Our First Family RV Trip - Road Trip From Toronto to the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island

With COVID putting a halt to big travel plans this summer, many have turned to staying local. And what is more local than renting an RV and hitting the open road to explore your own backyard? Check out our first family RV trip, where we explored the Northern Bruce Peninsula, Manitoulin Island and Earl Rowe Provincial Park in southern Ontario. 

Earlier this summer, we decided to switch things up and rented an RV. While my parents have had a pull trailer for a number of years, and its become the new norm for our family camping adventures, renting an RV (you know, one that you drive) was a first for my husband, two daughters and I. 

We love tent camping. But travelling in an RV opened up a whole new world to us. We were able to go at our own pace, be on our own schedule, while enjoying the comforts of home that you may not experience tent camping.

Read on to learn where our first family RV adventure took us.

We picked up the RV from Canadream, located in Brampton, ON - one of the only major RV rental centres in the Greater Toronto Area. It may be out of the way for most, but luckily it was right by Highway 410, the highway we would take to get us to the northern Bruce Peninsula.

As renting an RV was a new experience to us, we did learn a lot. BUT, I will keep that for another post.

After we were loaded into our RV, we hit the road, or Highway 410, and drove north. Our first destination was my family’s cottage on the Lake Huron side of northern Bruce Peninsula. We didn’t get a chance to visit last summer - I really couldn’t tell you why - so we were long overdue. With social distancing in effect, we had the entire place to ourselves for two nights. 

This place has a special spot in my heart. My mom’s parents built it in the 70s, and I have been visiting since I was 3 weeks old. That’s almost 35 years. So to be able to share it with our girls, who are the 5th generation to visit, is extremely special. Luckily, they love it just as much as I do.

Some rain and grey weather did not stop the girls from swimming in the lake. Either did the record water level - the highest we’ve seen in many, many years. The lake front at the cottage is not sandy, but rocky. So to access it, many many years ago, my Poppa built stairs into the rock. Sadly, the water level has caused a lot of his hard work to wash away. Water shoes and steady feet are now required to navigate the slippery rocks. 

We had the best couple of days, relaxing, swimming and waking up to the sound of the waves on the shore. But, come Tuesday morning, it was time to pack up early and hit Highway 6, driving 20(ish) more minute north to the end of the road at Tobermory.

Usually a trip to the cottage involves an afternoon in Tobermory - lunch at The Fish & Chips Place, ice cream at The Sweet Shop, beers at Tobermory Brewing Company, checking out the boats. If we’re lucky, maybe we even take the glass bottom boat to Flower Pot Island, or dive the wrecks in Fathom Five National Marine Park. But, not this time. This trip, we were boarding the MS Chi-Cheemaun and heading across Georgian Bay to Manitoulin Island. Something I haven’t done in at least two decades, and a first for Steve and the girls. 

The 1.5 hour ferry ride took us from Tobermory to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island. The weather was perfect, and we enjoyed sitting out on the top deck, taking in the beauty of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay surrounding us on either side.

I should also mention, despite COVID, we felt extremely safe the entire trip to and from on the ferry. Owen Sound Transportation Company (the company that runs the MS Chi-Cheemaun) has numerous protocols in place for the health and safety of their crew and passengers. Prior to lining your vehicle up to board, they screen everyone in the vehicle with the typical COVID screening questions and ask to see masks for every person. Once you board, you are required to where your mask for the entire trip, something that I thought would be a lot more difficult to enforce during the 1.5 hours with a 2 and 4 year old. Social distancing is in effect inside the ship, from limited seating and directional signage to washroom capacity and no access to the gift shop or cafeteria. There are also a lot of staff on hand, continuously sanitizing the cabin. If you’re planning a trip, I recommend you visit their website to see all COVID safety protocols in place.

From South Baymouth we drove to Gore Bay, on the north west part of the island, to grab some beers from Split Rail Brewing Co and have lunch along the beautiful harbour. This place was something out of a postcard, and we easily could have stayed there for longer. But, out next stop called so it was back in the RV. We had every intention to stop for a swim at the very popular Bridal Veil Falls, but when we got there we discovered the stair access was closed for safety reasons AND, even if we chose to walk in, it was a little too busy for our comfort. So, we kept driving to our destination on the island - Batman’s Cottages and Campground, where we would spend the night. 

