September is the best-kept secret on Rice Lake. The water holds its summer warmth into early fall, the boat traffic thins to almost nothing, the fishing turns aggressive, and the cottage calendar finally opens up. If July taught you that Rice Lake is worth the trip, September is when the regulars actually book—same lake, warmer water than June, none of the competition for dates.
The Water Is Still Warm (Warmer Than June, Actually)
This surprises people every year: because Rice Lake is shallow—averaging about three metres deep—it banks heat all summer and releases it slowly. Early September swimming is typically more comfortable than mid-June swimming. The lake’s full warm-water story is in our guide to swimming in Rice Lake, but the September version is simple: the beach and the dock stay completely usable into the third week of the month most years, and the heated saltwater pool covers the cool mornings.
September mornings on Rice Lake—the lake at its calmest. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
The Lake Goes Quiet
Labour Day flips a switch on Rice Lake. The weekly renters go home, the school-year routines start, and the lake returns to the people who know better. The morning water turns to glass and stays that way past breakfast. Paddling the shoreline—with the kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards included at Mildred’s—stops being a dodge-the-wake exercise and becomes the thing you drove up for. Sunsets come earlier, which means you actually stay up for them.
September Fishing Is the Year’s Best Window
Ask serious Rice Lake anglers when they plan their trips and the answer is September–October: bass and walleye feed hard before winter, the weed edges concentrate fish, and the boat pressure is a fraction of July’s. Our fishing and boating guide calls it the best-kept secret window of the season, and the guides who work the lake agree. If the summer trip was for the family, the September trip is for the tackle box.
Golf, Trails, and the Fall Colour Head Start
The 18-hole course at Bellmere Winds stays open and gets quieter—tee times that were fought over in July are walk-ups in September. By the back half of the month, the Northumberland hills around the lake start turning, and the Kawarthas in early colour—without Thanksgiving-weekend crowds—is one of Ontario’s most underrated drives. Peterborough’s 25 minutes away when you want a town day; the 3-day itinerary maps it.
The Season Runs Through Thanksgiving
Mildred’s operates from Victoria Day through Thanksgiving, so September isn’t the last call—October’s colour weekends and Thanksgiving itself (October 12, 2026) close the year. But September is the sweet spot: summer amenities, fall calm, and—unlike July—actual availability. The three-bedroom cottage sleeps six, has its own porch and direct waterfront access, and the pool, beach, and splash pad are steps away.
Is the water still warm enough to swim in September?
Usually, yes—early September especially. Rice Lake’s shallow profile means it holds summer heat well past Labour Day, and early-September water is typically warmer than mid-June’s. By late month it’s brisk but swimmable on warm days, and the heated saltwater pool at the resort covers the rest.
Is the resort still open in September?
Fully. The season at Bellmere Winds runs from Victoria Day through Thanksgiving (October 12, 2026)—pool, golf course, restaurant, and grounds all operating. September just trades the crowds for quiet.
Is September cheaper than summer at Rice Lake?
Availability is certainly better—peak-summer weekends book out months ahead, while September dates stay open much later. Check current rates on the booking page; shoulder-season value on Ontario waterfront is consistently at its best after Labour Day.
What’s the fishing like in September?
The year’s best. Bass and walleye feed aggressively ahead of winter, the lake is quiet, and experienced anglers deliberately plan their Rice Lake trips for September and October. The full seasonal breakdown is in our fishing guide.
Summer gets the headlines. September gets the lake. Warm water, glass mornings, hungry fish, open tee sheets, and a booking calendar that finally says yes—90 minutes from Toronto.
Planning the long weekend first? Labour Day falls September 5–7 this year—the long-weekend playbook applies, and our Labour Day guide is coming next week.
The honest short version: Muskoka and the Kawarthas aren’t competing for the same trip. Muskoka is the iconic one—granite-and-pine Canadian Shield, deep clear lakes, a premium price tag, and a longer drive. The Kawarthas are the practical one—about 90 minutes from Toronto, warmer swimmable lakes, some of Ontario’s best fishing, at roughly half the rental price. Neither is “better.” They’re different weekends. Here’s the full comparison, from a cottage that picked Rice Lake.
Kawarthas vs. Muskoka at a Glance
Drive from Toronto: Kawarthas (Rice Lake) about 90 minutes via Hwy 115. Muskoka typically 2–2.5 hours via Hwy 400/11—and famously longer in Friday cottage traffic.
The water: Muskoka’s lakes are deep, cold, and clear. Kawartha lakes are shallow and warm—swimmable from mid-June into September.
Price: Peak-season waterfront rentals in the Kawarthas commonly start around $375/night. Muskoka’s premium lakes routinely list at two to four times that.
Fishing: Kawarthas, decisively—Rice Lake is one of Ontario’s top bass and walleye fisheries. Muskoka’s deep lakes fish differently (lake trout country).
The vibe: Muskoka is the scene—boutique towns, big boathouses, celebrity cottages. The Kawarthas are working cottage country—quieter water, smaller marinas, less lineup.
The Drive Decides More Weekends Than Anything Else
Every cottage weekend has the same bookends: the Friday drive up and the Sunday drive home. Muskoka’s corridor—Highway 400 north through Barrie, then Highway 11—carries most of the GTA’s cottage traffic, and summer Fridays there are a known quantity: what should be two hours can stretch well past three.
Rice Lake sits on a different corridor entirely—east on the 401 or 407, then up Highway 115 past Peterborough. It’s about 90 minutes from the top of Toronto, and because the Kawarthas draw a fraction of Muskoka’s volume, the Friday drive stays close to the map estimate. Over a summer of weekends, that difference compounds: you’re on the dock for sunset instead of watching brake lights in Barrie.
Friday, 7 PM on Rice Lake—90 minutes after leaving the city. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
The Water: Clear and Cold vs. Warm and Alive
This is the most honest fork in the road, because Muskoka genuinely wins one half of it. The Shield lakes—Muskoka, Rosseau, Joseph—are deep, cold, and strikingly clear. If your picture of a cottage is diving off a granite point into cool, glassy water, that’s Muskoka, and the Kawarthas won’t replicate it.
The Kawarthas win the other half. Rice Lake averages only about three metres deep, which means it warms early and holds its heat—comfortably swimmable from mid-June into September, when deep Muskoka lakes are still bracing in June. For families with young kids, warm shallow water with a sandy, gradual entry beats impressive-but-cold every time. The same shallowness feeds the weed beds that make Rice Lake one of Ontario’s best bass and walleye fisheries—serious anglers pick the Kawarthas without a second thought.
The Price Gap Is Real
Muskoka carries a brand premium, and it shows up in rentals: peak-season waterfront on the big three lakes routinely lists at two to four times comparable Kawartha properties. Published rental comparisons put peak Kawartha waterfront in the $375–600/night range against $900–1,800 on Muskoka’s premium lakes. Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage—three bedrooms, sleeps six, directly on Rice Lake with a heated saltwater pool, golf course, and included kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards—starts from $375/night. For a group splitting costs, the Kawarthas often mean a full extra weekend of cottage time on the same budget.
