Just one s'more.

October 16, 2008 9:41 AM

Where can I go car/tent camping this weekend that's really close to Toronto?

I wanna squeeze one more summery weekend out of 2008, and put a new tent to use.
We'd be heading out Saturday afternoon, returning Monday afternoon.

Four people in 2 cars + 2 tents. Maybe a dog.
Campfire or BBQ cooking would be good.
Swimming or canoe rentals would be nice but not essential.
No preference about showers, washrooms, etc.

Would like a location close to the city but not squalid. Advice? Thanks!

posted by pseudostrabismus to sports, hobbies, & recreation (13 comments total)

Here are some options...
posted by Hildegarde at 9:49 AM on October 16, 2008

Hmmm maybe I should have just linked straight to the KOA...
posted by Hildegarde at 9:50 AM on October 16, 2008

We usually go to Rockwood Conservation Area. Depending on where you are in T.O it's probably about an hour away. I'm technically in Mississauga and it takes me about 50 min. I'm not sure how late in the year they do their canoe rental, but there are a bunch of pretty good trails, and the camp areas themselves have always been pretty neat.
posted by heavenstobetsy at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2008

My family always likes Awenda. It's 2-3 hours north near Penetanguishene. It's really great - the park is beautiful and that part of Georgian Bay is equally gorgeous. Sibbald Point has camping up on Lake Simcoe but that's hardly even out of town these days. The Ontario Parks website has a Park Locator that lets you pick a city & how far you're willing to drive.
posted by GuyZero at 10:06 AM on October 16, 2008

Whoops. Looks like they might close on Sunday.
posted by heavenstobetsy at 10:07 AM on October 16, 2008

Algonquin Provincial Park has plenty of campsites for cars & tents, with fire pits, that are separated from RV hookup sites. One of the lakes in the park has canoe rentals, and the outfitter will ferry you, your dog, and your boat out to any spot in the lake you wish to start your trip from. They'll pick you up at the same spot n hours later. They even rent dog life jackets. Plus you can see lots of moose in the park.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 11:30 AM on October 16, 2008

Algonquin will be a solid 10 degrees colder at night than Toronto though, so pack some extra blankets. And it's 262 km, which ain't close. Turkey Point is only 162km (and Awenda is about 130) and it'll be pretty warm. Plus the woods at Turkey Point are quite different, being a more temperate Carolinian forest versus what the rest of Ontario has. Lake Erie will also be marginally warmer than the lakes in Algonquin or even Georgian Bay. Rock Point is also nice, south of Hamilton on Erie.

I expect most Provincial Parks have openings this time of year.
posted by GuyZero at 11:54 AM on October 16, 2008

Wasaga? Presqu'ile? Sandbanks?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:37 PM on October 16, 2008

If you want really close (ie. in Toronto), then you might want to try The Glen Rouge Campground. It's just off the highway but it feels more secluded once you're inside.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 1:42 PM on October 16, 2008

Bon Echo Park is beautiful and may have lots of colour at this time of year.
posted by seawallrunner at 9:20 PM on October 16, 2008

OP here- Thanks so much for all the suggestions. I also got a direct email from an unregistered reader and thought I'd post it here in case others come along asking a similar question. And thanks to the person who sent me this:


Hi, I don't have a MetaFilter account so I couldn't post my suggestion to your question. I currently live in T.O but used to live out in Pickering. There is a small camping
ground in the Rouge valley off of Hwy 2 (I drove by it all the time). Not sure if its what you're looking for but its not very far away.
Its called Glen Rouge Campground.
Hope this helps!!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:49 PM on October 17, 2008

so where did you end up going?
posted by seawallrunner at 4:02 AM on November 1, 2008

We ended up not going because something unexpected came up. But I marked Glen Rouge as best answer because it's so very very close to the city, which was the #1 priority here. (I do like Rockwood, Wasaga, and Algonquin when I have time to go a little further afield, though!)
Anyway, so many great answers & solid resource sites- thanks, all!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:12 AM on November 17, 2008