I’m normally one for lots of trees and privacy when camping, but for one night, this was the perfect spot. We had a site directly across the street from the beach access, which is where we hung out for the rest of the day. The waters of Georgian Bay were cold, as they always are, but that didn’t stop the girls from going in. Before we tucked in for our first night in the RV, we walked around and explored the rest of the campground, checking out the other sites (it’s fun to see other people’s camping setups), the second beach (which is basically non-existent due to high water levels) and fed the ducks. Marshmallows were roasted around the fire, and we called it a night. It had been a long day.

After a successful night in the RV, we had an early start the next morning, heading back to South Baymouth to catch the return ferry to Tobermory.

Knowing we had to return the RV early on Friday morning, we decided to make the most of the last two nights and book a campsite closer to home. Earl Rowe Provincial Park, located in Alliston, ON, fit the bill. From what we could see, it was an hour from the drop off location and had a beach for the girls. 

Well when we we got there, turns out, the beach was closed because of high bacteria levels. (Cue dramatic sigh.) The big fail on our part was that we were really banking on spending the day at the beach, so we didn’t really have any back up plans. Luckily, we were able to fill the time with walks to explore the park (scavenger hunts and ‘I Spy’ have become recent favourites), playing on the slide and swings, ice cream at the park store and inventing our own games that involved pool noodles, buckets and pinecones. 

When it comes to COVID, we felt pretty safe at Earl Rowe. The park was not busy at all, which gave it a peaceful quiet feeling. Something that is definitely welcomed once you’ve been to places like the Pinery and Algonquin at their peak busiest. Showers were closed, but the play structure was open, making sure to go at times when there weren’t any other kids playing. 

*Side note: I have heard from others that Earl Rowe may have been the exception to a quiet Ontario Park, as others such as Pinery, Algonquin, Awenda, Sandbanks and Bon Echo have been just as busy as they normally are during the summer, with very limited social distancing happening. 

After two successful nights camping at Earl Rowe (seriously, RV or not, there’ just something about sleeping in ‘the wilderness’), it was time to head back to Canadream to drop off the RV, pick up our car and head home.

Drop off was very easy, but again, I’ll save those details for another post. 

In all, it was a very successful 5 days exploring southern Ontario in our RV. I could definitely get used to this way of travel. The only question is, where to next?!

There are so many perks to “living the RV life” on vacation. From planning your own schedule, being able to bring the pets, bringing all of the comforts of home and beyond, I can definitely see why people prefer it.

Long story short, it was an amazing trip and we are already planning another one for next summer. This time, it will be a bit longer and a bit further, hopefully exploring a region of Canada we’ve never seen before.

Have you travelled in an RV before? Share your favourite RV destinations. I’d love to hear!

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5 Fun & Easy Summer Cricut Joy Projects (+ Preschooler Flashcard DIY)

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cricut. All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer. The days are long, and the kids are out of school. And chances are high that you’ve also been home from work - maybe juggling working and caring for your children? Ya, me too. Keeping them busy and engaged, while limiting screen time to allow you to get work done is not an easy task. And if there is ever a time to pull out the Cricut and create some fun projects with (or without) your kiddos, now is the time.

Today, I’m sharing why I love my Cricut Joy™, specifically five of my favourite Cricut Joy DIY projects that I’ve made at home this summer using Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl™.

5 Fun & Easy Summer Cricut Joy Projects

Vegetable Garden Markers

One of my favourite things about our new house is the backyard. It’s crazy what a little green space can do for your mood. Since moving in last summer, I have been so excited for the girls to finally have a place to get outside and play. But, this new green space also meant that I could build an even bigger and better vegetable garden than the container gardens we had on our condo terrace last summer. So we were able to tell what was what, I created these vegetable garden markers using up cycled paint stir sticks that I simply spray painted white and Smart Vinyl - Permanent in black. I measured the size of the paint stir sticks and created the vegetable labels text (DJ Juicy font) in the Cricut design space app. I applied the labels to the painted stir sticks with Transfer Tape, and once completed, added them to my garden next to the appropriate fruit or vegetable. Much better looking that the generic tags that come from the Garden Centre. 

Wooden Welcome Sign

This wooden welcome sign is one of my favourite Cricut Joy projects to date. Earlier this summer, we added a deck to the back of our house, and to give it some added personality, we created this “Welcome to Our Deck” sign. It was also super easy to make, and with several home update projects already on the go, we had all of the materials we needed already at home. I simply created the text in the design space app (Babette font for "Welcome" and Creative Memories Tiny Treasures - Rubber Ducky font for "to our deck"). My design can be found on Design Space here.

Mailbox Decal

While our front porch is going to be next summer’s focus, I couldn’t help but take our ugly white mailbox and give it some curb appeal by painting it black to match the porch railings. I then personalized the mailbox with “hello” text created in the Cricut design space app using Babette font (easily my favourite cursive font in the app). Once the mailbox was dry, I applied the cut vinyl in the desired spot using Transfer Tape. 