What Muskoka Genuinely Does Better
Credit where it’s due, because a comparison that pretends otherwise isn’t worth your click: Muskoka’s Shield landscape is the postcard—granite shorelines, wind-bent pines, water so clear you can watch your anchor drop. Its towns—Huntsville, Bracebridge, Port Carling—have a boutique polish the Kawarthas don’t try to match, and the high-end dining and resort scene is a category of its own. If the trip is about the scenery and the scene—and budget isn’t the constraint—Muskoka earns its reputation.
But most cottage weekends aren’t about the scene. They’re about how fast you can get there, whether the kids can swim off the dock, whether something bites at 7 AM, and what it all costs. On those questions, the Kawarthas keep winning quietly—which is why locals have started calling the region “the new Muskoka” as prices and attention drift east.
The deck at Mildred’s—waterfront without the premium-lake price. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
The Middle Path: A Resort Cottage on Rice Lake
One thing Muskoka’s famous resorts and the Kawarthas’ private rentals both half-deliver is the combination of privacy and amenities. A resort cottage covers both: Mildred’s sits inside Bellmere Winds Golf Resort, so you get your own three-bedroom cottage and porch on the water, plus the heated pool, splash pad, beach, 18-hole course, and a weekly activities program the kids don’t need you to organize. That package at a Muskoka resort is a different tax bracket.
No—they’re separate regions. Muskoka sits north of Barrie on the Canadian Shield (Highway 400/11 corridor). The Kawarthas lie east of Toronto around Peterborough, along the Trent-Severn Waterway (Highway 115 corridor)—Rice Lake marks the region’s southern edge. Different geology, different drive, different price bracket.
Which is closer to Toronto, the Kawarthas or Muskoka?
The Kawarthas. Rice Lake is about 90 minutes from Toronto via Highway 115, on a corridor that avoids the worst cottage traffic. Muskoka typically runs 2 to 2.5 hours via Highways 400 and 11—and materially longer on summer Friday afternoons.
Is Muskoka more expensive than the Kawarthas?
Generally, yes—substantially. Peak-season waterfront rentals on Muskoka’s premium lakes routinely list at two to four times comparable Kawartha properties; published comparisons put Kawartha peak rates around $375–600/night versus $900–1,800 in Muskoka. The gap reflects Muskoka’s brand premium more than a difference in the actual weekend.
Which is better for families with young kids?
For most families, the Kawarthas: the lakes are warm and shallow with sandy, gradual entries—easier and safer for young swimmers than deep, cold Shield water—the drive is an hour shorter, and resort settings like Bellmere Winds add a pool, splash pad, and organized kids’ activities. Muskoka’s edge—dramatic scenery and clear deep water—matters more to adults than to a six-year-old with a bucket.
Pick Muskoka for the postcard. Pick the Kawarthas for the weekend—more of them, warmer water, better fishing, and a booking that doesn’t need a second mortgage. We’re biased, but we showed our math.
The August long weekend—Saturday, August 1 through Monday, August 3, 2026—is the Civic Holiday weekend in Ontario, and it lands at the absolute peak of cottage season. The lake is at its warmest of the entire year, the days are still long, and it’s the last big long weekend before Labour Day closes out the summer. If Canada Day came too fast to plan around, this is the do-over.
Rice Lake sits about 90 minutes northeast of Toronto in the Kawarthas—close enough for a Friday-evening arrival without the northbound Muskoka crawl, far enough that Monday morning feels like a different world.
When Is the August Long Weekend in 2026?
Civic Holiday falls on Monday, August 3, 2026. It goes by different names around the province—Simcoe Day in Toronto, Colonel By Day in Ottawa—and while it isn’t an official statutory holiday in Ontario, most workplaces observe it, which makes the first weekend of August one of the busiest cottage weekends of the year. Take Friday, July 31 off and you’re looking at a four-day run at the height of summer.
Why Early August Is Rice Lake’s Best Stretch
The water is as warm as it gets. Rice Lake is shallow, which means it heats all summer and peaks right about now—the shallows off a sandy beach can feel bath-warm in early August. If swimming is the point of the trip, this is the weekend to book. (The full picture—temps by month, where the sandy entries are—is in our guide: Can you swim in Rice Lake?)
The fishing stays honest. Early mornings on the dock before the boat traffic wakes up are prime for bass; the Rice Lake fishing guide covers seasons, limits, and where to cast. Complimentary kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards come with a stay at Mildred’s, so the calm first hours of the day are yours without renting anything.
Golf, if that’s your thing. Bellmere Winds’ 18-hole championship course overlooks the lake from every hole, and a cottage with golf course access means someone can slip out for nine holes without hijacking the family’s day.
The sunroom at Mildred’s—early-August evenings on Rice Lake at their best. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
What’s Happening Around the Lake That Weekend
The resort’s program for July 27–August 2 is Country Week, and the long-weekend stretch is the fullest of it. The week also honours William’s memory—a 50/50 raffle and donation boxes run all week in support of Camp Kerry. Here’s the long-weekend lineup on the grounds:
Friday, July 31 — the bouncy castle goes up at the Phase 1 pool (it runs all weekend), bingo hits the Pro Deck at 7:00 PM, and at 9:30 PM there’s an outdoor screening of Minions on the Sales Deck, shown in loving memory of William.
Saturday, August 1 — pickleball at noon on the Phase 1 court, a ZooToYou petting-zoo visit at the Phase 1 pool in the early afternoon (50-person limit, first come first served—check the posted time), a $10 paint-and-sip on the Pro Deck from 6:00–8:00 PM (cash only), and DJ Omar on the Pro Deck from 8:00 to 11:00 PM.
Sunday, August 2 — Kids’ Club at 10:00 AM (DIY sheriff badges), a pool party with DJ Omar at the Phase 2 pool from 2:00 to 5:00 PM, and the 50/50 raffle draw to close the week.
Everything above except the paint-and-sip is free with a stay—and it’s all a short walk from Mildred’s door.
Off the grounds, Peterborough is 25 minutes away: Musicfest’s free summer concerts at Del Crary Park run through mid-August, the Lift Lock is the engineering field trip that actually lands with kids, and the Canadian Canoe Museum is the rainy-day insurance. The 3-day Rice Lake itinerary maps a full long weekend without a wasted drive.
Booking the August Long Weekend
Here’s the honest read: the first weekend of August is peak demand, and Bellmere Winds has roughly 25 stay-and-play cottages—when they’re booked, that’s the whole inventory. Mildred’s sleeps six across three bedrooms with a private porch, direct waterfront access, and the pool, beach, and splash pad a short walk away. From $375/night, splitting to a reasonable rate for a peak-season waterfront weekend.
Check availability and book through Great Blue Resorts: Book Mildred’s Lakefront Cottage for the August long weekend, or see the booking page for details. If the long weekend itself is gone, the weeks on either side are the same lake at the same temperature—and September on Rice Lake is the quiet secret the regulars keep.
FAQ — August Long Weekend at Rice Lake
When is the August long weekend in 2026?
Saturday, August 1 through Monday, August 3, 2026. The Monday is the Civic Holiday—called Simcoe Day in Toronto—and while it’s not an official statutory holiday in Ontario, most workplaces take it, making this one of the busiest cottage weekends of the summer.
