Thursday, July 30, 2009

Festivals and Events - Party Time in Sunset Country

Festivals a Big Part of Summer


Summer is celebrated in a big way in Ontario's Sunset Country. It is the true "tourist season" - the time of year when visitor numbers are at their highest. Folks from the United States, Europe and as far away as Asia and the Pacific flock to this part of Canada. Why you ask, because they want to enjoy the incredible outdoor travel experiences we offer!. Set in the boreal forest and with 70,000 freshwater lakes Sunset Country attracts fisherman, hunters, campers, wilderness canoeists and families who can find unique and fun things to do.



In this post we want to focus on the festivals and events taking place in our towns and cities. It's summer and we're in a partying mood and you can always find something going on. In Red Lake, Ontario for example the Norseman Float Plane Festival is a great time and it takes place the last week of July. Vintage bush planes are the star attraction but stage entertainment, and many family activities also occur. Ear Falls offer one of Central Canada's best outdoor music experience at the Trout Forest Music Festival. Listen to major acts and enjoy a great camping trip at the same time.

Dryden's major summer festival is Moosefest with 9 days of exciting activities going on. A major windsurfing regatta one event you won't want to miss. Kenora has the big party along the shores of Lake of the Woods - Harbourfest - features major rock bands, and with the Agricultural Fair, going on at the same time, it is an event you don't want to miss.

Meet Blueberry Bert at the Sioux Lookout Blueberry Festival. This event begins at the end of July and celebrates the harvest of a wild blueberries in the area. Many family-oriented activities make this a great idea for your family vacation - stay at nearby Ojibway Provincial Park or right in town. Pickle Lake laughs at one of the region's pest at the Black Fly Festival. If you are "at the end of the road" when it's on you'll find a wide variety of things to do and see.

Atikokan celebrates it reputation as a canoeing destination each year at Canoefest. Quetico Park just turned 100 years old in 2009 so there is lot's to celebrate in this great town west of Thunder Bay.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Family Fishing Vacations


Take Your Kids Fishing in Sunset Country

Between video games, Internet chat rooms, television and mp3 players, kids today don't get to experience the outddors the same way we did. Yet, it is the outdoors and the activities you can do there that will teach them lessons no electronic device ever will. The simplest of pastimes - fishing - is probably one of the best activities you can do with your kids to get them away from the TV and into the great outdoors.

Sunset Country in Northwestern Ontario, Canada is an ideal destination for a family fishing vacation. With thousands of lakes, beautiful forests and hundreds of lodges and resorts to choose from, you can be confident a trip to our travel region will make your kids say "I can't believe this place".  This is even more the case if your family lives in a big city where concrete is the dominant landscape feature. 

Your children will be in awe of the birds and wildlife in our area and they will see things that just are not available back home. Maybe it will be a moose feeding in a shallow bay or a bear along side of the road as you drive to your destination. These experiences are invaluable for kids whose understanding of nature is limited because they seldom get to experience it.

As for the fishing, well it is simply second to none up here in Canada. Your kids won't complain that fishing is boring or that it takes forever to catch something. Within minutes your kid could land a beautiful Ontario walleye, a trophy northern pike, a smallmouth bass that jumps a foot above the water's surface or who knows, maybe even of of our famous Ontario muskies that will make their eyes open wide and their insides stir with excitement!

In addition to great Canadian resorts and lodges, there  are over 100 RV Parks and campgrounds you can go to if you want to experience something different. For true adventure, consider taking your  children on a Canadian fly-in fishing trip where you'll be the only people on the lake. The ride in on a bush plane will only make it that much more exciting and memorable for your kids. Catching over 100 walleye in a day may also stick in their minds for a while....

In addition to the great fishing your kids will enjoy swimming in the lake, hiking down a nature trail or just riding in a boat across the water.

Sunset Country Travel Association is a non-profit organization that promotes travel to our part of Canada. We have all the information you need to plan your trip so contact us and we'll be glad to help.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Sunset Country - A Place Like No Other

Wilderness Next Door


Sunset Country in Northwestern Ontario really is a place like no other. Located in the central part of North America, Sunset Country offers thousands of square miles of wilderness, much of it pristine and untouched by modern civilization. This is a landscape with almost 100,000 lakes rivers and streams, vast stretches of woods and abundant wildlife and fish.


You can see the likes of moose, deer, and bear in our forests as well as dozens of species of songbirds and large birds of prey such as bald eagles and osprey. We can offer you some of the best freshwater fishing on the planet with trophy-sized muskie, pike, walleye, trout and bass in our lakes. Bring your camera to catch images of the area's wildlife, scenery and of the many big fish you'll catch.


For those who want to paddle across the water, Sunset Country was made for the wilderness canoeist. Do names like Quetico, Woodland Caribou and Wabakimi conjure up dreams of a trip you always wanted to take? These are only three options and with many qualified and knowledgable canoe outfitters, your trip planning can be relatively simple.

Cruise vast lakes on a houseboat. Lake of the Woods is located in Sunset Country are Lac Seul and Dog Lake. You can rent a houseboat on any of these lakes and take your floating cabin to a different location each day. Experience tremendous fishing, find your own secluded beach and relax in the beauty of the Canadian outdoors.


For the family that loves to go camping in Ontario, Sunset Country is the place in the Province to go. You can choose from a variety of private campgrounds across the region or stay in a Provincial Park. Bring your RV or your tent no matter, the guarantee we can provide is you will have a fun time!

Fishermen and familiy vacationers have a choice of many resorts and lodges in the Sunset Country travel region. For a truly unique experience, why not consider a trip to a remote fly-in outpost or lodge? You'll step aboard a bush plane and fly to a lake that has no roads into it and best of all, no other people!


If you are just traveling through Sunset Country on your way to another destination, then make sure to go through the many small towns and cities along the way. In these towns and cities you'll find a good selection of hotels, motels and bed and breakfast facilities.

What really makes our part of Canada special is how close we are to you! If you live in the U.S. Midwest, Western Canada and Southern Ontario, you can get here easily and in good time. For more information on how we can help you make it all happen, order your free Ontario Travel Guide and Map for Sunset Country, the Great Canadian Experience!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Time to Plan Your Summer Vacation

Vacations in Ontario's Sunset Country


Hey we know the economy's a real drag these days but perhaps a vacation would make you feel better? Sure it costs money to go on a trip but the great thing is there are loads of great resort and lodge packages, campgrounds and hotels up here in Ontario's Sunset Country. Your visit can be for a week renting a cabin along the lake, fishing and exloring the surroundings. Bring your trailer or RV and explore the many campgrounds and parks we have. Go hiking, swimming or canoeing. The great outdoors offers a wide choice of activities for the entire family.



To get you started you can use the links to the right to find the website with specific information on the vacation you are planning. All of the Travel Association's member business are listed on these websites so you have instant access to the people with the packages and services you're looking for.


Here's a list of some of the things you can do:

Rent a Cabin, Boat and Motor and Go Fishing

Rent a Houseboat

Go Camping

Take a Fly-in Fishing Trip

Go Canoeing in a Provincial Park

Try Scuba Diving in a Freshwater Lake

Sailing

Rock Climbing

Mountain Biking

Nature Photography and Wildlife Viewing

Experience Festivals and Go Shopping in Town

Enter a Bass Fishing Tournament

Wayfinding With a GPS

and lots,lots more...the key thing to remember is that a grand vacation is not far away from home - especially if you live in the Midwest States, the Prairie Provinces in Canada or right here in Ontario. We offer great value, great fun and great memories in Ontario's Sunset Country.