2 Day Trip to Manitoulin Island
Updated: Jun 24
This trip included visiting:
Fall was just getting its canvas ready, contemplating its strokes for 2021. Our vagabond souls wanted to wander away again while the summer palette was still around. Where do we go on such short notice to self? I picked up the phone, scrolled the map, and voila! We responded to the call of Manitoulin Island!
As I read up on this island in Lake Huron, I learnt that it is the largest lake island in the world which has over 100 lakes inside it! It is like a Russian Matryoshka doll (nesting dolls)! Manitoulin Island has the world’s largest lake (Lake Manitou) on a lake island, and it has the largest island within a lake (Treasure island in Lake Mindemoya) which is on an island within a lake (on Manitoulin Island within Lake Huron)! Go figure! I visited Manitoulin island for two days and I shall be going again!
Getting there: We drove from Toronto to Tobermory and took the Chi-Cheemaun Ferry (reservation required) to South Baymouth, Manitoulin island. It’s around a three hours drive from Toronto to Tobermory. And from Tobermory it's a two hours cruise to Manitoulin Island. The oter option is to drive through Sudbury and enter by the Little Current Swing Bridge. From Toronto that is also around five to six hours.The ferry ride was a wonderful beginning to this trip as we sailed on a sunny afternoon enjoying the breeze and the sun, taking in the beauty and vastness of the blue waters and it’s shores.
Things to do in Manitoulin Island: Explore this island's nature and the culture, its history, at your pace. There are a number of relaxing and comfortable places to stay including cottages and B&Bs. We stayed at Manitoulin Inn around Lake Mindemoya. They gave us an island visitors map that came in very handy! On day one after checking in, we sat on the picnic bench and had some comfort food at Mindemoya Grill & Chill, then we went to Mindemoya beach, Bridal Veil waterfall and Janet Head Lighthouse. We stopped at East Bluff Lookout to engulf the beautiful view of the water and the Gore Bay Marina below. I'll let the pictures do the talking!
On day two we planned a circular drive as we explored the island. From Hwy 542 in Mindemoya we took Hwy 551 towards north, then Hwy 540 to explore the town of Little Current, a lovely community on the shores of North Channel (the north of Lake Huron). We had coffee and a bite from the Loco Beanz Coffee House, checked out the local stores and walked on the waterfront trail, watching yachts and sailboats pass by. We had to drop hiking the Cup and Saucer trail, otherwise we would not have the time to see the places we shortlisted!
While at Little Current, we drove towards the mainland a little and back, over the single lane Little Current Swing bridge. It is an Ontario Heritage bridge built in 1912. Then we went to McLeans Mountain Lookout, accessing off Hwy 6 to enjoy the view of the water and LaCloche Mountain Range.
Had their popular fish and chips for lunch at Elliot’s Restaurant. Took a peek at settler artifacts at the Centennial Museum of Sheguiandah on Hwy 6 as we headed towards Ten Mile Point Trading Post. This place was my highlight of the trip for its breathtaking view from the lookout point! The trading post has a collection of beautiful local indigenous arts and crafts.
We drove down Hwy 6 all the way to South Baymouth, stopped at scenic points, took out our camping chairs from the trunk and just chilled. From Hwy 6 we took Hwy 542 taking us back to our inn at Mindemoya making it a full circle! I devoured the appetising pizza from Bayview Pizza at Mindemoya after the amazing day we had!
Manitoulin Island is the ancestral home to the Anishinaabe First Nations. We were sad that the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation was closed. We would like to have visited to get a taste of the culture of Anishnaabe People. We visited Lillian’s Indian Crafts. The owner Lillian Debassige has a large collection and sources crafts made by local artisans from natural materials.
We spent the next morning at Providence Beach, the southern shore of Lake Huron. I chilled and enjoyed the water and hubby flew his drone to his heart's delight, before heading back to South Baymouth to catch our ferry back home.
Sitting by the ferry terminal and enjoying the fish and chips prepared from the local catch of White fish, my heart yearned to visit the Mawa ghat (ferry terminal) by the River Padma in Bangladesh (that's where I'm from) to enjoy the famous Hilsa fish (Ilish) and the beautiful river, putting a pin in it for now.
Resources: I would like to share the sites I found helpful as I looked up Manitoulin Island before my trip to get an idea of the place and select what we wanted to explore.