Is August a good time for a Rice Lake cottage?
It’s the best swimming stretch of the year. Rice Lake is shallow and warm, and early August is its peak water temperature—plus the resort’s weekly activity program, golf, and Peterborough’s summer events are all in full swing. The trade-off is demand: it’s peak season, so book early.
Can I still book a cottage for the August long weekend 2026?
Availability moves fast for August 1–3—Bellmere Winds has roughly 25 bookable stay-and-play cottages. Check the Great Blue Resorts booking system for current openings, and if the long weekend is taken, adjacent August weeks offer the same peak-summer lake with more availability.
Is the Civic Holiday a statutory holiday in Ontario?
No—the first Monday of August is an optional civic holiday in Ontario, not a statutory one. Employers aren’t required to give it, but most do, which is why the weekend books like a stat holiday everywhere in cottage country.
Last call on high summer: warmest water of the year, four days if you take the Friday, and 90 minutes from the city. That’s the August long weekend on Rice Lake.
Yes—you can swim in Rice Lake, and from mid-June through early September the water is genuinely warm. Rice Lake is a shallow, warm Kawarthas lake, which means comfortable swimming temperatures earlier and later than the deep, cold lakes further north. The honest full answer has a bit more texture to it—where you swim matters—so here’s what the water is actually like, from a cottage that sits right on it.
The Short Version
Swimmable? Yes. Warm by mid-June, warmest late July through August, comfortable into early September.
Best swimming: maintained swim areas with sandy, gradual entry—like the resort beach at Bellmere Winds, where Mildred’s guests swim.
The catch: Rice Lake is a naturally weedy lake. Along undeveloped stretches of shoreline, you’ll find the aquatic plants the lake is famous for (it’s named for the wild rice beds that once covered it). Maintained beaches are a different experience entirely.
Backup plan: the resort’s heated saltwater pool and splash pad, a short walk from the cottage.
The swim-friendly stretch of shoreline at Bellmere Winds, looking back at Mildred’s. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
Why Rice Lake Swims Warmer Than Most of Cottage Country
Rice Lake is long—about 32 km—but shallow for most of its area, averaging only about 3 metres (9 feet) deep with a maximum around 8–10 metres. Shallow water heats up fast. While the deep Muskoka and Haliburton lakes are still bracing in June, Rice Lake is already comfortable, and by late July it can feel closer to bathwater at the shallow edges. That’s the trade Kawartha lakes make: you give up the cold, clear, deep-lake feel and get a long, warm swimming season instead.
The same shallowness is why the lake grows weeds. Sunlight reaches the bottom across huge areas, so aquatic plants thrive—the wild rice beds that gave the lake its name, plus the milfoil and pondweed that make it one of Ontario’s best bass and walleye fisheries. Great for fish. Less great if you wade in off a random natural shoreline in August expecting open sand.
Where You Actually Swim
The practical answer for anyone staying at a cottage: you swim where the shoreline is maintained. At Bellmere Winds, the resort keeps a sandy beach with a gradual, shallow entry—the bottom near shore is mostly sand, the swim area stays clear, and it’s shallow enough that kids can stand and play well out from the waterline. The beach and the multi-slip dock are steps from Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage, and many guests swim right off the dock in the deeper water.
A few practical notes from the water:
Water shoes help for kids with sensitive feet—sand near shore, but the odd pebble and shell happens on any natural lake bottom.
Mornings are glass. The lake is usually calmest before mid-morning—the nicest swim of the day, before boat traffic picks up.
Stay inside the swim area with kids. Rice Lake is a busy boating lake in July and August; the designated area keeps swimmers and boats separated.
Late-summer honesty: like most warm, shallow Ontario lakes, water clarity dips in August compared to early July. It’s still swimmable and busy every warm day—it’s just a warm lake, not a spring-fed quarry.
The green space between the cottage and the water at Bellmere Winds. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
Where Are the Beaches on Rice Lake?
Rice Lake doesn’t have big public beach strips the way Lake Ontario towns do—it’s a cottage lake, so most swimming happens off docks and resort waterfronts. There are a few public access points people ask about:
Harwood Waterfront & Dock (south shore) — a small sand beach with a picnic shelter and an accessible dock; the closest thing to a public beach on the lake.
Gores Landing (south shore) — a popular local swimming spot; unmonitored, so supervision is on you.
Bewdley (west end) — the lakefront park area at the lake’s western tip, another long-standing local swim spot.
The practical note: they’re modest, local-scale beaches. Most Rice Lake swimming happens at cottages and resorts—which is exactly why a maintained sandy swim area steps from your door is worth booking for. That’s the setup at the Bellmere Winds beach where Mildred’s guests swim.
The Pool Option (Because Some Days You Want It)
One genuine advantage of a resort cottage over a private rental: when the lake is choppy, the day is cool, or the kids just want a change, the heated saltwater pool and splash pad are a short walk from Mildred’s front door. Saltwater systems are gentler on eyes than chlorine, the pool is maintained daily, and it stretches the swimming season at both ends. Families staying a week typically end up alternating—lake in the morning, pool in the afternoon. It’s one of the reasons the resort setting works even for groups who came for the lake.
Swimming Season, Month by Month
May: too cold for most—the lake is open but brisk. Pool weather (it’s heated).
June: warms fast; comfortable swimming by mid-month most years.
July: prime. Warm water, long days, busiest boat traffic.
August: warmest water of the year; clarity dips a little, weeds peak along natural shorelines—the maintained beach stays the place to be.
September: the sleeper. Water holds summer warmth into early September, the lake goes quiet, and the swimming is often the most pleasant of the season.
FAQ — Swimming in Rice Lake
Is Rice Lake clean enough to swim in?
Yes—Rice Lake is swum all summer long from cottages, resorts, and camps around its shoreline. It’s a warm, nutrient-rich lake, so it’s not northern-Ontario clear, and clarity dips in late summer—but the maintained swim areas like the Bellmere Winds beach are sandy, shallow, and busy with swimmers every warm day. As with any Ontario lake, if a local advisory is ever posted, the resort follows it.
How warm does Rice Lake get?
Because it’s shallow, Rice Lake is one of the warmer swimming lakes in southern Ontario. It’s comfortable by mid-June and peaks in late July and August, when the shallows can feel bath-warm. The water holds its warmth into early September.
Is Rice Lake weedy?
Naturally, yes—it’s a shallow lake named for its historic wild rice beds, and aquatic plants are why the fishing is so good. But that’s along natural, undeveloped shoreline. Maintained swim areas—like the resort beach at Bellmere Winds—have a sandy bottom and clear entry. Where you swim makes all the difference.
Is the swimming at Bellmere Winds good for young kids?
Yes—this is one of the property’s strengths. The beach has a gradual, sandy, shallow entry where kids can stand and play, plus a splash pad and a heated saltwater pool a short walk away. Guests at Mildred’s use all three, often in the same day.
How deep is Rice Lake?