Stemless Wine Glasses

We love to entertain. And while this summer may look a little different when it comes to entertain, I am happy that we have still been able to have those in our bubble over for backyard BBQs. I recently purchased more backyard-friendly plastic stemless wine glasses and decided to jazz them up a little using Smart Vinyl - Permanent in gold. I measured the size of the glasses and created the “cheers” text (Babette font) in the Cricut design space app. I then applied the labels to the outside of the clean glasses uses Transfer Tape. They were very easy to make, and added a little something extra (including lots of compliments and questions about where I bought them) to our backyard get togethers.

Preschooler Flash Cards

These flashcards were one of the first projects I made with my Cricut Joy when schools closed back in March. I was determined to keep the learning continuing, and these super simple flashcards were a great help in doing so. Using construction paper and Smart Vinyl - Permanent, in white, I created a set of capital letter cards and small letter cards. These flashcards could be used for letter recognition, spelling names and/or matching capital and small letters. The flashcards were very easy to create in design space, as the font Cricut Alphabet Circle already existed. I simply printed it on the vinyl, and applied it to the construction paper using the Transfer Tape. I did used two separate colours of construction paper, one for the capital letters and one for the small letters. But if you wanted to up the difficulty, you could use the same coloured paper for all. 

Next up on my Cricut Joy DIY list? Story blocks. Stay tuned to see how they turn out.

The Cricut Joy makes home DIY projects so easy. Unlike other Cricut machines, the Cricut Joy is a compact cutting machine, less than half the size of Cricut Explore and Cricut Maker—making it perfect for people without a dedicated crafting area (like me)! From customized pillows, to personalized glassware and welcome signs, the possibilities are nearly endless with this fun tool.

For the majority of my projects, including those outdoors, I use Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl - Permanent which is water- and UV-resistant, and lasts up to 3 years. Cricut Joy Smart Vinyl also comes in removal and writable, and a variety of different colours, including mattes, metallics, holographic and more. 

Be sure to check out the Cricut blog, where you’ll will find more DIY inspiration and tutorials! Use the hashtag #CricutAtHome when sharing your project on social media - I would love to see what you create!

Do you have a Cricut machine? What’s your favourite project to make? I’d love to hear - I’m always looking for inspiration!

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Easy DIY Piñata - Made with Up-Cycled Materials Found at Home!

Looking to add some excitement to your next backyard birthday party? Check out this easy DIY piñata tutorial, made with up-cycled materials found at home!

Last summer, our daughter’s first birthday party theme was “One in a Melon”. To go with the theme, I decided to create a watermelon shaped piñata. It was really ambitious, I admit. BUT turns out, it was SUPER easy! And not to toot my own horn, but it also turned out pretty amazing and was a smashing success (no pun intended). 

Also turns out, I set the birthday bar REAL high, and piñatas are now a birthday party expectation. 

So, when Berks’ second birthday came around, I decided to go it again and make an ice cream-shaped piñata, because she was “Two Cool”. 

Buying a piñata at a party store can get pricey. Making your own is a cost effective option and not as hard as you’d think. Chances are, you already have all of the materials you need at home. And, it's a good way to repurpose those items destined for the recycling bin - think Amazon boxes, newspapers or flyers and gift tissue paper. 

I will admit, while they’re easy, they do take some time to make. At least 2-3 days. So it does take a bit of pre-planning and can’t be a night before decision. But, they’re so worth it because it will be a hit (ok, pun intended on that one). 

Check out the easy DIY piñata tutorial, and all of the materials you will need to gather from around your home, below.

Easy DIY Piñata Tutorial

Materials:

• Cardboard (i.e. your Amazon boxes)
• Marker or sharpie
• Scissors
• Tape (thicker tape works best)
• Newspaper or flyers
• Large bowl
• Flour
• Water
• Streamers or tissue paper
• Rope
• Screwdriver 
• Sharp knife
• Goodies (i.e. candy - for the inside)

Directions:

