Date Travelled: August 21st, 2024 – August 23rd, 2024

My friends and I decided to do a road trip to Tobermory as our summer trip. It’s crazy how my friends and I have known each other for 20 years, and this is the first time we have ever planned an overnight trip. As an event planner myself, I couldn’t fathom planning something outside of work, so I tasked my friends, Mandy and Amy, to do it. They did a really good job planning the itinerary, incorporating activities that catered to everyone’s interests. We made sure to include scenic stops along the way, embracing the beauty of the journey as much as the destination itself.

This was our plan (we didn’t follow everything though)

Day 1 – August 23rd

Day 2 – August 22nd

Day 3 – August 23rd

No plans… just check out, find a cute brunch place and drive back to the city.

Day 1 – August 21st

I picked up my friends at their place because we were using my car to travel to Tobermory. We left the city around 10:30AM and then we stopped at Orangeville to get lunch before continuing the road trip. At this point, I was trying to get over my feelings for this guy I was dating for 1.5 months, but that is a story for another time. But the point was, I needed a good playlist to keep my mind off my sadness. I found this playlist called “Songs to Sing in the Car” by Spotify. It did distract me for a bit but I really in the mood for some Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams and Olivia Rodrigo or the playlist I made dedicated to that guy.

For lunch, we originally wanted to Bluebird Café & Grill but there was an hour wait, so we just walked around the area to see what was good and available. We stumbled upon this small Italian spot nearby called The Craft Pizza Bar & Italian Kitchen Inc. I ordered a latte and a Caprese salad. I really liked my salad but I was also hungry. Although my friends said they liked what they ordered as well. As for the latte, well, let’s just say it didn’t exactly blow my mind. But hey, the service was top-notch, and a couple of the staff even gave props to my tattoos and asked about the story behind them. The vibes in that joint were totally chill too.

Back on the road trip, we had 3 hours left to go. I always claim to be a very safe driver, diligently abiding by the traffic rules! Meanwhile, my friends were convinced that I was driving at a snail’s pace. Can you believe it? I was literally going 5 km over the speed limit! Anyway, we finally made it to the Bruce Anchor Motel & Cottage Rentals around 4PM and got ourselves settled. We picked up our cruise tickets for the next day and strolled around the town. It soon dawned on us just how tiny the town was… there was absolutely nothing to do after we circled their gift shops and restaurants.

Around 6PM, we started to get hungry so we decided to head over to Shipwreck Lee’s for dinner. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a friendly server who guided us to our table, which was all outside. I opted for the BBQ chicken, accompanied by a generous serving of fries and corn. Although the food was decent, it didn’t quite meet the mark expected for the price. Mandy’s poutine was worse, as the fries were overly salty and overshadowed the dish’s potential. Nevertheless, it was a delightful evening filled with laughter and engaging conversations. Afterwards, we went for a nice stroll around the town and took some nice photos during golden hour.

Day 2 – August 22nd

On the second day, we had to get up really early for our adventure. We had to catch the early cruise leaving the dock at 8:30 AM, so we made sure to set our alarms the night before. The problem was that no places served breakfast that early in the cute little town. Luckily, we found a Foodland nearby that opened at 8:00 AM, so we quickly drove there to grab a veggie platter, along with some bananas and breakfast. With our breakfast in hand, we headed to the dock where we lined up to board the Bruce Anchor Cruise that would take us to Flowerpot Island. Neither Mandy nor I are big fans of boat rides, as we tend to get motion sickness easily. In hindsight, going on a cruise tour might not have been the best idea for us, but we just couldn’t pass up the chance to see the natural beauty of Flowerpot Island and the shipwrecks. Despite the initial discomfort, we managed to enjoy the amazing views as the boat glided through the crystal-clear waters, offering us mesmerizing glimpses of the iconic flowerpot rock pillars. We arrived at the island around 9:15AM, where the cruise dropped us off at Flowerpot Island. We explored some parts of the island and, of course, took loads of pictures for 2.5 hours.

After exploring the island, we headed back to the dock where the cruise dropped us off and waited for the departure to see the shipwreck. It was cool to see the shipwreck, but honestly, it was kind of a let down. Or maybe I just couldn’t appreciate it that much. Like I said, I get motion sickness, so I didn’t really want to stick my head out to look for too long. When we got back on land, we quickly had to find lunch and head to our next destination as we were tight on time. We got lunch from a food truck called Tacomory. I got a burrito bowl and it was not bad, but I prefer Chipotle more.

After our lunch, we headed to Bruce Peninsula National Park to see The Grotto. Fun Fact: You have to book your parking ahead of time to get in to this park or they will turn you away! Luckily, we planned ahead so we got in to the park smoothly. Upon our way to the parking lot, we were greeted by the sight of towering trees with tight and winding roads. After finding the parking lot, we decided on which trail to take to get to the Grotto. We opted for the easier route. As we headed to The Grotto, we couldn’t help but notice all the beautiful wildflowers and ferns lining the trail. The whole place was just so peaceful and tranquil, surrounded by the calming beauty of nature. And when we finally reached The Grotto, oh my gosh, the view was absolutely stunning! The water was incredibly clear and blue, with the sunlight dancing on its surface in the most mesmerizing way. It was like nothing we had ever seen before, and we just stood there for a while, taking in all the natural beauty.

After a long day of hiking and immersing ourselves in the beauty of nature, we ended the day with dinner at the Tobermory Brewing Co. & Grill. Despite having to wait for about 30 minutes outside, once we were seated, we couldn’t help but notice that there were plenty of available seats in the back. It struck me as odd that they would make guests wait in line when there were so many seats open. Perhaps they were shorthanded and unable to accommodate guests in that area. We had some awesome chicken wings, and I went for a tasty fish burger with a side of chips. The server was super nice, always checking in on us to make sure we were good. Then we concluded our day with another stroll and were able to catch the beautiful sunset by the waters.

Day 3 – August 23rd

Last day wasn’t particularly extraordinary. We decided to finish our veggie platter for breakfast and take one final stroll around town before checking out of our motel. Truth be told, I had received some bad news the night before and was feeling a bit down in addition to leaving Tobermory. After our walk, we decided it was time to head back to Toronto. We looked for cute brunch places and chose to check out The Green Door Cafe in Wiarton on our back. The atmosphere of the cafe was pleasant, and the food was very light and healthy. I ordered a chicken wrap with a side of their house salad.

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That concludes my trip to Tobermory with my friends! This experience has deepened my appreciation for nature, and I was happy to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Until my next getaway!