Shallow—and that’s the secret to its warm water. Rice Lake averages only about 3 metres (9 feet) deep, with a maximum depth around 8–10 metres (27 feet). That shallow profile is why the lake warms early, stays warm through September, and grows the weed beds that feed one of Ontario’s best fisheries.
Is Rice Lake a good lake?
For a cottage vacation, yes—with the right expectations. It’s one of Ontario’s top bass and walleye fisheries, one of its warmest swimmable lakes, and it’s quieter and closer to Toronto than Muskoka. What it isn’t is a deep, crystal-clear Shield lake—Rice Lake is a warm, lively, family-friendly one, best enjoyed from a sandy maintained beach or a boat.
Does Rice Lake have a public beach?
A few small ones. Harwood’s waterfront has a small sand beach with a picnic shelter, Gores Landing has a popular (unmonitored) swimming spot, and Bewdley has a lakefront park at the west end. They’re modest, local-scale beaches—most Rice Lake swimming happens at cottages and resorts with their own swim areas.
Is Rice Lake man-made?
No—Rice Lake is a natural lake, though its water level was raised in the 19th century by the dam at Hastings, built as part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. The higher water drowned most of the wild-rice beds the lake was originally named for.
So: can you swim in Rice Lake? All summer, and comfortably. Pick a maintained beach, keep kids in the swim area, and take the calm morning water when you can get it. If you want the lake, the pool, and the splash pad within a two-minute walk of your door, that’s exactly the setup at Mildred’s—check availability on the booking page.
On Wednesday, July 29, Bellmere Winds Golf Resort hosts the William Memorial Golf Tournament, held once again in celebration of William’s life and memory. Proceeds support Camp Kerry, an organization that provides grief support and resources for children, families, and individuals coping with loss—with a goal this year of raising enough to send several families to camp.
Golfers are encouraged to wear yellow or blue in honour of William’s favourite movie, Minions. After the round, everyone gathers for a potluck-style dinner, along with a raffle and auction. It’s a day of remembrance, community, and support—and one of the most meaningful days on the resort’s calendar.
The course at Bellmere Winds, where the community gathers July 29. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
Entry: $30 for resort owners and members, $80 for guests
Tee times: call the Pro Shop at 705-295-3000 ext 1, or email Golf Director Russ DaSilva at [email protected]
Dress: yellow or blue, for William
After golf: potluck dinner, raffle, and auction
Good to know: the day is cash only, and all food purchases go to Camp Kerry on a donation basis
About Camp Kerry
Camp Kerry, a program of the Lumara Society, offers grief support for children, families, and individuals coping with the loss of a loved one—including family camps where bereaved families can heal together. Every dollar raised on July 29 goes toward sending families to camp. You can read more about the program at lumarasociety.org.
Ways to Support
Play. Book a tee time through the Pro Shop and come out on the 29th. The tournament is open to resort owners, members, and guests alike.
Give in person. Donation boxes are at the Pro Shop and Sales Office through Sunday, August 2 for anyone who’d like to make a cash donation—and a week-long 50/50 raffle runs at the Pro Shop, with the draw on August 2. William memorial bracelets will also be available during the event.
Local businesses. Organizers are welcoming contributions of raffle prizes, auction items, gift cards, merchandise, services, or monetary donations. Any support, big or small, helps make the day meaningful for the families it serves. Reach out to the Pro Shop team—Office Manager Gillian Inglis or Golf Director Russ DaSilva—at 705-295-3000 ext 1.
A Community Weekend
The resort has made the whole week of July 27–August 2 a memorial week. A 50/50 raffle runs all week at the Pro Shop with the draw on Sunday, August 2; donation boxes are in the Pro Shop and Sales Office through the weekend; and on Friday, July 31 at 9:30 PM the outdoor movie night on the Sales Deck screens Minions—shown in loving memory of William. All proceeds go to Camp Kerry. If you’re staying on the resort grounds that week, the tournament and the week’s events are steps away—the course itself is an 18-hole championship layout overlooking Rice Lake, and guest entry to the tournament is open at $80.
We’re proud to be part of the Bellmere Winds community, and we hope to see the course full of yellow and blue on the 29th. Together, the community can honour William’s memory and support families who need Camp Kerry’s work.
Mid-July is when Bellmere Winds hits its stride. The pool is warm, Rice Lake is full of kayaks by 10 AM, and the resort’s summer program runs seven days a week—steps from the cottage door at Mildred’s. The week of July 13–19 is “Under the Sea” week: a full slate of family activities ending with live music on the Golf Deck and an outdoor movie night. Every one of these events is free with a cottage stay.
If you’re weighing a Rice Lake cottage rental for late July or August, this week is a good preview of what a summer stay here actually includes—because the resort runs a themed program like this one every week of the season.
What’s On at Bellmere Winds This Week (July 13–19)
Monday, July 13 — canoe and kayak race at 9:00 AM on the beach. Mildred’s guests don’t need to rent anything: canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards are already included with the cottage.
Tuesday, July 14 — Kids’ Club at 10:00 AM at the Phase 1 pool, pickleball at noon on the Phase 1 court, and a guess-the-seashells contest running all day at the Pro Shop.
Wednesday, July 15 — colouring sheets at the Pro Shop all day, and the seashell contest winner gets announced.
Thursday, July 16 — Kids’ Club at 10:00 AM. This session is paper-plate jellyfish, if you’re wondering.
Friday, July 17 — the Dive-for-Treasure challenge at 10:00 AM in the Phase 2 pool—billed as treasure for all ages—then bingo on the Golf Deck at 7:00 PM.
Saturday, July 18 — the big one. Zumba at 9:30 AM, pickleball at noon, a rubber duck race on the beach at 2:00 PM, live music from Brandon Gregory on the Golf Deck from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, and an outdoor screening of The Little Mermaid at 9:30 PM.
Sunday, July 19 — Kids’ Club at 10:00 AM (handprint fish puppets), then a community shoreline clean-up at 11:00 AM for anyone who wants to give the lake a hand.
Pickleball repeats every Tuesday and Saturday at noon through July. All levels, drop in.
The front deck at Mildred’s—the weekly resort program runs a short walk from here. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
Why the Weekly Program Is the Point
Here’s the math every parent does at a private cottage rental: the lake fills a few hours a day. Then what? At a standalone cottage, “then what” is your job—every afternoon, all week.
A resort cottage flips that. This one week alone covers a kayak race, three Kids’ Club mornings, two pickleball sessions, a pool challenge, a duck race, bingo, live music, and a movie under the stars—without anyone getting in a car or buying a ticket. Compare that to a week of day camps or paid attractions and the value shows up fast. It’s the reason we call the resort setting the fix for the family cottage weekend problem—and it’s one of the ten reasons Bellmere Winds works even for groups that never touch a golf club.
Where You Stay: Steps From All of It
Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage sits directly on Rice Lake inside the resort grounds—3 bedrooms, sleeps 6, full kitchen, private porch, and a dock on the water. The heated saltwater pool, splash pad, and beach are a short walk. Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards are included, and the 19th Hole Grill is on-site when nobody feels like cooking.
Early mornings before the program starts are for the dock: Rice Lake is one of southern Ontario’s better fishing lakes—walleye, smallmouth, muskie, crappie—and the Rice Lake fishing guide covers what’s biting and where.
