Run Away to Deerhurst Resort

Who doesn’t need a getaway?

It doesn’t matter what (or who) you need to get away from, everyone needs an occasional break from the daily routine and scenery, and an event filled with 650 other women is the perfect environment for a girlfriends’ getaway.

Talk about GIRL POWER!

Every November, Paradigm Events organizes the “Girlfriends’ Getaway Weekend” at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville. This prime Muskoka destination is well-known as a place for families or couples to head to for all-season fun and it knows how to throw a party for conferences too.

We were welcomed on Friday night with a buffet meal in one of the many large-capacity rooms, followed by an evening of ladies movin’ to the groove of a local DJ. The “Wonder Women – Unleash Your Inner Power” theme was taken literally by many who chose to wear actual Wonder Woman costumes, while others were decked out in their own interpretations. I loved the “Double D’s” (both their names started with “D”) and the divas decked out with toilet scrubbers and other Domestic Goddess paraphernalia.

Located on gorgeous Peninsula Lake, Deerhurst is a nature-lovers’ paradise. My friend and I arrived in thick darkness with the first snowfall gently whirling around our heads, and woke to a dusting of frost everywhere. It was beautiful.

Saturday began with a buffet breakfast and every choice of traditional breakfast food, a made-to-order omelette station, and unlimited coffee for those needing to banish the previous night’s initiation. For those inclined, yoga, zumba, or dirty dancing (while wearing heels) workshops started at 8, followed by a presentation on “What Men Really Want” (I don’t need to tell you there were no surprises!), and a few other topics to cover the general interests of the ladies who were there.

Shoppers were treated to an expansive in-house marketplace of home decor and fashion/accessory items, with some health and beauty included to round out the package. For those who wanted to fit in even more exercise for their feet and wallets, the event provided a free shuttle to and from the local town of Huntsville, with many stores offering discounts to Getaway attendees.

Saturday night was the highlight of the weekend; we were treated to an intimate concert from Moon vs. Sun, the new collaboration of Chantal Kreviazuk and her husband Raine Maida. To say they were fantastic would be an understatement! Not only are they musically-gifted and entertaining, their on-stage charisma and old-married-couple-of-twenty-years banter peppered with a liberal dose of grown-up words made us laugh, cry, and feel as though we were hanging out in the living room with great friends.

The concert was followed by an after-party in another part of the resort and a short fashion show put on by Toronto firefighters calendar models. To call the evening “Girlfriends Gone Wild” might be downplaying the level of enthusiasm in the room both during the show and after! More dancing made my feet ache—they aren’t used to wearing high heels anymore—but it was worth it to see so many women coming together and enjoying themselves.

I return to Deerhurst for another getaway or conference in a heartbeat. The accommodations are charming (we stayed in a newly upgraded, one bedroom/two-bed, kitchenette/fireplace suite that was, well…sweet!) and there are loads of activities on-site or nearby, plus great staff who work hard to make your getaway or event enjoyable.