Algonquin Provincial Park - Canisbay Lake Reviews

Algonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1893 and is the oldest provincial park in Canada. The park is about 7,653 square kilometres.  Highway 60 runs through the south of the park, which is the entry point for Canisbay Lake. We have camped at both the car camping sites and twice at the Paddle In campsites.  
The regular campsites are a little close together and lack privacy to a certain degree. We have been there four or five times now in the Fall.  There is NOTHING like Algonquin Park in the fall.  NOTHING.  
Although the campsites themselves may lack privacy, anyone who just stays at their campsite while visiting Algonquin Park is simply missing out.   There are hundreds of km's of hiking and biking trails, canoe & kayaking routes, beaches, wildlife viewing etc.   Due to the fact that we go in the Fall, it is quieter, with most campers staying in their trailers.  The comfort stations are clean and there are laundry facilities on site.  We went in September 2013 and it rained on us the entire time! Our campsite was flooded, but not our spirits.  The park was still beautiful and the dryer certainly came in handy. 
There are 16 paddle in only campsites located on Canisbay Lake.  You park your car near the beach, pack your gear into the canoe (your own or you can rent one from Algonquin Outfitters) and paddle to the vacant campsite of your choice.  It is first come first serve.  You still get the benefit of backcountry camping without the portaging.

 The beach is clean and safe and if you don't like the one at Canisbay Lake, your park permit allows you to visit any and all of the other campgrounds located along the Hwy 60 corridor.  
I would highly recommend Canisbay Lake for family camping and give it a big Thumbs UP!


Campsite 214 Sept 2013. It was a little soggy. 

 View from Hardwood Lookout

Arrowhead Provincial Park Review

Arrowhead Provincial Park is located about two hours north of Toronto in beautiful Huntsville.  This park has it all.  The campsites are some of the best we've ever visited.  There are lots of electrical campites (bring a long extention cord) and they are big and private. There is lots of wildlife viewing and we usually get a glimpse of a Doe or the snapping turtle that lives under the dock.

The campsites in "East River" campground are the best in the park and close to the comfort station.  Most of the washrooms are being replaced and modernized throughout the park.   There are four different beaches on Arrowhead Lake.  You can rent a canoe or kayak and paddle down the river to Stubb's Falls for some site seeing and natural whirlpools.   There are many kilometres of hiking and biking trails.
The wardens travel around quite a bit during the night and day which can be a little bothersome, but it keeps the noise and rowdiness to a minimum.
Recently, Arrowhead built some camping cabins which can be rented out for almost all year round.  My husband and I rented it for a weekend in January for some winter camping.  Nirvana was at hand.
We were the only ones in the entire park.  It was peaceful and beautiful.  Arrowhead also built a skating path that winds through the deserted campsites.  At night they light tiki torches and call it "Fire & Ice". They also have a free tubing hill.  We went snowshoeing, skating, cross country skiing and tubing.  There is nothing like being in a provincial park in the winter.
Overall this parks gets a big Thumbs UP for family camping, great beaches, big, private campsites and a back to nature environment.

Killbear Provincial Park Review

Book Early for camping in Killbear Provincial Park.  Reserving a site at this popular park takes a special kind of determination.
Located on Georgian Bay Killbear has rocky shorelines with miles and miles of sandy beaches.  The beach and swimming areas are definitely the main attraction.   The water is clean, calm and shallow; great for families and little children.   The campsites along the beach are at premium rates and feature stunning views of the Georgian Bay shoreline and sunsets.   These book up fast!  Killbear is a huge campground with over 1400 campsites!  Most campsites are non-electrical.  Roughly 300 are electrical and book up right away, five months to the day.
For the most part Killbear's campsites are very close together and lack privacy.  Worsening matters, in the fall of 2012, Killbear Provincial Park was forced to cut down thousands of American beech trees infected with beech bark disease. Fortunately, the beach and all of the hiking & biking trails (over 6 km) make up for the lack of privacy at the campsites. The wildlife viewing is also plentiful.  Most people see a bear each visit. We had a doe come visit our camp.  A perfectly clean campsite is definately essential in this bear country.
We have found a gem at Killbear, site 37 which is not electrical but has "good" privacy, is close to the flushing toilet, water tap and is a 30 second walk to the beach.
Killbear gets a Thumbs UP for family camping.

Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve Review

1095 Redkenn Rd, Haliburton, ON K0M 1S0
 http://www.haliburtonforest.com/activities/camping

Haliburton Forest is a 3 hour drive from Toronto in beautiful Haliburton.  Opened in 1996 it is privately owned with hundreds of acres of land and over 50 lakes.  It is an outdoors enthusiasts paradise.  There are 17 semi-wilderness campsites that can be reserved on a first come-first serve basis and can be reserved many, many months in advance  unlike it's Ontario Parks counterpart. 
The term "semi-wilderness" refers to the fact that these sites do not have any electrical hook ups or other services. There is no water tap to walk to, your water is either brought in or boiled from the lake you are staying on. All the sites are situated directly on a lakeshore, meaning you have your very own private beach and swimming area.  They are well spaced, extremely private, without back lots and totally out of site from any neighbor. Sites are equipped with a picnic table and outhouse.  Some of the activities that are available include: The Wolf Centre, 300 km of trails for hiking, biking, snowmobiling, dog sledding, fishing, forest canopy tours etc.  This is a true Ontario camping experience.  Thumbs UP!
We went in October and it was truly a beautiful spot. 

Bass Lake Provincial Park Review

Bass Lake Provincial Park is off the 400 about 5 km West of Orillia.  It is a smaller park, about 1 1/4 hours from Toronto.  It's convenient location make it easy for novice campers as it's close to Walmart or shopping in case you forgot something.  It has a very small beach and children's play area.  There is a 2.8 km hike along the beach which is quite nice.  The beach can get quite crowded and is very dirty with Goose droppings as the Canada Geese have taken it over.  The children's playground is also very, very small with antique (old & out of date) equipment.  The campsites are small and quite close together and lack privacy.  It is packed during Long Weekends and the peak season of July & August.  This past year my husband took our family there for Opening Weekend which was Mother's Day- I enjoyed bacon & eggs lovingly prepared for me on the open fire! Only 5 sites in total were booked which was perfect.
It felt like we had the whole park to ourselves.  This particular park is best enjoyed in May, June and September when it's less busy and more peaceful.
Overall, I would not recommend this park as the campsites are not very good, the beach is not good and there's really nothing to see. It's just OK. Thumbs halfway between up and down.

Sibbald Point Provincial Park Review

Sibbald Point is only a 45 minute drive from Toronto.  It rests at the bottom of Lake Simcoe and is huge, with about 600 campsites.  It is also a popular spot for teenagers and rowdy students who want to stay up, yell, scream and drink their face off.  The park warden and OPP frequently patrol, scrutinizing campers. Not exactly the peaceful, serene back-to-nature experience you may be looking for.  There is a large beach with roofed picnic areas that can be reserved in advance.  The beach is super crowded and rocky.  The water and shoreline are sludgy & dirty.  There is a boat launch and a lot of motorized boat traffic.
I had sworn off ever going again, but my husband and I went for an overnight to do some golfing at Pines of Georgina nearby and were thrilled to discover that Sibbald had opened up a "Trailer Only" section.  No rowdy teenagers here!
Overall, I do not recommend this park as a fun, family friendly camping experience.  Thumbs down. The only section worth going to is the Trailer Only (500s) Hardwoods Section if you have a trailer.
Campsites 561 or 556 are worth checking out. This is a picture of Site: 561

Tips & Tricks For Happy Family Camping

Book Early!  The more popular the campground, especially the Provincial Parks, the earlier you must book. I know that you can start booking with the reservation system at 1-888-ONT-PARK five months prior to your arrival date. Believe me, their are camping zealots who are armed with their campsite numbers and at 7 am to the day, they are clicking and phoning to reserve.  If you wait until 9 am to book because you slept in, you may be disappointed. Planning and preparedness are key!
I plan on keeping track of the campsite numbers and rate the sites and the park itself through my sophisticated rating system.  Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down.  Would I visit the park again? Would I send my best friend there?  I will give an honest and fair rating and value comments and feedback. Us Mommys have to stick together.