Distance from Ottawa: 1 hour, 21 minutes
With a vertical drop of 238 metres (780 feet), 32 hectares (80 acres) of glittering skiable terrain, four snow parks, three lifts and a snow school, Calabogie Peaks is a favourite with skiers and snowboarders. In summer, you can swim, fish, hike, bike, paddle or golf on the property.
If you feel the need for speed, head to Calabogie Motorsports Park, where you can rent a roaring Mustang and hurtle around 20 turns and along a 610-metre (2,000 foot) straightaway. Later, quench your thirst at the Calabogie Brewing Company, which makes just about every kind of craft beer, from wheat ale to milk stout.
Settle into a colourful Muskoka chair and admire the view of Calabogie Lake from Jocko’s Beach Resort and Motel, nestled in wooded hills. If you feel energetic, borrow a free canoe, kayak, SUP or rowboat. At night, haunting loon calls echo across the lake as you drift to sleep in a cabin, chalet, motel room or three-bedroom house. All accommodations have cooking facilities and access to barbecues and free Internet, so why not look up that special frittata or burger recipe you’ve been dying to try?