1. Repurpose the boxes from all of your COVID Amazon purchases (I can't be the only guilty one?) - Cut two pieces of cardboard, large enough for your design. Using the marker, draw your design and cut it out. Pick a design with less detail. The less detail, the more structurally sound (and easier to put together) it will be. 
2. Using the left over cardboard, cut cardboard strips, which will act as the edges of the piñata to give it the 3D shape. 
3. Using the tape, attach the cardboard strips to one side of the piñata face. Repeat for the other side.
4. Cut the newspaper into large strips. I kept the newspaper folded when I cut so that the strips were two-ply. It will save some time when getting down to the paper mache part of the piñata.
5. Mix up the paper mache goo. You can use traditional plaster of paris, but not everyone has that lying around. Flour and water will work just as well, and chances are, you already have flour in your pantry. Add a little bit of water at a time to get the correct consistency, you want it to be almost pancake batter thin. Add more flour if it is too thin. Flour and water is much more environmentally friendly (and pet safe) as well. 
6. Start paper maching! Dip the double-layered strips of newspaper into the flour-water mixture. Remove any excess with your fingers. Cover the cardboard cutout with a single layer of paper mached newspaper. Allow to dry for 24 hours, flipping every so often to allow each side to dry. By this point, it should be rock solid. If not, repeat with another layer.
7. Before decorating, cut a hole for the candy using a sharp knife. Don’t make it too big, or it will affect the structure of the piñata. It just needs to be as big as the biggest piece of candy or item you will be putting in it. 
8. Add the goodies to the piñata. Once you are done, close the flap. No need to tape the flap shut, the tissue will eventually cover it.
9. Now it’s time to bring the piñata to life and decorate the outside! To do this, you can either use paper streamers or tissue paper cut into strips. When I made the watermelon, I purchased pink paper streamers and green tissue paper at Dollarama. For the ice cream cone, they did not have the colours I wanted in the paper streamers so I bought gold, purple and pink tissue paper (gold for the cone, and purple and pink for the Cotton Candy ice cream, as requested by my four year old).
10. Cut the tissue paper into strips. Using tape, wrap the tissue around the piñata and use small pieces of tape to secure it. Remember to start at the bottom and work your way to the top so that the layers overlap properly. Repeat until the entire piñata is covered, with no exposed newspaper or tape. It doesn’t need to be pretty - the next step will help to blend it all together.
11. Using scissors, fray each layer of the tissue paper to help to blend it all together.
12. Using a screwdriver or sharp knife, poke a hole through both sides of the piñata to be able to hang it. Make sure the hole is about two inches from the edge of the piñata to keep the structure and so it doesn’t fall apart at the rope.
13. Once the rope is added, pick a location to hang it, grab a bat or hockey stick and have fun cracking it open!

*See photo below for detailed photo instructions.

Happy piñata-ing!

Have you ever made your own piñata? I’d love to hear about it!

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Making Memories at the Detroit Zoo

If you’ve been around here long enough you know that I’m a big (ok, maybe a HUGE) animal lover. So, when visiting a city (new or old) and the opportunity to check out the local zoo or aquarium comes up, I’m all in. 

Zoos and aquariums are a fantastic way to learn about the variety of animals that call our planet home, and to build a connection with wildlife we may not ever have the chance to experience in the wild. Not to mention, they're also a fun way to spend the day with your family.

I grew up approximately an hour from Detroit, Michigan, on the Canadian side. The times I’ve visited the city to go shopping, play soccer or even to visit my (then) boyfriend while he played junior hockey, are so many that I couldn't even take a guess. BUT, the number of times I’ve visited to go the Detroit Zoo? Sadly, I can count that on only a few fingers.

On a recent extended visit to my parents’, my dad suggested we take a day trip to the Zoo. When you throw out the words “Do you want to go to the zoo?” in front of a few animal lovers (including a 3 year old and her mama), the answer is YES. Always YES.

So, we packed in the car – my dad, my sister, the two little gals and I – and drove off over the border and down I95 to the Detroit Zoo.

Situated on 125 acres, the Detroit Zoo (run by the non-profit Detroit Zoological Society) is home to more than 2,000 different animals representing 230 species of amphibians, mammals, birds and reptiles.

The Zoo features many award-winning attractions including the National Amphibian Conservation Center, Great Apes of Harambee, Arctic Ring of Life, and my personal favourite, Polk Penguin Conservation Center.

I know, I was just as surprised as you that I favourited the penguin habitat over the polar bears. (Background story: For those of you that don’t know, I’ve had a thing AGAINST penguins, dating back to 2010. Living and working at azoo in Alaska that had polar bears, it was not uncommon for people to think polar bears and penguins were friends. The media portrayal didn’t help. But in fact, they live on opposite ends of the earth – polar bears in the Arctic, penguins in the Antarctic. So, hearing that on a regular basis became a bit of a pet peeve. But, I digress…)

Opening in 2016, Polk Penguin Conservation Center is the Zoo’s newest award-winning attraction. At 33,000 square feet - housing 75 king, rockhopper, macaroni and gentoo penguins - it is the largest penguin facility in the world. Its signature feature is a 326,000 gallon (1.2 million liter) 25 foot deep aquatic area where visitors can watch the birds swim and dive from two acrylic underwater tunnels. The $32 million facility received the 2017 Exhibit Aware from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums for excellence in exhibit design. An award very much deserved. We could have spent hours watching the penguins fly through the water all around us. The facility is also filled with a variety of interactive educational exhibits to help better connect visitors to the Antarctic and the tuxedo-wearing birds.

