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A Perfect Weekend to Tobermory and Bruce Peninsula National Park

Last Updated February 20, 2023 William Tang

You are here: Home » Travel Itineraries » A Perfect Weekend to Tobermory and Bruce Peninsula National Park

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Nestled in the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula, Tobermory is a special vacation spot for Ontarians and visitors alike in the summer months. There is a plethora of things to do up here in Tobermory and the Bruce Peninsula National Park.  Hikers can enjoy the world-famous and best stretch of the Bruce Trail.

The National Park has such a variety of terrain – jagged edged rocks, amphitheater like overhangs, caves, and your choice of boulder or sand beaches.  Visitors can ride a car-bearing ferry, the Chi-Cheemaun, across to Manitoulin Island or a speedboat out to Flowerpot Island and along the way take in the bay floor which is littered with ship wrecks of a different era.

In the main town of Tobermory is a cute collection of quaint restaurants, art galleries, shops and adventure outfitters.  Want to scuba dive?  Tobermory has that too!  It is truly the jewel of the north!

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Here's what we're covering:

  • Getting away from the big city
  • How to get to Tobermory from Toronto
  • Photo Essay of What A Weekend in Tobermory Looks Like
    • Day 1 – Flowerpot Island
    • Day 2 – The Grotto And Bruce Peninsula National Park
  • Tobermory Trip Costs
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Places to stay near Tobermory
    • CLOSE TO TOWN
    • INN STYLE

Getting away from the big city

view of the grotto at bruce peninsula national park in weekend trip to tobermory

Bruce Peninsula and the famed Tobermory is one of the most spectacular places in Ontario. What will impress you the most about this region are the rock formations and the clarity of the water.

It’s not a trick of the lens. You can literally see straight down to the rock floor which is something you’d only expect to see on tropical beaches of the south.

While Tobermory feels like it’s a long distance from Toronto, it’s actually possible to make a trip of it in a weekend.

Personally, the best way to do this trip is to drive up later on Friday afternoon and book 3 nights at a Cyprus Lake campsite at Bruce Peninsula National Park. Alternatively, you could come up Saturday morning as well.

Don’t believe the nay-sayers, Tobermory can be totally done on a 2 day weekend!

How to get to Tobermory from Toronto

The map below shows that it takes roughly 4 hours and 17 minutes from downtown Toronto to get up to Tobermory and Bruce Peninsula.

To maximize your time here, try to head out as early as possible.

Google Map screenshot of the 4 hour journey from Toronto to Tobermory for a weekend trip
Google Map screenshot of the 4 hour journey from Toronto to Tobermory.

Photo Essay of What A Weekend in Tobermory Looks Like

Day 1 – Flowerpot Island

The gorgeous Tobermory port.
Walking around the Tobermory Pier area.
Tobermory
The northern end point of the Bruce Peninsula – Northern Terminus
Tobermory
A little ice cream pit stop.
A giant among kid sized picnic benches.
The must-do Fish & Chip Place in Tobermory.
Tobermory, Fish & Chip Place
Large bowl of fries.
Tobermory Fish & Chip Place
The fried shrimps + fries.
Tobermory
The family platter of fish. Notice how it’s not overdone with batter. It was oh so good!
Tobermory
The Fish & Chip Place menu.
Tobermory
Marco Polo Trading Company
Tobermory
Our boat to Flowerpot Island waiting.
Tobermory
Onboard the Blue Heron Co. jetboat.
Tobermory
Passing by a lighthouse with a bunch of divers either getting ready to get in or just got out.
Tobermory
We looked up and saw this crazy double rainbow ring thing in the sky. WHOA!
Tobermory
Would love to be able to rent one of these cottages at some point.
The first shipwreck that we went to on our way to Flowerpot Island.
The lighthouse on Flowerpot Island.
flowerpot island sea stacks in bruce peninsula
The big flowerpot in front and smaller one in the backgrund.
The water is so clear that you can see the dramatic rock cliff drops underwater.
Welcome to Flowerpot Island.
Starting our hike through the island.
Inukshuk on the beach.
The big flowerpot up close and personal.
Flowerpot Island
A little further down we decided to take a dip in the water. It was ridiculously cold. My feet were hurting real bad just to take this shot!
Flowerpot Island
There was one cave to explore on the island. These are the steps leading up to it.
The Flowerpot Island map just by the lightstation.
Flowerpot Island
I wasn’t joking about crystal clear waters.
The Blue Heron jetboat after getting back to Tobermory.
Tobermory
A nice quaint town with lots of small mom and pop shops.
A look back at the Tobermory Pier.
Our very basic Cyprus Lake campsite.

