Earlier this summer the family and I set out on an adventure to go glamping at Lonesome Pine Resort on Pigeon Lake. This little slice of heaven is located in the Kawartha Lakes region, not too far from Bobcaygeon, Ontario. You know, the place immortalized in The Tragically Hip song, “Bobcaygeon.” We had been invited to check out “glamorous camping” otherwise known as glamping, at one of Parkbridge’s beautiful Cottage and RV resorts. I was completely game for this weekend away, but hubby wasn’t too sure. He is not a camper in any sense of the word.
When we arrived at Lonesome Pine I was eager to see what the park looked like. There was a long, tree lined road leading down to the main office and we later discovered just how very private the whole place was, with trees, hedges and little forest areas all over. The first thing I noticed was this sign, letting residents and guests know that there was to be a kids beach party that afternoon. How cool is that? My kids love the beach, but add in a party and I may just get some reading done from the comfort of my beach chair. Ahh, a mother can dream..
After getting our keys we headed to our RV cottage. Well, cottage is actually not the right word for it; more like resort home! The exterior of our place, one of three units for rent at Lonesome Pine, was impressive. The deck was so big and well constructed that we could have slept out there with no problem. It would have been an issue with the kids however, because once they saw their bedrooms inside they hardly ever came out!
The cottage we stayed in was just beautiful! From the granite counter tops in the full size kitchen to the queen size bed in the master bedroom, this place had luxury in spades. Every time a door or cupboard was pulled open I would hear an exclamation from one of the kids or the non camper, my husband Doug. Our unit had three bedrooms with two of those being bunk beds. The quaint little spaces were designed in an efficient manner so no space was wasted. There was plenty of lighting with hidden little corners for a child’s treasures. Indeed my eldest Emily set about right away to make her room her own.
The living room had a comfy couch that also pulled out to be a sofa bed so this cottage could easily sleep 8 people. Nothing was overlooked as we had a large TV with DVD player to use if needed. There was access to the deck via sliding doors which made it easy for the kids to come in and out. The kitchen was a dream! The dark stained wood was offset by the high ceilings in our cottage. Our unit had everything from a stove top, oven and microwave to a full size fridge! There was even a BBQ out on the deck. Parkbridge had covered everything. Each rental unit comes fully equipped with dishes, silverware and pretty much everything you will need, accept for bed linens and a few incidentals.
The bathroom was a full three piece bath with a large tub and shower and even a skylight. I lost count after pointing out over 25 cupboards and drawers to store things in, and the bathroom was no exception. Storage is a must when you spend your weekends at your cottage because you don’t want to truck everything back and forth each time. I was reminded of a trailer my family had when I was much younger. I loved that trailer, but it was a pain living out of your luggage all the time. Our Lonesome Pine home away from home allowed us to spread our stuff out, hang our clothes up and just relax.
My favorite room was the master bedroom. Aside from the aforementioned queen bed we had double closets and a full chest of drawers! This was glamping in style! There was a large window at the back which let in a wonderful breeze. Each bedside had a little built in table with a set of lights that made the room very comfy or romantic, depending on your needs. A sliding door allowed each bedroom some privacy, yet you did not feel disconnected to the rest of the cottage. Our unit was very modern, very fresh, but oh so inviting and warm at the same time. We loved it!
After settling in we headed to the beach so the kids could attend the party and we could go for a swim. The beach is not too far, but many residents have their own golf carts. It was quite a site to see the different sized carts zipping around! I think my hubby had cart envy more then once that weekend..but I digress. The beach area wasn’t overly large and it had both sandy and grassy areas. It was the perfect size. There was a sheltered area to picnic and adjacent to the beach was one of the two playgrounds at Lonesome Pine. I loved that I could watch both kids; one in the water and the other at the park, right from my lawn chair. Just off the beach were several boat docks and with the two sand bars out on Pigeon Lake it made a great hang out spot for young adults. This did not, however, deter families from the beach. There was plenty of room, not too much noise and everyone was respectful to one another.
Our first night we used the fire pit in front of our cottage to have a little sing along and smores before bedtime. It was so peaceful without the sounds of cars or televisions marring the night. Knowing that Lonesome Pine has on site security left us free to leave the kids bikes out on the deck and they were perfectly safe the whole time. The park was the perfect size for biking around. Lots of well maintained streets with beautiful park model RVs. Pride of ownership was apparent everywhere you looked!
Our second day was spent at the pool. Lonesome Pine has two heated, gated pools; one for adults and one for families. We were there for hours! The kids made lots of friends and I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly the adults were. It was great to be asked when we would be back, but sad to not have an answer. I would have returned the next weekend without a doubt!
Our last night was spent playing board games and we had such a good time! Our weekend at Lonesome Pine was the perfect family getaway. The kids had fun without electronics around and we enjoyed just being together. The lure of cottage life was hard to ignore that weekend.
Lonesome Pine is just one of the many Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities across Canada. Did you know that Parkbridge is Canada’s leading owner and operator of residential land lease communities, recreational resorts and marinas? Parkbridge is a way of life, not just a place to live.
Parkbridge’s residential communities are comprehensive developments containing individual home sites that are leased to a resident through our innovative variation on the traditional land lease concept. >The Live Smart Lease. Every resident owns the home on the leased site.