Mildred’s from the dock—the kayak race, beach events, and pool are all on the same grounds. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
Late July and August Are Booking Now
The themed weeks run all summer—a different program every week through the season. Peak weeks at Bellmere Winds book out early; the resort holds roughly 25 stay-and-play cottages, and July–August demand takes them fast. Mildred’s starts from $375/night and sleeps six, which splits to a reasonable rate for a waterfront cottage with the whole resort program included.
Are Bellmere Winds resort activities included with a cottage stay?
Yes. The weekly events program—Kids’ Club, pool challenges, beach races, bingo, live music, movie nights—is part of staying on the resort grounds, at no extra cost. Guests at Mildred’s also get the heated saltwater pool, splash pad, beach, and complimentary canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards.
What is there for kids to do at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort?
A lot, and most of it is scheduled for you: Kids’ Club runs several mornings a week at the pool, the splash pad and beach are open daily, and each summer week has themed events—the July 13–19 lineup includes a kayak race, a dive-for-treasure pool challenge, a rubber duck race, and an outdoor screening of The Little Mermaid. Off the grounds, the Canadian Canoe Museum and the Peterborough Lift Lock are about 25 minutes away.
Can I still book a Rice Lake cottage for summer 2026?
Late July and August weeks were still open at the time of writing, but they’re the first to go—the resort has roughly 25 bookable stay-and-play cottages, not hundreds. Shoulder season (September, October, Thanksgiving weekend) stays flexible longer and the Kawarthas in fall colour is worth the trip on its own. Book through Great Blue Resorts or check the booking page for current availability.
Do I need to register for the weekly resort events?
Most events are drop-in—show up at the posted time and place. A few contests (like the Pro Shop seashell guess) run all day so you can swing by whenever. The resort posts each week’s schedule on the grounds, and staff at the Pro Shop have the current lineup.
A July week at a Kawarthas cottage doesn’t need an itinerary when the resort runs one for you. The lake in the morning, the program in the afternoon, the Golf Deck at night—and Toronto is only 90 minutes away when it’s over.
Father’s Day 2026 lands on Sunday, June 21. It’s not a long weekend—there’s no statutory Monday attached—but that’s exactly the argument for skipping the crowded brunch reservation and driving up to the lake instead. Rice Lake sits about 90 minutes northeast of Toronto: close enough to leave Saturday morning and have Dad on the water by lunch, far enough that it actually feels like a trip. The lake runs 32 km, holds walleye, bass, and muskie, and is wrapped in the kind of Kawarthas countryside that makes a gift-wrapped tie look like a weak effort by comparison.
Father’s Day 2026 Is Sunday, June 21 — Make It a Weekend, Not a Brunch
Here’s the math most people don’t do. A Father’s Day restaurant booking is a 90-minute meal and a drive home. A Father’s Day weekend at Rice Lake is the same 90-minute drive—once—and then two full days of what Dad actually likes. Arrive Saturday, fish the evening bite, fire up the BBQ, and you’ve already beaten the brunch. Sunday is his: a round of golf, a slow morning on the dock, or both.
The Kawarthas are the easy direction out of the GTA. While Highway 400 backs up with Muskoka traffic, Rice Lake sits off Highway 115 in Northumberland County—a region most cottage-seekers overlook. Less traffic, similar water. The Kawarthas cottage rental guide covers the region in full if you’re new to it.
What Dad Actually Wants: A Day Fishing Rice Lake
Rice Lake is one of the stronger freshwater fishing lakes in southern Ontario. It holds walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie, crappie, and perch, and its 32 km length and 27 islands give you a lot of water to work. From Mildred’s private dock you can fish straight off the boards at first light, or take a boat out and find a quieter bay. Motorboat and pontoon rentals are available through Bellmere Winds; the resort’s complimentary kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards are there for the calmer water at the end of the day.
If Dad’s the type who’d rather know the lake before he gets there—what’s biting, the regulations, where to start—the Rice Lake fishing guide is the right read. It’s the most-visited page we have, mostly because it answers the questions anglers actually ask.
The private dock at Mildred’s puts Dad on Rice Lake before breakfast—no launch, no trailer. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
Add a Round at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort
If Dad golfs, this is the part that sells the weekend. Bellmere Winds is an 18-hole championship course designed by Jack Lally—par 72, playing 6,696 yards from the gold tees, with 36 bunkers, real elevation changes, and lake views from every hole. The signature 10th is an elevated par-5 looking out over Rice Lake. Four tee decks keep it fair for every skill level, and GPS comes standard in the carts.
Staying in a cottage with golf course access means he walks to the first tee instead of booking a separate trip for it. He plays his round; the rest of the group has the pool and the waterfront. Nobody has to coordinate, and the 19th Hole Grill is on-site when everyone’s ready to eat together. More on the course and the resort is on the Bellmere Winds Golf Resort page.
A Cottage That Fits the Whole Family
Father’s Day isn’t really about Dad being alone on a boat—it’s about everyone being in one place. Mildred’s Lakefront Cottage is 3 bedrooms and sleeps 6, with a full kitchen, a screened sunroom, and two furnished decks looking out over the water. It sits on the resort grounds at Bellmere Winds, directly on Rice Lake, so the pool is maintained, the beach is organized, and the waterfront is looked after—it’s a managed resort setting, not a private lot you’re responsible for.
The kids get the heated saltwater pool, the splash pad, and the beach. Everyone gets the complimentary kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. Dad gets the dock, the golf course, and a chair on the deck at the end of it. There are plenty of reasons Bellmere Winds stands out among Ontario resort cottages, and most of them matter more on a weekend when the whole family is together.
The lakeside firepit is where most Father’s Day weekends actually wind down. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
What’s On at Bellmere Winds for Father’s Day Weekend
Here’s something a private cottage can’t match: the resort runs its own events, and Father’s Day weekend 2026 is stacked with them—most aimed squarely at Dad. You’re staying on the grounds, so every one of these is a short walk from Mildred’s porch. Straight from the Bellmere Winds events calendar for June 19–21:
Friday, June 19 — Bingo Night. All ages, on the Clubhouse Deck, 7:00–8:00 PM. An easy first night once you’ve unpacked.
Saturday, June 20 — Bellmere’s Fishing Derby. On the beach, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, with categories for everyone: Kids’ Division, Family Team, biggest fish, longest fish, most types caught, and most unique catch. If Dad fishes, this is his morning—the Rice Lake fishing guide is worth a read the night before.
Saturday, June 20 — Father’s Day Golf Competition. On the putting green at 2:00 PM. All dads welcome; may the best father win.
Saturday, June 20 — Cornhole. By the Phase 1 pool at 4:00 PM.
Saturday, June 20 — Stargazing on the Golf Deck. 9:30 PM—bring snacks and chairs, and dress for the weather.
Sunday, June 21 — Father’s Day Caesar Brunch. On the Golf Deck at 10:00 AM. The right way to start Father’s Day.
Sunday, June 21 — Kids’ Craft: “Hooked on Dad.” A fishing-themed craft the kids make for Dad, at Phase 1, 10:00 AM.