Whether you’re coming to Tobermory Friday night or Saturday, you can officially kick things off with lunch in the town of Tobermory where you can’t miss The Fish & Chips Place.

After a tour around town, booked our tickets with Blue Heron Cruises and their tour which is a round trip trip to Flowerpot Island with stops to two 19th century shipwrecks, and excellent views of Big Tub Lighthouse.

To close things off, return to camp such as the one at the the Poplars Campgrounds of Bruce Peninsula National Park which wraps around Cyprus Lake.

End off the day with a nice fire and of course s’mores!

Day 2 – The Grotto And Bruce Peninsula National Park

Heading back to the parking lot
Boulder Beach.
The view we were treated it when we got to the top. I still can’t get over how clear the water is up here!
Walking back to the original amphitheater, we then had to figure our way back to the top and this point was it.
We then kept walking further and discovered an even larger amphitheater next door. Even my wide angle lens wasn’t enough to capture the immenseness of this place.
A look back at the hole we had to climb down to get down to the Amphitheater.
After taking the rabbit hole down, we got under Overhanging Point.
We then walked further north towards Overhanging Point. This was shot right above the amphitheater below. Loved the combination of the lush green forest with the jutting overhang and the blue in the background.
The climb back up to the top from the bottom of the Grotto.
Inside the Grotto. I thought it was much too cold to jump in but a whole bunch of people did as we left.
View from Grotto level. Pristine and beautifully colored.
Wide angle view of The Grotto area to the right.
A mini arch! Beautiful views all around here.
Rocks with a view.
Starting our hike along the Bruce Trail towards The Grotto.

After a lazy morning around camp and making breakfast, we spend the rest of the second day exploring Bruce Peninsula National Park where we’re already in.

The beauty of a campsite at the park is that you can easily walk to many of the highlights including The Grotto, Boulder Beach, and various trails including Marr Lake Trail.

On a hot summer’s day, there are plenty of chances to jump into the water and enjoy the crisp clear waters.

We spend the night at our campsite and head back to Toronto early the next day.

Tobermory Trip Costs

A lot of people ask about the costs for trips so trying to be more diligent about capturing this info.  This is the cost per person.

  • Gas – $20
  • Camp food – $20
  • Drinks – $15
  • Camping supplies – $10
  • Flowerpot Island Tour – $45
  • The Fish & Chips lunch – $10

Total Costs:  $120

Tips & Tricks

  • Reserve early – We booked really late and there were literally only 1-2 campsites left for us to pick from.  If you want your pick of sites or a chance to book yurt huts, I would do it as soon as bookings are available. Remember that this is not a provincial park so you’ll be doing reservations with Parks Canada instead of Ontario Parks.
  • No showers – Keep in mind that there are no shower facilities in the park so just a heads up.
  • Gets cold – This is after all the north and when we were there in late June, nights dropped down to 10C.  Water temperatures were ice cold at 3C.  We talked to a few locals and they said at most the water only gets to 10C in late August.  Packing wise, be prepared to layer up at night.
  • Down the rabbit hole – There’s hidden rabbit hole that can get you down into the Overhanging Point amphitheater down below. It’s easy to miss and a little daunting but totally worth the detour.

Places to stay near Tobermory

If you’re thinking about heading up to Tobermory and looking for an alternative to camping, there are a ton of properties available that are great for large groups, families, and couples.

CLOSE TO TOWN

entrance to adventure the bruce inn in tobermory

THE ADVENTURE BRUCE INN

This property is more of an inn but with its proximity to the town of Tobermory, it makes a great stay from a convenience point of view.

Read the reviews

CHECK RATES

INN STYLE

front entrance to lionheart guesthouse b&b near tobermory

LIONHEART GUESTHOUSE AND B&B

While this is further south and located right by Lions Head Provincial Park, this is a comfy place to stay that comes with breakfast included.  This os more of a traditional bed and breakfast type of place.  It is also cheaper than staying inside Tobermory.

Read the reviews

CHECK RATES

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About William Tang

William is the Chief of Awesome at Going Awesome Places which is focused on off-the-beaten-path, outdoor adventure, and experiential travel. His true passion lies in telling stories, inspiring others to travel, writing detailed trip itineraries to help others plan their own trips, and providing helpful tips and tricks to guide readers to travel better. He is based in Toronto, Canada but you'll find him on the road more often than not. Make sure to learn more about William to find out his story and how Going Awesome Places started.

author will tang going awesome places profile photoHey, my name is Will and I'm here to help you travel to some awesome places around the world and my home country of Canada by providing insanely detailed itineraries, travel guides, and packing lists.

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