A family cycling trip to Orillia

It was labour day weekend, and my wife and I were still clinging to the last few precious days of summer holidays.  So, we decided to make them count and go on an overnight family cycling trip.  We landed on a visit to Orillia, about an hour's drive away, booked a hotel, loaded the bikes, and away we went.  We were pleasantly surprised.

We stayed at the Best Western Plus Couchiching, which I definitely recommend.  It backed right on to the Millenium Trail, a 10km trail from one end of town to the other.  The free hot breakfast made for a great start to the day, and I also made use of their hot tub and sauna after the day's activities.

This was our first taste of cycling touring as a family away from home.  We had a great time and hope to do more trips like this in the future.

Hotel with trail in foreground

Here are some photos along the Millenium Trail in Orillia.  It passes along the Lake with several nice beaches and parks.

Tudhope Memorial Park

Paved path, dirt road.  I like the priorities!

Wayfinding

At Couchiching Beach Park, we happened upon a delightful train ride that was run by the Orillia Rotary Club.

At this entrance crossing, the path bends away from the road to provide better sight lines and reaction time to motorists and cyclists.

Here's the view from the other side

This park had a lot of amenities including a beach, kayak rental, splash pad, and playground

East end of the trail (the narrows)

A well-deserved cold treat on a hot day!