It’s a full weekend without leaving the grounds—a fishing derby and a golf contest on Saturday, a Caesar brunch on Sunday, and enough going on for the kids that Dad actually gets to relax. Bellmere Winds runs a fresh events calendar every week through the season, so there’s usually something on even outside the holiday weekends.
Why a Rice Lake Weekend Beats the Usual Father’s Day Gift
Be honest about the alternatives: another tie, a third set of golf balls, a power tool he’ll use twice. A weekend on the water is the gift he’ll still be talking about at Thanksgiving. And the logistics are genuinely easy—401 east to Highway 115 north, no Highway 400 crawl, cottage gate in about 90 minutes from most of the east end of Toronto.
Split across a family of six, Mildred’s starts from $375/night—a reasonable rate for a waterfront cottage with pool access, free watercraft, and a golf course on the grounds. If you want a framework for filling the days, the 3-day Rice Lake itinerary adapts neatly to a Father’s Day weekend.
Book Dad’s Father’s Day Weekend on Rice Lake
Father’s Day is June 21, so if you’re reading this the week of, check same-week availability rather than assuming it’s gone—midweek and short-notice gaps do open up before the Saturday-to-Saturday summer calendar locks in. Bellmere Winds has roughly 25 stay-and-play cottages bookable through the resort, not hundreds, so it’s worth checking sooner rather than later.
And if this particular weekend is already full, the lake is just as good in July and August—a cottage weekend makes an easy “redeem it later” gift that beats anything you’ll find at the mall on June 20.
Father’s Day 2026 is Sunday, June 21—the third Sunday of June, the same date as the United States. There’s no statutory holiday Monday attached, so a Saturday-Sunday getaway is the natural shape for the weekend.
What is there to do for Dad near Rice Lake?
The big three are fishing, golf, and boating. Rice Lake holds walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie, crappie, and perch, with dock and boat access at Mildred’s. Bellmere Winds Golf Resort is an 18-hole championship course on the grounds. Motorboat and pontoon rentals are available through the resort, and there are complimentary kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. For the rest of the family there’s a heated saltwater pool, a splash pad, and a beach.
What’s happening at Bellmere Winds for Father’s Day weekend?
For Father’s Day weekend 2026 (June 19–21), the resort’s on-site calendar includes Bingo on Friday night, a Saturday-morning Fishing Derby on the beach, a Father’s Day Golf Competition on the putting green, cornhole, and stargazing on the golf deck—then a Father’s Day Caesar Brunch and a kids’ fishing craft on Sunday morning. Everything is on the resort grounds, a short walk from Mildred’s. The resort runs a new events calendar each week through the season.
How far is Rice Lake from Toronto?
About 90 minutes. The route is 401 east to Highway 115 north toward Keene—the easy direction out of the GTA, without the Highway 400 traffic that piles up heading to Muskoka on a summer weekend.
Can we still book a cottage for Father’s Day weekend?
It’s short notice for June 21, but worth checking—midweek and last-minute gaps open up before the summer calendar fills. Check same-week availability through Great Blue Resorts. If this weekend is full, the cottage is just as good through July and August, which makes it an easy gift to give now and redeem later.
Father’s Day is one weekend a year, and a brunch is over by noon. Rice Lake gives Dad two days of the things he actually picks for himself—a line in the water, a round at Bellmere Winds, and a chair on the dock with the lake in front of him—90 minutes from Toronto without the Muskoka premium.
Canada Day 2026 lands on a Wednesday. Take Thursday July 2 and Friday July 3 off and you have a five-day window stretching from July 1 through Sunday July 5. Rice Lake in the Kawarthas sits roughly 90 minutes northeast of Toronto—close enough to skip the brutal Friday highway crawl, far enough to actually feel like you’ve left. The lake is 32 km long, studded with 27 islands, and surrounded by the kind of Ontario countryside that still looks the way cottage country is supposed to look.
Canada Day 2026 Falls on a Wednesday — Here’s Why That Matters
Most Ontario cottage rentals follow a Saturday-to-Saturday calendar during peak summer. That means a Wednesday Canada Day opens a gap: midweek arrivals can often find availability that disappears the moment a property lists Friday check-ins. Canada Day week is consistently the single highest-demand rental week of the summer in Ontario cottage country. Waterfront properties across Ontario hit 90–90% occupancy during peak summer weeks in 2024. Book well ahead.
The five-day window is the real win here. You arrive Wednesday and beat the check-in crowd. You leave Sunday and beat the check-out crowd. Compare that to the classic Friday-to-Sunday long weekend and you’re looking at almost twice the time on the water for two vacation days spent.
The Kawarthas are already a shorter, easier drive than Muskoka for most GTA travellers. Rice Lake specifically sits in Northumberland County—a region most Ontario cottage-seekers overlook in favour of the more marketed routes north. That’s the advantage. Less traffic, similar water. The Kawarthas cottage rental guide covers everything worth knowing about the region before you book.
Where to Watch Canada Day Fireworks from Rice Lake
Rice Lake itself doesn’t host a fireworks show—but four good options sit within 15 to 35 minutes of Bellmere Winds—and the closest one you can watch from the water.
Hastings is the closest town to Bellmere Winds—about 15 minutes by car—and it sits at the east end of Rice Lake, where the water narrows into the Trent River. On July 1 the town puts on a popular fireworks show launched right out over the river. The twist for Mildred’s guests: with the cottage’s private dock and direct Rice Lake access, you can watch from the water instead of the shore—roughly a 25-minute run up the lake by boat at an easy evening pace. (Motorboat rentals are available through Bellmere Winds, or it’s about 15 minutes by car if you’d rather drive.)
Cobourg Waterfront Festival runs all day on July 1. The parade steps off at 11am on King Street, entertainment runs from 1pm to 9:30pm along the harbour, and fireworks go up over Cobourg Harbour at 10pm. Cobourg has a proper lakefront beach and a well-organized event—it draws a crowd, but it handles one. About 35 minutes from Bellmere Winds via Highway 115/35 south.
Port Hope Canada Day is the quieter option. The town holds what it calls “spectacular musical fireworks” at dusk over Memorial Park and East Beach, paired with live music, a classic car show, and a beer garden running through the afternoon. Port Hope is about 30 minutes from the resort—a short drive into one of the better-preserved main streets in Ontario, which makes it worth an early dinner before the fireworks.
Peterborough’s fireworks over Little Lake at Del Crary Park start at 9:30pm, immediately following a free Peterborough Musicfest concert that same evening. Both events are free admission. Peterborough is the closest of the three—about 20 to 25 minutes from Bellmere Winds—and the free concert before fireworks makes it an easy full evening out.
Many guests at Mildred’s pick one event, plan dinner nearby, and make it a proper night out. The drive home after fireworks is easy—no Muskoka-style gridlock waiting for you on the back roads.
Evenings by the water at Mildred’s—with four Canada Day fireworks shows within a half-hour drive, the closest watchable by boat. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
What to Do at Mildred’s During the Long Weekend
Mildred’s Lakefront Cottage sits on the resort grounds at Bellmere Winds, directly on Rice Lake. It’s not a private lot—it’s a managed resort setting, which matters on a busy holiday weekend. The pool is maintained. The waterfront is organized. The grounds are looked after.
