question

We keep hearing about people going "up to the cottages". Qu'est que c'est?

Comments

  1. James Redekop16 September 2005 at 05:47

    What are cottages, or what is "up to the cottage"? I'm not sure what you're not sure about. ;)

    A cottage is a small weekend house in the country. Around here, most of them are north or east of Toronto, anywhere from half and hour to three hours drive away. "Cottage country" includes places like Muskoka, the Kawarthas, Lake Simcoe, Lake Scugog, etc.

    In New York State, it'd be like heading out to the Finger Lakes or the Berkshires or the Green Mountains for the weekend.

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  2. Kyle_From_Ottawa16 September 2005 at 06:12

    Up to the cottages is kinda of a Toronto term, since cottage country is directly north of Toronto.

    Every weekend there's a mass exodus from Toronto....Actually, it's quite aggravating if you happen to be passing through the GTA on one of those weekends. I was stuck in traffic for hours on my way from Niagra Falls to Ottawa.

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  3. Anonymous16 September 2005 at 06:12

    If you are a CEO, Hollywood Celebrity or a Famous Athlete, it means spending a couple weeks out of the Summer in a palatial retreat on the Muskoka Lakes (Lake Rousseau, Lake Joseph etc)

    For the rest of us it means a getaway near a beautiful body of water somewhere outside of the city you live in. Anywhere from Lake Erie to Huron to Georgian Bay to the Kawartha Lakes plus thousands more.
    It is a right of living in Ontario to spend time at a "Cottage".

    You absolutely must find the time to plan you're own Ontario getaway someday. You will be knocked out by the beauty of this province. Even going on a day trip through the Niagara Wine Route stopping at any number of world class wineries and ending up in Niagara-On-The-Lake for dinner and shopping in one of the most picturesque towns you will ever see.

    Take Care
    ALPF

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  4. laura k16 September 2005 at 07:17

    You absolutely must find the time to plan you're own Ontario getaway someday.

    I've been saying just that! That our first Canadian vacation will be in our own province. I have always loved New York State and recommend it to everyone - I want to do the same with Ontario.

    In New York State, it'd be like heading out to the Finger Lakes or the Berkshires or the Green Mountains for the weekend.

    For New York City, the Catskills, the Hamptons or possibly the Berkshires.

    Up to the cottages is kinda of a Toronto term, since cottage country is directly north of Toronto.

    Right, that's what I meant.

    Every weekend there's a mass exodus from Toronto....Actually, it's quite aggravating if you happen to be passing through the GTA on one of those weekends.

    Very typical for big cities. The weekend escape traffic - it's a nightmare. We always have the advantage of going away off-hours and off-days.

    Thanks guys, great answers!

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  5. Kyle_From_Ottawa16 September 2005 at 08:29

    Off topic....

    Type "failure" into google, and hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button.....

    Don't worry, it won't take you to anything bad....just funny.

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  6. Stephen16 September 2005 at 09:13

    Cottage country is still too civilized for my taste. Powerboats and busyness. Try Algonquin Park if you really want to get away.

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  7. Liam J16 September 2005 at 09:30

    Or Northern Ontario, up there they call them "Camps". :)

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  8. zydeco fish16 September 2005 at 09:42

    I feel poor when I heard someone say that :-(

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  9. laura k16 September 2005 at 10:42

    ZF, what made you feel poor?

    Cottage country is still too civilized for my taste. Powerboats and busyness. Try Algonquin Park if you really want to get away.

    Or Northern Ontario, up there they call them "Camps". :)

    Hmm, cottages might do very nicely for us. Anything that they call a camp is probably more roughing it than I want these days. But I definitely want to see the province as much as I can.

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  10. laura k16 September 2005 at 10:50

    Type "failure" into google, and hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button.....

    Kyle!! This is great!!! Everyone please do this!

    ReplyDelete
  11. zydeco fish16 September 2005 at 11:37

    Oh, just because a lot of people own expensive cottages and I don't :-)

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  12. mister anchovy16 September 2005 at 21:16

    and all those people who 'go up to the cottage', get there, mow the lawn, rake the leaves, clean the boathouse, build the deck, fix the dock, clean the boat, chop the trees, burn the brush, then head home in a traffic jam on sunday nights....I love the north, but I prefer going where I please without being slave to maintenance of a cottage, thank you very much.

    ReplyDelete
  13. laura k17 September 2005 at 07:51

    I love the north, but I prefer going where I please without being slave to maintenance of a cottage, thank you very much.

    We also think this way. (Not that I could afford a cottage.) I prefer a vacation where I visit many places and see a lot of different things. I can do the relaxing/cottage thing for a couple of days, maybe even a week, but that's my limit.

    Now that our dogs have their own backyard, getting away like we used to do upstate (same idea as cottages in the north), isn't as important. I think we'll prefer to drive around the province, go hiking here and there, and see lots of different things.

    I'll definitely be asking for suggstions when the time comes.

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  14. Anonymous19 September 2005 at 07:30

    Here's a good article about Muskoka from the US

    ALPF

    ReplyDelete
  15. laura k19 September 2005 at 14:22

    Oh geez, I can't believe that first line - "another reason to blame Canada". :)

    So many of these cottages are not really cottages, they are multi-million dollar homes.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sass5 October 2005 at 22:56

    You know, somehow I missed this post, but running through the archives, I came across it. I have to say, cottages are pretty much an institution. I could tell you what my family's cottage meant to me (sadly it was sold with my grandfather's passing), but it would take a few hours and a good stiff drink. Maybe I'll blog about it one of these days when I get a minute...

    ReplyDelete
  17. laura k6 October 2005 at 05:21

    Pour a drink and start typing?

    ReplyDelete

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