Where to Stay in Huntsville, Muskoka

Downtown Huntsville sits on the Muskoka River between Fairy Lake and Lake Vernon, and it is the most walkable base in north Muskoka. Main Street’s shops and cafés, the Algonquin Theatre and the waterfront at River Mill Park all sit within a few blocks of each other, which is unusual for cottage country.

The town is also the closest Muskoka hub to Algonquin Park: Highway 60 runs east from town to the park’s West Gate, and Arrowhead Provincial Park is about ten minutes north, with Stubbs Falls in summer and a forest skating trail in winter. Anyone splitting a trip between a town and a park is better off sleeping here than driving in from further south. Accommodation ranges further than in most Muskoka towns, from large four-season resorts on the lakes to inns and motels along the highway corridors and a growing number of suites and guest rentals.

Summer and autumn fill first because of the parks, and winter weekends are busy around SnowFest and the illuminated Forest of Light at Sandhill Nursery. Lion’s Lookout above town gives the classic view over Fairy Lake and is a short drive, or a longer walk, from the centre. Expect to need a car for the lakes and trailheads outside town.