The Adventures of The Roving Route #42
This week has been eventful, to say the least, but we will get to that at some point soon. As we have said in previous newsletters, Kenora is an amazing spot to visit no matter the season. I guess that's why our family has been coming here for over 60 years! There are so many things to do in the area that we have had to create a series of blogs to help paint Kenora's tourism picture. For now, we have split it up into what you can do on land, in the winter, and on the water.
A few weeks ago we gave a brief history of Kenora and some of the buildings that make its city centre wonderful. Though there are many historic buildings, the addition of some newer spaces attracting tourists and enhancing local life have been welcomed. The Whitecap Pavilion on the waterfront is one of those amazing spaces. The rigid white tent resembling the top of a cresting wave holds a weekly farmer's market and many other great events during all seasons. After your fill of city life, the hikes that are around Kenora are fantastic ways to get a breath of fresh air. No matter your ability or interest there will be a hike that intrigues you. One of our favourite areas has always been the Vernon Nature Trails just a few minutes away from central Kenora. Taking over a commanding chunk of land between McKenzie Portage Road and the lake, the conservation area has a half dozen multi-use trails through different ecosystems. Depending on what you are wanting to see or how long you are wanting to walk for, the trails take you past lookouts, stands of massive pines, and even on a boardwalk through the marsh. While there is access by car from McKenzie Portage Road, one of the cool things about the Vernon Nature Area is that during the summer, a public dock allows you to arrive by water. During the winter, a small network of snowmobile trails runs through it connecting Lake of the Woods to some of the smaller lakes around. Click here to read more about Things to Do On Land in Kenora.
Snowmobiling is a huge part of winter life in the area. Driving around the streets of Kenora, it is easy to spot dedicated snowmobile trails and a good chunk of houses having one parked on the front lawn. While we have only snowmobiled a few times down here in the past, we still hope to hop on one sometime soon! The frozen lake offers up a huge amount of public space to ride through deep, untouched powder and see few others. When we were down here in February 2013, we borrowed a few snowmobiles from a family friend and rented an ice fishing hut down the lake. Spending the day zipping around on a snowmobile and then getting warm around a wood stove with a fishing rod in hand made for one of the most ideal winter days. Hopefully, it stops being -45°C outside and we can get back to feeling our faces again! Click here to read more about Things to Do in Kenora During the Winter.
As we live on an island much of our life focuses on the lake. Everything from getting around, to exercising, to annual camping trips, the water becomes our lifeblood. While the lake is gorgeous in the summer, our favourite times have been the shoulder seasons with winter slowly making its way up to become the top dog. Summer has the best weather and the best ability to be on the water but also brings in the crowds. If you can handle the changing weather, spring and fall offer the same great water activities, but have way fewer boats and is much quieter. Last April, when the ice still surrounded our side of the island, thin channels eventually formed between ice flows giving the perfect opportunity for a quick kayak! Even this past fall when ice was forming on the undersides of docks, a kayak on the nearly vacant lake was incredibly calming. Click here to read more about Things to Do in Lake of the Woods from Kenora.
Make sure to keep checking on our website for all the latest updates.
Cheers to future tourists!
The Roving Route