Your Cottage Vacation Guide

By Jennifer Matthews

 

What better way to while away the dog days of summer than by relaxing at the cottage? For many of us, the “happy place” we go to in our minds when we’re stuck in traffic or shoveling the snow off the front steps for the second time in one day is a Muskoka chair. On a dock. Sun beating down. Water gently lapping underneath. Cold drink of choice in hand. Breathe deeply with me—ahhhh…

	in this article fun things to do at the cottage how to be a good guest Skinny Dipping food ideas drink ideas

Even if you don’t own a cottage you can rent one, or if you’re really smart, you have friends who are cottage owners. Whatever your situation, if a cottage vacation is in the stars for you this summer, we have everything you need to know. The main things to remember: Have fun, be a considerate guest, and eat and drink well. Happy trails!

Fun things to do at the cottage

Turn off the TV! You’re at the cottage, remember? Why not…

1. Build a campfire, roast hotdogs on sticks for supper, make s’mores for dessert and sing cheesy campfire songs?
2. Take the time to cook an elaborate dinner for friends and family, complete with thoughtfully selected wines and music.
3. Go skinny dipping! According to a survey conducted by the Federation of Canadian Naturists, more than 27 per cent of Canadians have skinny-dipped (or at least considered it), and a Roper poll estimates that one in four Americans skinny-dip. See our sidebar for the do’s and don’ts of swimming “au naturel.”
4. Play a game (with one other person, or organize a tournament for many people). See sidebar for classic suggestions.
5. Organize an activity that’s interesting for both you and the kids (next weekend, I’m bringing up the as-yet-unopened stepping-stone-making kit I got for Christmas).
6. Go for a quiet canoe ride. What could be more zen than rhythmically gliding your paddle through smooth water as you explore a rugged shoreline?
7. Go for a ride in (or behind) a really fast motorboat. Feel the wind in your hair, and the water in your face. What could be more exhilarating? (Try not to do this in the same area with any neighbors who are practicing number five, above).
8. Visit a roadside stand and buy fresh produce (think beefsteak tomatoes and fresh corn on the cob) for supper.
9. Stargaze. You’ll be amazed by what you can see in the sky from cottage country.
10. Spend time doing something you love but never make time for (photography, gardening, reading, baking).
11. Take the kids berry-picking.
12. Learn a new skill. Have someone teach you to play chess or dive off the dock, learn how to use the parasail, or finally figure out how the lenses on your camera work.
13. Spend the day building an incredible sand castle.
14. Document a “day in the life” at the cottage—be a casual observer (with your camera) of your friends and family enjoying themselves. Post photos on your personal Web site later, or make albums or family calendars to give as Christmas gifts. The action shots of your dock-jumping contest will be great pick-me-ups in the middle of winter!

Classic cottage games

Here’s our list of classic cottage activities—they cross generations and many require little equipment. There are indoor and outdoor options, and even the smaller-group games, like checkers or cards, can be adapted into tournaments to involve larger groups.

1. Card games (Euchre, Poker, Gin Rummy)
2. Bocce ball
3. Volleyball
4. Croquet
5. Croquinole
6. Horseshoes
7. Chess/checkers
8. Capture the flag (click here for official rules from the U.S. Scoutmaster’s Handbook) 
9. Badminton
10. Football (in water or out)
11. Charades
12. Board games (Scrabble, Monopoly, Cranium)

The delicate (and fun!) art of skinny-dipping: do’s and don’ts

1. Don’t dip when the black flies or mosquitoes are biting.
2. Do know whether or not the lake has leeches!
3. Don’t leave your clothes up at the cottage—or at the shore if the tide is rolling in.
4. Do remember that a full moon makes everything more visible.
5. Don’t dip next to your neighbor’s cottage wedding reception.
6. Do think twice before agreeing to dip with your prospective mother-in-law, your boss, or alone with your best friend’s husband.
7. Don’t let your less-than-perfect body be your reason for not dipping.
8. Do swim out of range of your neighbor’s motion-sensitive floodlights. I’ve learned the hard way that just a small critter innocently scampering by can suddenly turn a private midnight swim into an unintended stage debut…
9. Most important: Do try it at least once!

	“Fish and visitors smell in three days.” Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1736

How to be a good cottage guest

The most important thing to remember when you’re a guest at someone’s cottage is to not overstay your welcome. And remembering a few of our cottage etiquette tips might go a long way toward securing next year’s invitation, too…

1. Chat with your host beforehand and make sure you’re clear on what you need to bring and how meals will be arranged.
2. Don’t drop in unannounced.
3. Arrive when you say you will.
4. Come bearing gifts (or buy a gift afterward and send it). The practical ones are often the most welcome: A tank of gas for the boat; a gift certificate at the local restaurant, marina or Canadian Tire; a subscription to a cottager’s magazine, a load of firewood.
5. Bring your own:
• Sunscreen and bug repellent
• Organic soap/shampoo (so you can wash in the lake and go easy on the septic system)
• Flashlights and batteries
• Drinking water (if necessary)
• Towels and sleeping bags
• Food. (Discuss meal arrangements with your host ahead of time; plan to either share in food costs and meal prep, or design a meal plan that divides shopping/preparation/cleanup among guests.)
• Life jackets for your children (and for you, if your host doesn’t have extras)
6. Be considerate. Remember that your hosts are vacationing, too, so:
• Pitch in to help wherever you can.
• Bring towels for muddy dog paws, and be sure to stoop and scoop (in a host-approved area).
• Ask about the cottage’s septic system and what you can do to minimize its use.
• Don’t leave a mess behind.

Food at the cottage

Simple and easy is my motto—and nowhere does that apply more than at the cottage. No one wants to spend all their time shopping, preparing meals and cleaning up after everyone. The solution? Divide and conquer. Make up a meal plan in advance of your weekend and assign meals to different family members or friends. The people responsible for each meal do the necessary shopping, food prep and cleanup—then at the next meal it’s their turn to relax.

If rotating meal responsibilities doesn’t suit your group, you can still share grocery costs and preparation/cleanup duties. Just remember: Everyone is there to have fun!

A few tasty recipes to try this weekend:

• Beer Can Chicken (yes, it’s as yummy as you’ve heard!)
• Spicy Guacamole with Pita Chips (our secret ingredient: tequila)
• Fish in Beer Batter (for the one that didn’t get away)
• Mixed Green Salad with Brandy Dressing

Drinks at the cottage

This is where you can really have fun. Try some frozen drink recipes by searching our database using your favourite ingredients (click here to review the art of blending a drink). Experiment with beer cocktails, and don’t forget iced tea as a thirst quencher (check out our alcoholic and non-alcoholic iced tea cocktail recipes). And yes, wines can go well with anything you cook on the barbecue. See our article for suggestions.

The number one rule for refreshing drinks at the cottage? Remember the ice!