Where to go, who to see, and what to eat when you’re visiting the area

August is upon us and as one good buddy noted to me while on his boat, it’s the best time of year – little to no bugs, fantastic weather, long days, and lovely nights.

But, since there is such thing as too much cottage time (hmm, probably not, but for our purposes, let’s say there is) and not everyone up here is at a cottage, I’ve put together a few of my favourites things to see, do, eat (and drink) across the region I live in.

Hopefully this helps when you’re looking for ideas!

Let’s start off with things to do in Muskoka this August 2024. . .

Tyler Morrison’s Cottage Comedy Club is taking place every Saturday night in August at Tulo’s in Port Carling. Show time is 9 p.m. Learn more about this event and the super funny Morrison by listening to our podcast chat: The Chris O Show with Guest Tyler Morrison.

Huntsville’s Concerts on the Dock (the Town Dock to be exact) are a free, family friendly event taking place along the Muskoka River.

Bring a lawn chair and a donation for the performing artists, which include Matt Allen, Cameron of Lochiel Pipes and Drums, Briar Summers, and Charles McKittrick on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. with my good buddies from the Northern Lights Steel Drum family playing on Saturday, August 10 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Muskoka Music Crawl: Campfire Sessions run Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer. Singers and musicians such as James Gray, Leah Leslie, Gina Horswood, Bluebird Days, Jack Gaughan, and others have been part of this year’s line-up.

The free, family friendly shows take place at public beach areas from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This includes Hutcheson Beach, Avery Beach, and the Brunel Locks in Huntsville, as well as the Port Sydney Beach.

Fire ratings and weather permitting, a campfire under the evening sky will be lit.

Muskoka Chautauqua‘s festival of arts and culture runs from August 2 to 11 in in the historic village of Windermere.

The non-for-profit community arts organization has created a much-loved, must-visit event over the years that features a mix of local, provincial, and national artists in mediums ranging from pottery to acrylic painting, poetry to percussions, and much more.

The Maple Trees and Lab Coats Hike free hike at Camp Big Canoe to explore the maple forest that has been rejuvenated thanks to Friends of the Muskoka Watershed’s ASHMuskoka project. The hike takes place on August 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more at: Maple Hike or scroll to the bottom of the story.

Check out the Bandshell Concert Series from the Town of Bracebridge at Memorial Park. The free concerts take place on Wednesday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wonderful artists such as Neil Hutchinson, Christina Hutt, Jessica Sole, and The Hopheads are on tap for August.

Also check out any of the amazing shows in the Huntsville Festival of the Arts line-up, and visit Annie Williams Park for Much Ado About Nothing.

Those are but a few of the many great events, but enough to get you started, now on to places to visit . . .

One of the best things to do in Muskoka is to enjoy the great outdoors and there are plenty of fantastic trails, parks and beaches to visit. Lions Lookout and Arrowhead Park in Huntsville, the trails at High Falls and Huckleberry Rock in Bracebridge are perfectly picturesque, the Gravenhurst Wharf is fabulous (when it’s not being disturbed and blocked off due to construction), Dwight Beach rocks, as does the Dorset Lookout Tower.

For more sophisticated visiting, there are plenty of artists studios to tour, as well as galleries both indoors and outdoors. The Group of Seven outdoor gallery in Huntsville is a lovely way to spend a day at your own pace on a self-guided tour while the Algonquin Theatre hosts Huntsville Art Society member’s shows each month.

The Muskoka Arts and Crafts (MAC) on Main gallery in Bracebridge also gets great reviews and is renowned for showcasing a bevy of talented artists throughout the year.

Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, how about a nice bite to eat and a glass (or several glasses) of your favourite beverages? We’ll help you out with our top places to grab a coffee, bite to eat, or beverage (or all three) in Muskoka . . .

The first two are expected, but keep reading, keep reading … let’s start with my friends and extended family from That Little Place by the Lights in downtown Huntsville. Click the link, read the review, head there for a visit and tell them Chris O sent you (they may hug you, they may charge you double, but it’s a chance you’ll have to take).

Not far from there and also close to the lights at Main Street and Brunel Road (but on Brunel) is Downtown Espresso run by the lovable and very welcoming Savario. There is a ton of character in the coffee shop and the brews are brilliant.

There are plenty of downtown Huntsville restaurants and pubs, including the Mill on Main with a great patio, good menu and friendly service.

Also, the 1858 Caesar Bar Huntsville franchise recently opened to fantastic reviews and is easy to find by the Town Bridge, and across the street is the iconic On the Docks Pub, where good drinks and tasty snacks await.

Heading down Highway 11 to Bracebridge, check out our favourite Mexican spot El Pueblito  with homemade delicacies created by those who know it best. We also did a review because we just keep going back for more and more . . . check it out: Más, por favor!

Other prime place to grab a bite and a beverage in Bracebridge include The Old Station and Basilico at the Inn at the Falls.

Keeping along the Highway 11 Corridor, we’re going into Gravenhurst and the first place we’re stopping is to see our friends making flavourful foods with a health twist at Relish. Check out the review for more: Relish the Veggies.

So many great F&B locations to visit, including Canvas Brewery in Huntsville, Lake of Bays Barrelhouse in Bracebridge and Brew Pub in Huntsville, Turtle Jack’s in Port Carling, Crossroads in Rosseau, and Erika’s in Dwight for breakfast, lunch and baked goods.

There are probably so many I’m missing, but this a good list to start with if you’re new to the area, just visiting, or can’t decide where to go! Enjoy!