The cottage itself is 3 bedrooms and sleeps 6, with a full kitchen and a private porch. Your home base for the weekend includes complimentary kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards—so you don’t need to arrange or transport anything. The resort also has a heated saltwater pool, a splash pad, and nature trails on the grounds.
On the water, Rice Lake is exceptional for fishing. The lake holds walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie, crappie, and perch. It’s widely considered one of the stronger freshwater fishing lakes in southern Ontario, and the 32 km length with 27 islands gives you a lot of water to explore by kayak or boat. For full detail on what’s in the water and how to fish it, the Rice Lake fishing guide is the right starting point.
If you’re planning days across a five-day window, the 3-day Rice Lake itinerary is a useful framework—adapt it and you’ve got a full long weekend mapped out.
Mildred’s sits directly on Rice Lake with private dock access. Photo: Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage.
Golf at Bellmere Winds — Add a Round (or Three)
Bellmere Winds is an 18-hole championship course designed by Jack Lally—par 72, playing 6,696 yards from the gold tees. The course has 36 bunkers, significant elevation changes, and lake views from every hole. The signature hole is the 10th: an elevated par-5 with panoramic views over Rice Lake. Four tee decks make it playable for all skill levels, and GPS comes standard in all carts.
For golfers in your group, a cottage with golf course access puts you steps from the first tee. On a five-day Canada Day window, three rounds is realistic without golf hijacking the trip for the rest of the group. Non-golfers have the pool, the waterfront, and the paddleboards. The 19th Hole Grill is on-site for meals—the group doesn’t have to coordinate schedules to eat together.
Bellmere Winds Goes All-In for Canada Day Week
Canada Day at Bellmere Winds isn’t just one afternoon—the resort runs programming straight through the long weekend, right on the grounds and steps from Mildred’s. For 2026 it stretches June 29–July 5:
Wednesday, July 1 (Canada Day) — Red & White Aquafit in the pool at 10:00 AM, the Canadian golf-cart parade at noon, and a scavenger hunt at 2:00 PM.
Saturday, July 4 — the big one. Zumba, musical beach towels on the sand, a golf contest on the putting green, a talent show and live music on the Golf Deck, a campfire and s’mores at 6:00 PM, and fireworks at dusk right over the resort — so you don’t even have to leave the grounds for the show.
All week (June 29–July 5) — a Canadian Cottage Decoration Contest with a $150 prize, plus daily Kids Club and a Friday lip-sync battle and bingo on the Golf Deck.
Between the resort’s own Saturday fireworks and the four town shows within a half-hour drive, Canada Day weekend on Rice Lake doesn’t lack for things to do. One tell on how busy it gets: the resort’s Canada Day golf tournament—a four-person scramble—sold out. That’s the same demand that takes the stay-and-play cottages early, so book before the calendar fills.
Book Your Canada Day Weekend Before It Fills Up
Ontario waterfront properties hit 90–100% occupancy during peak summer weeks in 2024. Canada Day week is consistently one of the first to fill. Bellmere Winds has roughly 25 stay-and-play cottages bookable through the resort—not hundreds. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
There are plenty of reasons Bellmere Winds stands out among Ontario resort cottage options. For Canada Day specifically, the combination of waterfront access, managed resort amenities, and proximity to four separate fireworks shows is hard to find in one package at this price point.
Mildred’s Lakefront Cottage starts from $375/night. For a group of six splitting the cost, that’s a reasonable rate for a waterfront cottage with pool access, complimentary watercraft, and a golf course on-site. The Canada Day week price reflects peak demand—if you’re reading this in May or early June, book now.
FAQ — Canada Day Long Weekend at a Kawarthas Cottage
When should I book a Canada Day cottage rental in Ontario?
As early as possible. Canada Day week is the peak-demand week of the summer across Ontario cottage country. Many waterfront properties book out 3–4 months in advance. If you’re looking at Bellmere Winds for July 1, 2026, booking in spring is the right call—these cottages go before the calendar turns.
Is there a Canada Day fireworks show near Rice Lake?
Not on the lake itself—but four solid options are within 15–35 minutes, and the closest one you can actually watch by boat. Hastings is about 15 minutes from Bellmere Winds by car—or a 25-minute run east up Rice Lake by motorboat. The town puts on Canada Day fireworks launched right over the Trent River, and Mildred’s guests can take the resort’s rental motorboat out and watch from the water instead of the shore. Cobourg holds fireworks over the harbour at 10pm on July 1 (35 min by car). Peterborough’s fireworks go over Little Lake at 9:30pm following a free Musicfest concert (25 min). Port Hope has fireworks at dusk in Memorial Park (30 min). All four are an easy drive from Bellmere Winds—and Hastings is the one worth doing by boat.
What’s included at Mildred’s Lakefront Cottage?
The 3-bedroom cottage sleeps 6 and sits on the resort grounds at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort on Rice Lake. Guests have access to the heated saltwater pool, dock and beach on Rice Lake, complimentary kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards, the splash pad, and resort nature trails. The 19th Hole Grill restaurant is on-site for meals.
Is Canada Day a good time to visit the Kawarthas if I want to avoid crowds?
It depends on what you mean by crowds. The Kawarthas don’t have the same highway gridlock as Muskoka or Tobermory. Rice Lake is quieter. But it is peak season—you won’t have the lake to yourself. The resort setting helps: the pool, grounds, and waterfront are managed, so it feels more relaxed than a private cottage with a busy public beach nearby.
Canada Day 2026 is worth planning around, not just showing up for. The Wednesday date gives you a real extended window if you take two days off. Rice Lake puts you close to Toronto without the Muskoka premium—in price, in drive time, or in stress. Mildred’s gives you the waterfront, the golf, the pool, the resort’s own Canada Day fireworks, and four more shows within a half-hour drive.
Planning an earlier-summer escape? See our Father’s Day weekend guide for Rice Lake — fishing derby, a Father’s Day golf competition, and a Caesar brunch right on the resort grounds.
A cottage resort in Ontario is a specific type of property that most people only discover after they’ve already booked something else. It’s not a hotel. It’s not a private cottage rental. It’s the combination — your own private unit, with resort facilities operating on the same property. Pool, restaurant, dock, fitness centre. The things you usually have to choose between, without having to choose.
What Is a Cottage Resort in Ontario?
Ontario cottage resorts are properties that offer self-contained cottage units — typically with full kitchens, private outdoor space, and waterfront access — within a managed resort setting. The resort provides shared amenities: a pool, dining, docking facilities, and activities. Your cottage provides privacy and a home base.
This is different from:
A private cottage rental — one property, no shared facilities, you manage everything yourself
A resort hotel — shared sleeping quarters with no private kitchen or outdoor space you own for the weekend
A cabin in a trailer park — shared infrastructure but minimal resort-quality amenities
What makes cottage resorts in Ontario worth knowing about is the use case they solve: families or groups who want the waterfront experience of a cottage and the infrastructure of a resort — without managing two separate bookings and logistics chains.
