What's the difference between American Plan & Housekeeping Packages

Rent a Housekeeping Cabin

Confused when booking a fishing or hunting vacation in Northwest Ontario?

If you are planning to stay at a resort or lodge in Sunset Country for your family vacation, weekend get-a-way or your annual Canadian fishing trip, your accommodation choices are wide and varied. Many of the fishing and hunting outfitters in Sunset Country offer different packages including American Plan and Housekeeping cabins. Do you have to be an American to have 'American Plan'? No. I'm not sure where these terms came from or if they are even used in other parts of the world. In general, American Plan means that your meals are included and Housekeeping is where you make your meals in your rented cabin. I say 'in general' because each outfitter has various packages. Some will include everything in the American Plan Packages such as meals, baits, guide service, boat rental, gas and more. Some lodges include only the meals in their AP Package. Modified American Plan usually includes dinners. To save a bit of money you can rent a housekeeping package and make your own meals. The majority of the resort and lodges in Sunset Country offer separate cabins for every party. There are however, some American Plan resorts that offer you a room in the lodge itself.

American Plan Dining Room - Courtesy of Tom Thomson

Usually the Ontario fly-in outpost camps are just like renting a housekeeping cabin except that you fly into a remote area not accessible by car. There are also fly-in American Plan Lodges that offer you the seclusion and the luxury of hot, home cooked meals.

With all the options available when booking your Canadian vacation in Sunset Country (meals or no meals, boat rentals vs bringing your own boat, guide service, etc.) it's lucky we have the Internet! The lodges and resorts in Sunset Country describe their different fishing and hunting packages on their websites. Visit the Ontario lodges and resorts to start planning your vacation today. Order the free Ontario's Sunset Country Travel Guide & Map that has all of our accommodation members dotted on the map with a useful directory on the back.

Do you have more questions about visiting Ontario's Sunset Country? Feel free to call us at 1-800-665-7567 and we'll do our best to help you out.