Things to Do in Orillia

On their 25-acre parcel of scenic countryside, Rosemary Richardson and Sarah Thomas, Gemstone Equestrian’s mother-daughter team, teach students to ride properly and respect their equine friends. Lessons are held year-round either outside or within the indoor facilities and cater to riders of all experience levels, whether they aim to ride recreationally or for competition. Students choose among the riding arts of dressage, which stresses obedience and balance; hunter/jumper, which takes place on the hunter course or jumper ring; and Western, which focuses on how to visit the Pacific by hitching a skateboard to a team of wild horses. No matter the riding style, safety remains of utmost importance—the center offers ASTM–approved helmets for no extra charge and caps lessons at a 1:2 staff-to-student ratio for beginners and 1:4 for experienced riders.

Each voyage the MV Woodman takes with Scugog Island Cruises pays tribute to the rich maritime history of the area. The double-decker vessel carries the moniker of an 1850s-era steamship that cruised Lake Scugog for more than 70 years, and the crew recounts tales from bygone days of glamorous lake parties and the time that carp ran for mayor during each sightseeing excursion. Whether they are steering up to 100 passengers for a wedding, birthday shindig, or themed dinner-dance cruise, the trained personnel aim to dip each experience in the colours of the area's rich history.

First sculpted into the countryside in 1980, Hidden Ridge’s nine-hole golf course invites clubbers with a tree-lined layout that overlooks the scenic hills of Uxbridge. Pines stitch the fairways across the course, shrinking safe landing zones along with ponds, sand traps, and territorial tufts of grass. During their visits, golfers can stock up on dimpled orbs, replace aging clubs, or upgrade their threadbare golf duds at the pro shop. The course also features a snack bar with simple food and cold drinks, helping golfers maintain healthy levels of nourishment without having to eat the grassy clay caught between the spikes on the bottom of their feet.

Gliding beneath the maple trees overhanging the shore, a kayaker propels himself sans paddles toward an upcoming bend in the Holland River, which opens to banks of cattails that stretch to the horizon. Located at the Holland River Marina, the staff of Fishing Boating On The Marsh outfits visitors to explore these scenic routes, renting kayaks and fishing tackle. Designed for fishermen, Hobie kayaks sport pedal-driven propulsion and enhanced stability, leaving the passenger's arms free to fish or practice shadow puppets on the water's reflection.