Where Are the Best Cottage Resorts in Ontario?
Ontario cottage resorts are concentrated in three areas:
Muskoka — the most well-known and most expensive. Lake Joseph, Lake Rosseau, and Skeleton Lake have several established cottage resort properties. Prices reflect the premium market.
Prince Edward County — growing fast, more boutique, leaning toward wine-country aesthetics rather than traditional cottage culture.
The Kawarthas — Ontario’s most underrated cottage region. Rice Lake, Balsam Lake, and Stoney Lake all have resort-adjacent cottage options. Significantly closer to Toronto than Muskoka (90 minutes vs. 3+ hours) and priced accordingly.
For GTA families who want waterfront access, full resort amenities, and don’t want to sacrifice an entire Friday evening to highway traffic, the Kawarthas — specifically Rice Lake — is the best balance on the map.
Cottage Resorts in Ontario on Rice Lake: What Bellmere Winds Offers
Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage at Bellmere Winds Golf Resort is currently the only resort-managed cottage rental on Rice Lake with full resort access included in the booking.
Bellmere Winds is an 18-hole championship golf resort in Keene, Ontario — 90 minutes east of Toronto, 25 minutes south of Peterborough. Mildred’s is a three-bedroom cottage unit positioned on the water, steps from the resort dock and beach, with full access to the resort’s facilities included in the nightly rate.
What that means in practice:
🏊 Heated saltwater pool and splash pad — available to cottage guests without a separate resort fee
🛶 Canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards — included, no rental charge, no deposit
🍽️ On-site restaurant (The 19th Hole Patio Grill) — steps from the cottage front door. Dinner without cooking required.
⛳ 18-hole championship golf course — available at resort rates for guests who want it, easy to skip for those who don’t
🏋️ Fitness centre and sports court — available to cottage guests throughout the stay
🌊 Direct Rice Lake waterfront — shared resort dock with real open water access on a 100 sq km lake
🚗 Drive time: 90 minutes from Toronto (east via Hwy 115), 2 hours from Ottawa
💰 Nightly rate: From $254/night
📅 Season: Spring through fall (May–October)
What Do Ontario Cottage Resorts Include — and What Do You Manage Yourself?
One of the things that trips up first-time cottage resort guests is the assumption that it operates like a hotel. It doesn’t. You’re in a self-contained unit — your kitchen, your schedule, your shopping.
Groceries — stock up in Peterborough (25 min) before arriving; Keene has only a small general store
Ontario fishing licence if you plan to fish — required on Rice Lake, around $14/day for a non-resident licence via ontario.ca
Available as paid add-ons:
Motorized boat rental through Bellmere Winds — best way to access the mid-lake fishing zones
Golf rounds at Bellmere Winds resort rates
Resort Cottages Ontario vs. Private Rentals: Which One Makes Sense?
Ontario resort cottages aren’t the right fit for everyone. Here’s who typically gets the most value from the format:
Families with young children — the supervised pool and splash pad is the factor that changes everything. Kids burn energy in a safe environment; adults get actual rest.
Groups where half the party golfs and half doesn’t — the resort structure solves the usual “half the group is bored” problem that comes with golf-heavy weekends
First-time cottage renters — the managed resort environment removes the logistical complexity of a fully remote property (generator, water testing, propane tanks)
Weekend-only trips — the ability to arrive Friday, eat at the restaurant, be on the water by 8am Saturday is genuinely different from managing a remote cottage under time pressure
If you want complete isolation and a property entirely to yourself with no shared facilities nearby, a private cottage rental is the better choice. For a comparison of the two formats, see: resort cottages vs. traditional cottages in Canada.
How to Book a Cottage Resort in Ontario for 2026
Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage at Bellmere Winds is managed by Great Blue Cottage Rentals (GBCR), an Ontario cottage rental agency that handles all 2026 bookings.
Peak summer weeks (Canada Day, August long weekend, late July) book 2–3 months in advance. Victoria Day weekend in May and Thanksgiving in October are increasingly popular and fill earlier than most guests expect.
Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage is the only resort-managed cottage rental on Rice Lake, Ontario, operating through Great Blue Cottage Rentals. For photos and full property details, visit the property overview page.
The Rice Lake area has a strong range of day trip options within easy driving distance. From Keene — where Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage at Bellmere Winds sits — you’re within 45 minutes of history, nature, and genuinely unusual attractions. These are the best peterborough day trips kawarthas options for groups that want to mix exploring with cottage time.
1. Peterborough Downtown — 20 Minutes
Peterborough is a legitimate destination. The Peterborough Lift Lock — the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world, operating since 1904 — is worth visiting. Good restaurants, a Saturday farmers market, independent shops, and boat tours on the Trent Canal in season. The most reliable peterborough day trips kawarthas option on this list regardless of weather or group composition.
2. Warsaw Caves Conservation Area — 15 Minutes
Dolostone cave formations — narrow passages and interesting geology that kids and adults both find worth doing. There’s also a swimming hole fed by the Indian River: cold, clear, and a nice contrast to a lake swim. Bring actual shoes, not flip-flops. Usually uncrowded even in peak season.
3. Lang Pioneer Village — 10 Minutes
A living history site with around 25 heritage buildings from 19th-century Ontario, staffed by interpreters doing actual period work: blacksmithing, printing, milling. The working grist mill has been on the Indian River for 175 years. Kids in the 6-14 range tend to get pulled in more than expected.
4. Indian River Reptile Zoo — 10 Minutes
One of the largest reptile and amphibian collections in North America — over 200 species. Looks low-key from outside, well-run inside. Good for families, surprisingly good for skeptical adults. Give it two hours. A solid rainy-day option close enough not to eat the whole day.
5. Rice Lake Loop by Boat
If someone in your group has a boat or can rent one, spending a day exploring Rice Lake itself is one of the better options here. About 25 kilometers long — a real day’s activity with islands to anchor near. If you’re at Mildred’s, you’re already launching from a private dock.
6. Hastings and the Trent-Severn Waterway — 30 Minutes East
Head east on County Road 2 to Hastings, where the Trent River meets Rice Lake. Lock 18 on the Trent-Severn is there — watching boats work through a lock is more interesting than it sounds. A few decent restaurants and a relaxed main street. Good for a slow half-day drive with lunch at the end.
7. Petroglyphs Provincial Park — 45 Minutes North
The largest concentration of Indigenous rock carvings in Canada — over 900 images carved into white crystalline marble by the Anishinaabe people. A UNESCO World Heritage Site. Climate-controlled building with good interpretive materials. The surrounding park has trails and a lake for swimming. A different kind of experience that tends to stick with people after the trip.
8. Downtown Cobourg — 45 Minutes South
A Lake Ontario town that punches above its weight. One of the best freshwater beaches in Ontario — wide, sandy, properly maintained. Good restaurants, a heritage town hall, and a working pier. Good when people want a beach that isn’t the cottage lake.
Using Mildred’s as Your Base
All eight of these work well from Mildred’s Lakefront Resort Cottage in Keene — on Rice Lake, cottage for 6, Bellmere Winds resort amenities at the end of the day. Check availability at resortcottagesontario.ca/book/.
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