If you’re looking for an affordable Muskoka getaway look no further than the Delawana Resort located on Honey Harbour just a mere 2 ½ drive from Toronto.
The History
The Delawana Inn first opened in 1897 as a hotel called the Victoria House. Since then it’s gone through many changes, including two fires, one in 1952 and one in 1973.
If you have visited Delawana in the past, you’ll remember it as an all-inclusive resort with day camps for the kids, breakfasts and lunches included, plus lots of family activities and evening shows.
Sadly, this type of model was difficult to maintain and in 2013, the Delawana Inn went into receivership. It was purchased shortly thereafter and reopened in 2014 as a self-catered resort. Think of it like being able to enjoy a cottage vacation without the hassle of owning a cottage.
Accommodations at Delawana
There are different types of accommodations for every pocketbook and family. From large, fully-furnished cottages with full-sized kitchens that sleep eight, to smaller cottages for a family of five (no kitchen), and resort suites and rooms.
The prices range from $500/night for the large, furnished cottages to $100/night for resort rooms. We personally like the Trilliums Suites which are spacious and have a huge deck for enjoying the outdoors which runs $150/night.
Activities at Delawana
There are two beaches at Delawana. The North Beach is where most of the swimming is done. The water is quite shallow for the first ten to twenty feet making it perfect for families with little kids. The West Beach is where you can sign out canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats.
If you’re not feeling like getting sandy there is a large (unheated) pool that’s incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day.
With lots of field space, you can play a wide variety of outdoor games that can be signed out at the centrally located reception building including bocce, croquet, shuffleboard, horseshoes, and tennis. You can also sign out bikes to explore the area or simply hang out with your kids at the large playground area.
At night there are three fire pits for roasting marshmallows. Last but not least, when it’s raining you can borrow from the free library of DVDs and board games, or sign out a book.
Where To Eat
Whether you choose a cottage, resort room or regular room each accommodation comes with a charcoal barbecue. In the Delawana reception building are also three community kitchens where you can cook meals and wash dishes.
Off-site, within a few hundred feet of the resort is an LCBO, local grocery store, the Thrive Foods Café & Marketplace, and The Hive where you can purchase baked goods and freshly prepared foods. The Hive also offers yoga on the dock every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 8am.
Easy Eggplant Parmigiana That Goes a Little Rogue