Our Cottage & RV Resorts are recreational getaways which include RV cottages and sites for travel trailers and family camping. Again, the key benefit is that customers never buy their lots. They simply pay for their exclusive use of the land for short-term periods or full seasons. Parkbridge owns and operates the land, amenities and infrastructure while our customers own the dwellings. Our philosophy is to provide getaways they can’t afford to miss – at prices they can actually afford.
One key to our success and popularity is that all our communities have a seasoned, professional management team overseeing their operations. We remain partners with our residents and customers to ensure our high standards are maintained. We’re there day-to-day, year after year.
If you have ever wanted to own a cottage, but never took the plunge, I suggest you give Lonesome Pine Resort, on Pigeon Lake, a chance and see what glamping is all about. Spend a weekend or two and I guarantee you will be coming back for more. In the meantime check out what Parkbridge Lifestyle Communities has to offer:
- Follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ParkbridgeResorts & www.facebook.com/ParkbridgeLifestyleCommunities
- Follow on Twitter @ParkbridgeLife
- Follow on Instagram @ParkbridgeLife
- Follow on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/ParkbridgeLife
Does glamping appeal to you?
FT&PD
Suz
Disclosure: MapleMouseMama and family received a complimentary stay Parkbridge Lifestyle Communites and we had a wonderful time! All opinions are mine.
It’s a great place to relax. I don’t see a lot of people in the beach. Did you come in a peak season? Yeah, the master bedroom looked spacious!
yes, we went in July and it was busy enough, but with so many things to do at the park there was never any over crowded area..
I loved to do these things inside the camping site, for sure I’ll do the same. glad you enjoyed your stay with family. A bonding time for your loved ones. Fernando Lachica
Thank you!
i thought glamping included pitching a tent near a very convenient place (like a house where everything you need is in haha) and sleeping there! hehe anyway, this isn’t so different from a regular resort vacation, it seems! glad you enjoyed your time with the kids! >XD
Call it what you want, it was fun!
I must admit I have never heard of glamping until you blogged about it! This is like a vacation having your own cabin in the woods with a nearby beach. I think this is the perfect option for those who have never camped before but do not want to immediately go hard core and pitch a tent. Great and thorough review Suzanne!
Thank you Karen!
I am not sure was “glamping” was when I saw your title. Interesting activity.
It sure is..
Nice place to stay in, with family day and Kids beach party, I’m sure the kids will enjoy to the maximum. I would like to stay there in future!
We had a great time
Glamping is the new black ! Having some creature comforts is necessary but still feeling like you are one with nature. Great trip !
LOL, good way to look at it!
The place is just perfect for family retreat. Lots of fun activities to do there. BTW, my daughter is based in York. Is it far from the place.
We were a few hours away from York, if it is the university you are referring to. But really not too far away at all..
I’m not a camping person (I need clean bathrooms and beds!) but this surely looks good! A really good way to get away from the city life and disconnect (though there is the TV to help get over the withdrawal symptoms!) Is this concept something like time-share where you have to book your stay in advance and are limited to say, a week a year?
It is not like a time share where you only get a week or two. In these cases though you do not own the land, you are basically renting it. it is pretty neat!
My gosh this place looks awesome. I love the interiors of the cabins and the heated pools which my kiddoes would never get out of.
It was amazing!
Wow. I’m sure you had a great time at Lonesome. The cottage looks really beautiful inside, and fully furnished too! I’d love to bring my family there when we get to Canada
You will love it Phylicia!
The place looks nice~ This is the first time I’ve heard of the word glamping~ 😀 Looks like I’ve learnt something new today~ Thanks MapleMouseMama
Thank you for stopping in Kyril!
Wow!! I didn’t know that kids could have a party at the beach hahahaha
Of course!
The community looks refreshing plus its near the pool and the beach. I like the country style design of the houses.
it is a great place, truly!
How fun! I had never heard of glamping. What a great vacation to have before going back to school. Thanks for sharing!! And awesome that they offered you this trip!!
Thanks Robin!
We stayed in one last year and even though it rained all weekend we still had a great time in the trailer and under the covered porch. I am still loving that dog dish drawer! lol and I’m totally laughing over the cart envy!
I would love to stay here in the fall Jennifer, while the leaves all change. And rain would not bother me either. The dog dishes were pretty neat!
Looks like a great family vacation! I have not taken my boys camping yet, this might be something more my speed with 3 little ones!
Yes, it is perfect for the younger ones Kate!
wow that sounds amazing! love the size of the whole home. I’ve only ever gone tent camping but that was back in my kidless days. I think this option would be so much fun for my family.
It is perfect mix of old style camping and new Leila 🙂
So Glamping is luxury camping on a grand scale. New word for me. Haha… The resort looks like a camp place plus staycation spot! It’s quite out of the way? Meaning it’s more for relaxing instead of tourist who want to travel around?
It is like to the cottage every weekend Tiffany so yes, not so much for those traveling around, but you can use it for that as well.
Wow, I love the bathroom and the beach. I am not a fan of camping: Although my friends drag me. This is way better.
Yup, this is way better 🙂
That is awesome, I’d love to do that for our vacation next year. Is that a pull out set of dog dishes in one of those pictures?
Yup, it sure is!
I’ve never heard of Glamping before, sounds like something interesting to try.
You will love it!
You sure went to a luxury campsite! Haha! It looks terrific with very clean and modern amenities… I’m not big on camping but I’ll take this one. 🙂
You would love it Elizabeth!
As my hubby would say “if your not sleeping on the floor you are not camping” but you were GLAMPING which is something totally different
I used to do that kind of camping Darlene…never again..