Manitoulin Island
Around Manitoulin Island
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Countryside and towns · Ontario · 13k people
Manitoulin Island
“The Island”
Where the Great Lakes meet the ancient escarpment.
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Welcome to Manitoulin Island! Whether you're here for the summer festivals or the quiet off-season, you'll find a community that knows how to enjoy the water and the land. Take a deep breath of that fresh lake air and make yourself at home.
Clubs for Manitoulin Island
No clubs for Manitoulin Island yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Manitoulin Island. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Manitoulin Island. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Little Current Swing Bridge Iconic single-lane swing bridge linking the island to the mainland.
- Cup and Saucer Trail Part of the Niagara Escarpment, offering dramatic lookouts.
- Bridal Veil Falls A 40-foot waterfall in Kagawong with a walking trail.
- Providence Bay Beach One of the longest freshwater beaches in Ontario.
- South Baymouth Ferry Terminal Gateway to the Chi-Cheemaun ferry to Tobermory.
- Ojibwe Cultural Foundation Centre for Anishinaabe art, history, and language in M'Chigeeng.
- Outdoors Hiking the Cup and Saucer Trail
- Outdoors Swimming at Providence Bay
- With kids Swimming at Providence Bay Beach
- With kids Hiking the Cup and Saucer Trail
- Evenings Summer concerts in parks
- Evenings Pub nights in Little Current
- Locals love Small-town main streets
- Locals love Lake Huron beaches
Through the year
- Haweater Festival August Little Current's annual summer festival with parades, music, and a farmers market.
- Gore Bay Harbour Days July Weekend celebration in Gore Bay with boat races, live music, and family activities.
- Wikwemikong Cultural Festival August One of Canada's largest pow wows, held on the Wikwemikong Unceded Territory.
- Kagawong Arts and Crafts Show July Juried show featuring local artisans and crafts in the village of Kagawong.
- Manitoulin Maple Syrup Festival April Spring celebration of maple syrup with pancake breakfasts and sugarbush tours.
Manitoulin has a continental climate with cold, snowy winters and mild, pleasant summers. Lake Huron moderates temperatures slightly, but lake-effect snow is common in winter. Best: Summer (June to August) is best for beaches and festivals.
Talk like a local
- “Haweater”
- A person born on Manitoulin Island.
- “The mainland”
- The rest of Ontario, across the bridge.
- “The Chi”
- The Chi-Cheemaun ferry that connects to Tobermory.
- “The bridge”
- The swing bridge in Little Current.
Getaways
- Killarney Provincial Park Canoeing and hiking among quartzite ridges, about an hour away.
- Elliot Lake Outdoor recreation and lakes, a short drive north.
- Algoma's North Shore Scenic drives and Lake Superior vistas.
- Greater Sudbury Science North and the Big Nickel, a day trip for families.
Local flavour
Rooting for Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), Sudbury Wolves (OHL), Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
Eat and drink
- Lake Huron whitefish Freshly caught, often smoked or served as fish and chips.
- Wild blueberry pie Made from berries picked on the island's rocky barrens.
- Maple syrup Tapped from the island's sugar maples in early spring.
Where people go
- Niagara Escarpment hiking trails Cliff-top trails like the Cup and Saucer with sweeping views over the North Channel.
- Swing bridge The iconic Little Current swing bridge that connects the island to the mainland.
- First Nations cultural centres and pow wows Vibrant Anishinaabe communities hosting traditional gatherings, including the Wikwemikong Pow Wow.
- Small-town main streets Diners, hardware stores, and marinas in towns like Little Current and Gore Bay.
- Ferry terminals The Chi-Cheemaun ferry dock, linking the island to Tobermory.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaSudbury DistrictOntarioWhere the pines meet the lakes, and the north feels like home.Elliot LakeOntarioLocal rooms for Elliot Lake.AlgomaOntarioWhere the Shield meets the Lake.Greater SudburyOntarioRock solid, nickel strong.AlpenaMichiganGreat Lakes charm on the Sunrise Side.Nipissing DistrictOntarioA land of lakes, pines, and warm welcomes.Owen SoundOntarioWhere the lakes meet the BruceNorth BayOntarioBig skies, deep lakes, and a warm northern welcome.
Rural Manitoulin, ON. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.