*Please note: The Detroit Zoological Society will be temporarily closing the Polk Penguin Conservation Center between September 9, 2019 and mid-June 2020 to make repairs due to faulty waterproofing. The penguins will live in the former Penguinarium while their home is being repaired, but that facility will not be open to visitors.

And while the penguins may have been my favourite of the day, I cannot share about the zoo without mentioning my other favourite habitat, the Arctic Ring of Life – home to polar bears, seals and Arctic fox. This state-of-the-art interactive facility is one of North America’s largest polar bear habitats and encompasses more than 4 acres of outdoor and indoor spaces. My favourite feature? The spectacular 70 foot long Polar Passage, a clear tunnel that winds through a vast underwater marine environment. It reminded me very much of the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Sadly, the polar bears were nowhere to be seen that warm August day (can you blame them?!), but it was still fun to watch their nextdoor neighbours, the seals, swim through the water.

For a Zoo that first opened their doors almost 100 years ago in 1928 (and saw 1.5 million visits in just their first 4 months of operation), I was extremely impressed with the many naturalistic habitats and modern-day zoo updates. The layout is extremely family- and stroller-friendly, and easy to navigate with the use of either a paper map or the interactive mobile map system called Detroit Zoo Treks. There are a few indoor exhibits where strollers are not permitted (including the Polk Penguin Conservation Center), however, there is ample stroller parking to accommodate.

Beside the penguins and Arctic animals, we especially loved checking out the rhinos, zebras, giraffes and camels. The pop-up windows in the prairie dog exhibit were not only a great photo opportunity, but also a good way to see their cute faces up close. The new red panda habitat, located in the Asian Forest, had us cross a rope bridge, through the actual habitat! It made us feel that much closer to the red pandas sleeping in the trees above our head. The brand new Devereauf Tiger Forest opens on September 13, and will be home to three Amur tigers. 

Besides viewing the animals, the littlest zoo visitors can ride the animal-themed carousel, take a trip on the Tauber Family railroad, visit the Korman Tadpole or Rissman PlayVenture playgrounds and more. And for the adults (whether kiddos in tow or not), there is also a 4D theatre and simulator ride to check out.

If you find yourself in the Detroit area with your family, I definitely recommend spending a few hours visiting the animals of the Detroit Zoo. But, before you do, be sure to scroll down to read my tips for visiting the Detroit Zoo with your family.

Important tips for visiting with your family:

• There are a few indoor spaces that do not allow strollers, including the Polk Penguin Conservation Center. If you have a little one that cannot yet walk, I recommend bringing a carrier to use when the stroller is not available.
• Guests are welcome to bring their own food and beverages into the Zoo. Several picnic areas are available throughout the Zoo. 
• Bring your own reusable water bottle to refill at one of the 21 filtered-water stations throughout the grounds. Bottled water is not sold on site, something the Detroit Zoological Society had worked hard to achieve.
• There are several concession stands throughout the zoo, some seasonally available. Items are reasonably priced for an attraction, and include burgers, hot dogs, fries, pizza, chips, soft drinks, frozen beverages, ice cream, coffee, etc. There is also a location with an all-vegan menu. 
•  Zookeeper talks are held daily at various animal habitats, giving guests the opportunity to interact with animal care staff while learning about the individuals living at the Zoo. 
• To save a bit of time during the busy months and money, pre-purchase your tickets and parking pass online in advance.
• Hours vary depending on time of year - check the website prior to your arrival. I recommend at least 4 hours to check out everything the zoo has to offer. Our visit lasted from approximately 10:00am to 3:00pm. 

The Detroit Zoo can be found at 8450 W 10 Miles Road Royal Oak, MI 48067.

If you liked this post, you may also like:

Toronto Zoo 1, 2, 3 - Toronto, ON

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada - Toronto, ON

Alaska Zoo - Anchorage, AK

Assiniboine Park Zoo - Winnipeg, MB

Riverbanks Zoo - Columbia SC

Did you visit a zoo or aquarium this summer? I'd love to hear which one AND your favourite animal!

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