Explore Ontario’s Lake Country

Stone Gate Inn is proud to announce the most interesting and diversified hotel getaway in Orillia. This very special hotel package is created by you based on your traveling preferences.
All you have to do is choose a few of the attractions below based on your travel and exploration interests. When you arrive at Stone Gate Inn we’ll make sure you have all the information you need to explore your choices when you stay with us.

All Destinations are within a 50 Km Radius of Orillia

Attraction	Free	Paid	Location
Hiking, Biking & Beaches
Couchiching Beach Park	Yes		Location
Tudhope Park	Yes		Location
Scout Valley	Yes		Location
Scales Nature Park		Yes	Location
The shores of Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching	Yes		Location
Hardwood Ski And Bike		Yes	Location
Museums & Theatre
The OPP Museum	Yes		Location
Orillia Museum of Art and History		Yes	Location
Stephen Leacock Museum		Yes	Location
Orillia Opera House [Ticket and Seat Levy fees]		Yes	Location
The Simcoe County Museum		Yes	Location
Huronia Museum & Huron/Ouendat Village		Yes	Location
Fishing & Boating
Sparrow Lake	Yes		Location
Along the Severn River	Yes		Location
Gloucester Pool	Yes		Location
Bass Lake	Yes		Location
The Narrows	Yes		Location
Lake St. John	Yes		Location
Paddling		Yes	Location
Kayaking		Yes	Location
Downtown District	Yes		Location
Orillia Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market	Yes		Location
Downtown Shops [Free to look]	Yes		Location
The Port of Orillia [Transient Boat docking at a fee]		Yes	Location
Mariposa Folk Festival & Foundation [Festival tickets at a fee]		Yes	Location
Island Princess Boat Cruises – [With and without meals available at a fee]		Yes	Location

These are a few ideas for you to consider when visiting Orillia. We’ll keep you posted when new attractions emerge in and around Orillia.

Enjoy your stay in Orillia—Canada’s Sunshine City!

What is Ontario’s Lake Country ‘Flavours’?

The ‘Flavours’ program is a joint partnership spearheaded by Ontario’s Lake Country in conjunction with participating restaurants. Since its inception in 2009 this amazing event has continued to grow by offering an affordable taste from the diversity of culinary talents of restaurants in the area. All dishes offered by participating restaurants range from $20 to $30 for a three course meal. This includes an appetizer, soup or salad plus a main entrée.

Local chefs step up to the plate and create a wide variety of delectable flavours for patrons to experience. If you reside in or are visiting Lake Country during this phenomenal culinary event, you’ll want to taste some of the succulent menus the region’s finest chefs prepare to tantalize your taste buds.

Who Organizes the ‘Flavours’ Event?

It is put together by the destination marketing group for Oro-Medonte, Rama, Orillia, Severn and Ramara known as Ontario’s Lake Country [OLC]. OLC represents unique tourist attractions in specific central Ontario regions such as Casino Rama, fresh running streams, clean lakes, breath-taking scenery, one of Ontario’s largest nature trail arrangements and abundant healthy forests.

How long has the ‘Flavours’ Program been running?

‘Flavours’ was originally launched in March, 2009. It runs several times each year for 2 weeks at a time. The idea behind this culinary masterpiece is two-fold:

Affordability & Culinary Greatness– Offers visitors to the area and residents a chance to enjoy the flavours from talented chefs of the region at an affordable price.
Win—Win– Helps restaurants grow their businesses through increased business in slower times and a connection to new patronage.

Each year this program runs is greater than past years. This can be attributed to increasing participation, delectable menus along with attractive (high-value) price points.

As time goes on you can be sure this program will continue to grow, offering tourists and locals a bite of the region’s culinary talents.

Chef’s Challenge

Every good chef loves a challenge! From fine diners to eateries, chefs are required to meet the criteria of a 3 course meal from $20-$30. This inspires creativity amongst the region’s culinary artisans. You may find eateries with average price points of $10-15 create specials for two. While fine diners with average price points of $40-60 invent a distinctive valuable ‘Flavours’ menu that still showcases the savory tastes of their restaurant. Every participating establishment benefits by new patrons. New patrons get a chance to experience the divine flavors of the region at a favorable price…WIN—WIN!

Do Yourself a Flavour

Whether you are a resident of the area or a tourist, this festival of flavor is an experience created for food lovers. When you are craving a flavor at an affordable price check Ontario’s Lake Country to find a participating restaurant near you!

Warmest Wishes for a Happy & Safe Holiday Season

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our guests that have stayed at Stone Gate Inn for the confidence you have placed in us. It our wish that you have an awesome holiday season with friends and loved ones.

In case you were looking for some ideas for the season, we have prepared a small list of fun activities in and around the Orillia area.

Ski the Slopes of Simcoe– Simcoe County has some of the most thrilling ski resorts for all ages and skill levels.

Cutting Through Common Holiday Stresses

For many of us the holiday season brings unwanted stress and pressure:

What are we going to feed everyone?
Safely driving for countless hours to visit family worries me!
I’ve got to get Christmas lights and decorations up now.
I’m a little short on funds this year, how will I pay for all the gifts I need to buy?

These are some common stresses many of us share during the holiday season. Remember stress is self induced! We need to change our state-of-mind into a different state! The holiday season can actually be a bundle of joy with no stress, plenty of quality time with friends and loved ones.

