the County then consider how front desk staff described it to me: “It’s Niagara on the Lake meets Wasaga Beach meets Muskoka.”
Still unsure? Picture rolling farmland stacked high with bails of golden hay. Stores that go by names like “The Store” because there’s no need to be any more specific when your nearest competition is kilometers down the road. It’s an area where ice cream stands are more popular than gas stations.
Your neighbours on site are a mix of visitors from as near as Coburg and as far away as Quebec, but there are also owners on site who are friendly and welcoming and offer directions to the nearest grocery store when you’ve forgotten things at home.
About 2.5 hours from Toronto, the drive in to the resort helps in the calming process. By the time you arrive at the sloping hill into the property your blood pressure has already dropped.
Check-in is quick and simple and within a few minutes we were settled into the cottage and ready to hit the beach.
The kids wasted no time hitting the water. Warm and shallow, kids as young as two were seen playing, water wings in place, on the shore. And the giant water trampoline in the middle meant my boys made fast friends with other visiting children.
Over the next few days as they played and I packed and unpacked our books, snacks, toys and drinks, it dawned on me that we haven’t vacationed like this in a long time.
A lot of our trips are to fancy spots. It’s the nature of my work and where it carries me and I enjoy those trips but the simplicity of a picnic on the beach, or playing scrabble while waiting for dinner to finish on the barbecue or sitting poolside as day turns to dusk…all sat well with me.
I think it was because it took me back to the vacations of my childhood. No constant buzzing of devices or fancy clothes for dinner.
Just fun. Good old-fashioned fun.
Just the facts
Units vary but all come with a well-equipped kitchen.
The sofa can convert to a bed and there was plenty of room for an impromptu dance party.
Rent: Cherry Beach Resort rentals are available between May and October. Cabins come fully furnished with gourmet kitchens but you’ll need to bring your own bed linens, towels and toiletries. There is no restaurant on site so you’ll need to bring your own groceries or plan on trips into town. Rates start at $949 for a Monday to Friday or Friday to Monday rental To reserve visit www.greatblueresorts.com or call 1-877-814-4141.
Buy: Most of the 200 Park Model cottage units are owned by individuals who then place the unit back into the rental pool. There are currently only about 30 units left for purchase in the final phase of development. Prices range from $79,283 – 138,576 for units that range in size and number of bedrooms. All pricing includes heating, set up and delivery, full furnishings, window treatments, maintenance and more. There is a seasonal resort management fee as well. For more information on Sales: www.greatblueresorts.com/ownership
What to Do:
- Nothing: Seriously, take advantage of the downtime and lay on a towel in the sun or build castles in the sand
- Mini-Golf – The Caddy Shack course is about a 10 minute drive from the resort and offers 18 holes of fun. The Kawartha dairy ice cream shack on site is a perfect way to toast your victor.
- Explore – Change your beach view with a visit to Sandbanks Provincial Park. There’s a $15 daily visitor fee but the views, hiking opportunities and walking paths can easily fill your time. Or explore some of the local wineries nearby.
- Stay – On site you’ll find a heated saltwater pool and splash pad, a multi-use court that hosts both basketball and tennis, a “Kidz Klub” and more. All of the non-motorized water sport equipment is free to use including stand up paddleboards, kayaks and canoes. Plus the 1200 ft long sandy beach is a perfectly sensible way to spend an entire afternoon.
Disclosure: Our visit to Cherry Beach Resort was sponsored in part by Great Blue Resorts. As always, all opinions and editorial are my own.
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