The long weekend means cottage for many people in Ontario, and we are not different.
We have a family cottage that my parents own. The long weekend (this weekend is Victoria Day long weekend for us) means a bit of extra time north of the city. Our place is on Skeleton Lake in Muskoka. It is in cottage country but still close enough to a town that we can zip to the store to pick up groceries.
Since we are currently getting ready for a road trip to the cottage I thought I would put together a new THREE TIPS post on getting ready for the weekend at the cottage.
- Get Everyone To Pack Their Own Stuff: Now that my kids are 12 and 14 they are more than capable to pack their own bags for the cottage. They have been packing for the cottage all on their own for years! To be honest, they don’t actually need to pack much. Pajamas, clean underwear, swimsuits, their pillow, and blanket! We keep back up clothes at the cottage in case someone forgets a sweater or jacket.
- Pack Food: We stick to the basics when we cook meals at the cottage. A pot of chili is always an easy meal to cook and can feed many mouths. We also plan to BBQ a lot. Think burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, and potatoes. Don’t forget to pack some snacks and s’mores
- Pack The Car: Once everyone has packed up it’s time to load up the car. I get the kids to toss their own bags into the back of the car. They put their pillows and blankets in the back seat. It’s also their responsibility to load the dog into the car. A few years ago we would take her crate along with us but now that she is older she prefers to sleep in bed with us.
Once the car is packed we are ready to hit the road. Our drive takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to get to the cottage, as long as there is no traffic! Of course, there is usually one stop that is a must and that is Webers. It is a summer tradition along Hwy 11 on the way to Muskoka. We stop for a burger and fries!
If you are heading out of town for the long weekend, safe travels and have fun.
If you are staying in town, enjoy the weekend!
