The Home Almanac

Vol. I, MMXXVIThe Canadian home, in season655 stations, every province and territory

The Date Almanac

A Blue Mountains spa and wine day for two

The baths at Scandinave Spa, a Georgian Hills tasting, and sunset at Craigleith

An unhurried day for two below the escarpment. Spend the morning in the hot and cold baths at Scandinave Spa in the forest, taste cool-climate wines and ciders on the patio at Georgian Hills Vineyards, then end with the sunset over Georgian Bay at Craigleith. Three stops, all within about 20 minutes, built for a slow pace.

3 stops Season: Summer Around: Blue Mountains
Directions for the whole day
  1. 1

    The thermal baths · The Blue Mountains

    Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain

    Outdoor Scandinavian baths in the forest below Blue Mountain, with hot pools, cold plunges, saunas, and quiet rest areas. Open daily and adults-oriented, with a strict silence and no-phone policy; the Thermal Journey is best booked ahead.

    Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain Directions ›

  2. 2

    A tasting on the patio · The Blue Mountains

    Georgian Hills Vineyards

    A cool-climate winery and cidery near Clarksburg with a tasting room and patio over the apple country and escarpment. Open daily in summer with flights and a food menu, live music on Wednesdays, and a Friday dinner series in July and August. Reservations are wise.

    Georgian Hills Vineyards Directions ›

  3. 3

    Sunset on the bay

    Craigleith Provincial Park

    A short stretch of Georgian Bay shore where flat brown shale plates hold trilobites and other fossils 455 million years old; you can hunt and photograph them at the water's edge but collecting is not allowed.

    Official site · Landmark via OpenStreetMap Directions ›

Before you go

  • Scandinave Spa is daily 9 to 9 and books up, so reserve the Thermal Journey ahead; walk-ins are wait-listed when full.
  • The spa is adults-oriented with a strict silence and no-phone policy, so leave the day loose and unplugged.
  • Georgian Hills recommends reservations, especially on weekends and holidays, and adds live music on Wednesdays.
  • Settle a driver before the tasting, and time Craigleith for the hour before sunset on a clear evening.
  • Bring sandals and a layer for the spa, and a card for Craigleith's day-use parking.

A free day out from the Home Almanac. Every stop is a verified place; days change with the season, so print it the week you go. Data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, openstreetmap.org/copyright.

Questions, answered plainly

Do we need reservations?

For the spa, yes; book the Thermal Journey ahead, since walk-ins are wait-listed when it is full. Georgian Hills also recommends booking, especially on weekends and holidays.

What does it cost?

This is the splurge day. The Scandinave Thermal Journey runs roughly $85 to $115 a person before any massage, plus wine tasting and parking. The bay sunset is free.

Is it kid-friendly?

No. The spa is adults-oriented with a silence and no-device policy, and the winery is a tasting room. This one is for a couple or a calm day out.

When should we time the sunset?

Craigleith faces northwest over Georgian Bay, so aim for the hour before sunset on a clear evening, close to 9 pm in late June.

How long is the day?

A full, slow day. Plan a couple of hours at the spa, an hour or two at the winery, and the evening on the bay. There is no need to rush any of it.

More day trips around Collingwood · All Ontario day trips