Ideas for Family Feasts

The approach here is simple; turn your worries into a collaborative effort. Get children, friends and family involved with the preparation of meals and desserts. I don’t know many young children that would not jump at the opportunity to prepare cakes and cookies. The rewards by far outweigh the risks. Terms of payment are sampling what you prepare. “Johnny [Sally], I need some help taste testing the shortbread cookies and the Christmas cake.”

Then there are the main course meals you want to prepare. With the aid of our wonderful world wide web you’ll find countless ideas for holiday feasts:

Amazing ideas for holiday desserts and meals
Top rated recipes for Christmas and Hanukkah
Most popular recipes and menus for the holiday season

And, again, turn it into a group effort. We recommend you add laughter and joy!

Driving & Arriving Safely

The majority of us depend on an automobile to transport us to our destination during the holiday season. Some of us travel a short distance while others cover a fair distance in holiday travels. In Canada old man winter can be nasty or nice. From day to day it’s a bit of a crap-shoot but there are steps you can take to insure you are prepared for almost anything on the wintery roads:

Make sure you have winter tires and they are inflated to the correct tire pressures
Remove all snow from your vehicle windows to maximize driving vision
Check all fluid levels in your engine, especially windshield washer
Be mindful of snowplows that use blue flashing lights to warn other drivers of their presence
Contact your destination before you leave to let them when you are leaving and when you expect to arrive
Check the weather forecast to gain better insights into road conditions, particularly black ice

Decoration for the Season

For many years we have done our own decorating of our homes including the typical Christmas tree, Christmas lights, model villages and front yard Santa sleighs. There’s so much more we can do…the only missing ingredient is motivation. Assuming you are motivated to explore some out-of-the-box Christmas decorating ideas, here’s some food for thought:

Compliment your beautiful holiday décor with the right music
Offer songbooks to guests that will join in singing holiday music
Prepare a rich n’ tasty eggnog with Cognac rum and bourbon
Include special seasonal touches in powder and guest rooms
Turn your fireplace mantle into a magical holiday setting
Place holiday cushions on furniture

Adding the Personal Touch to Gift Giving without Breaking the Bank

One of the biggest concerns we have is the costs of gift giving. Often we will use credit cards at the holiday season when we are a little short of cash. Unless you manage your credit cards diligently…without late payments, try to NOT USE plastic money. You really have many other wallet friendly options available to you!

Make your own Bits N’ Bites– All you need is jars and a good bits and bites recipe.
Home-made Cookies– It amazing the mileage you’ll get from simple cookie dough.
Denim Jean Pocket Quilts– Some of those jeans in the closet are likely worn out, full of holes and only wearable around the house. Why not make a quilt from the pockets for that someone special?

The holiday season is meant to be joyous not stressful. Hopefully you have found ways to help you focus on the fun side of holidays. Life is too short!

Best of the Season from all the staff at Stone Gate Inn!

Orillia History

Once upon a time there was a small city about 1 ½ hours north of Toronto. It was a city many referred to as The Sunshine City, found in between Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching.

Thousands of years ago Iroquois and Huron native Indians settled in this area. Evidence suggests native Indians lived on this great land by Fishing, hunting and trading.

Today, the Sunshine City has a lot to offer tourists looking for cultural attractions, festivals and plenty of waterfront fun. Orillia is located about 12 kms from Casino Rama which is the area’s biggest employer.

It is not clear how the city was named Orillia. Many believe it was named after the Spanish term “Orilla” which means the shoreline of a river or lake. The Spanish word is spelled a little differently “Orilla” (missing the second i). Other Spanish named regions in the area include Mono (monkey), Mariposa (butterfly) and Oro (gold). This is more evidence supporting the theory of how Orillia’s name came to be. In the historical archives you’ll find the city misspelled “Aurelia”. This spelling is in a few historical documents but was never formally recognized.

Why is Orillia Called “The Sunshine City”

Orillia is also known as “The Sunshine City”. You may be curious to know how this name came to be. It derives from Orillia’s national historic site the Stephen Leacock Museum. Stephen Leacock was a well known humorist writer. One of his most popular books was Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town. This was the basis of Orillia’s nick name “The Sunshine City” which is celebrating its 100^th anniversary in 2012.

About Orillia’s Waterfront

The waterfront in Orillia is a major attraction to boaters and tourists. The most frequented areas include Port of Orillia, Couchiching Beach Park and Centennial Park. Boaters consider these areas a great entrance into Ontario’s Lake Country. Lake country includes other natural sites like Algonquin Park, Muskoka, The Big Chute, Collingwood and many other picturesque regions. On Orillia’s boardwalk you’ll find playgrounds, beaches, theater, kid’s train rides and ferry rides on Lake Couchiching.

Events and Festivals

One of the most popular festivals is the Annual Perch Festival. Fish are caught, tagged and released. When an angler catches a tagged fish, prize money is awarded. Many people also gather for a delicious Perch pan fry. You may also enjoy other popular festivals like Beatles Festival, Leacock Festival, Jazz Festival, Blues Festival and Scottish Festival.

Explore the Orillia area and become a part of the friendly community. It is perfect destination for you all year around.

Winter

Create Your Own Getaway