It‘s June 2024 and Fancy Free is now open for summer! It’s finally here, the time when Canada kicks back and enjoys the long, lazy days of summer. 

At Fancy Free, the canoes, paddleboard and kayaks are ready for fun. Here they are laid out expectantly, on the Fancy Free boathouse dock. 

Many happy adventures await our Fancy Free paddling explorers. Big Rideau Lake is exceptionally large and dotted with bays and islands, making it a paddler’s paradise. A trip to Portland village by water is always a challenging excursion. By canoe or kayak on a calm day it will take about an hour. 

Or, for a short paddle of 20 minutes, head over to nearby Colonel By Island, open to the public and owned by Parks Canada. Here you will find dockage, hiking trails, a tennis court, and picnic sites. 

The entire township of Rideau Lakes is a nature lover’s paradise with beautiful trails, picnic areas, and parks. History is everywhere in this region where many families trace their ancestry back to the United Empire Loyalist era of over 200 years ago. Check out this new guide to picnic places and heritage spaces in Rideau Lakes township.

ROOM WITH A VIEW

Here’s the view that we see every morning as we crunch our breakfast toast. Click on the video to see out the kitchen window on the channel side of Fancy Free island. The lake animates every window- it’s constantly in motion, tiny sparkling waves that catch the light and play in the wind. What an amazing way to start the day!

AUTUMN BOOKINGS STILL AVAILABLE 

The spectacular fall colours of the Rideau Lakes area draw visitors from the North American eastern seaboard and beyond. Fancy Free is open until the end of the first week of October. Good weeks to view the fall colours and take in the local art studio tours are still available. With several wood stoves for heating as well as baseboard heaters and thick wool blankets, Fancy Free cottage is a cozy haven for families looking to enjoy the splendours of the fall season. Click here to inquire.