16 Jul
2022

Lake Muskoka is Your Key to a Fun Weekend Away

Concerts, festivals, water sports, biking, and breweries are what make life in Muskoka so exciting! Whether you’re a family looking for a change of scenery for a weekend or a group of friends ready to make some laughs that will last a lifetime, The Dudley Inn is the perfect launching point. Lake Muskoka covers 120 square kilometres with more inlets, bays, waterways, and beaches than we can mention here. You step out of your room, get into the car, and within a few minutes, you’re in the center of the action. From Port Carling to Gravenhurst, the entire area is at your fingertips. The Bala Ontario weather is spectacular, with warm sun, cool shade, and soothing nights great for hanging with friends around The Dudley Inn firepit.

Water Sports in Bala and Muskoka

Bala parks, Jaspen Park and Windsor Park are places close to The Dudley Inn if you’re looking for activities. From the shore of Windsor Park, you can watch the waterboarding, wakesurfing, waterskiing, and flyboarding! But don’t just watch, try it. There are lessons available, and even though you might not be jumping ramps any time soon, next year you could be staying upright and feeling the spray. If you’ve already gotten your lessons and equipment, then the Bala Cove Marina has an assortment of boats to rent. Seeing Lake Muskoka from the water is a special experience. There are many dockside establishments throughout the area that you can pull up to and have a bite before you jump back on the water.

Biking Muskoka

Get ready for easy access and stunning scenery. It’s relatively flat around here, so plan on some long rides without tiring yourself out. Explore the side roads and see where it takes you. Hidden bays, cute cottages, and the odd roadside café await you.

For avid bikers, The Frank Miller Memorial Route is a great Ontario bike ride. It is a circular route that leads from your door at The Dudley Inn and back. In total, this route should only take a single day with a few rests here and there (5-6 hours). Leave after breakfast and be back by dinner.

Out of The Dudley Inn driveway, take a right (or left and flip the directions)
Hwy 169 through Bala and Torrance to Gravehurst
Hwy 17 toward Bracebridge (with a stop at Muskoka Brewery at the 2.5 hour mark — wink, wink)
Stay on Hwy 118W or at Bracebridge, consider Hwy 15 & Cedar Beach Road for a scenic detour that loops back to Hwy 118W
Hwy 118W to Port Carling
After Port Carling consider another detour on Hwy 26
Left on 169 back to The Dudley Inn. Bask in the AC and take a much-deserved shower.

Live Shows

If your favorite band or artist isn’t playing at The Kee, buy tickets while you’re here, because the next act on stage could be your new favorite artist! The venue is legendary and there isn’t a bad spot in the house to see a show.

Attending a concert at The Kee? The Dudley Inn can get you there safely. Ask us about transport so you don’t have to worry about drinking and driving. We are here to ensure you have a great time!

Bala and Muskoka Festivals

Cranberry Festival Bala
It’s the biggest festival in the area spanning over weeks during the September and October cranberry harvest. You don’t have to love cranberries to enjoy the festival because there’s live music, booths, activities, and an all-around fantastic time for all ages. This is BY FAR our favorite festival. Book your room early!

Muskoka Chautauqua Arts & Culture Festival
In Port Carling along Lake Rosseau, this two-week festival features visual arts workshops, musical performances, documentary film screenings/discussions, authors’ panels, lectures, movement and meditation classes, and an art gallery in the woods.

Baysville Arts and Crafts Festival
Going since 1987, this 2-day festival generally falls on the first weekend of August and features some of the craftspeople and artists in the Lake Muskoka region. They have a lot to see, local food, and craft demonstrations. Baysville is less than an hour drive from The Dudley Inn.

Muskoka Music Festival and Dockside Festival of the Arts
These both run in tandem in August and feature music artists at the Gravenhurst Opera House and other venues, as well as artist displays and information. Check the website for more info.

Party Muskoka

You played all day in the water, why stop there? We mentioned The Kee where you can see a great concert but there are also fun places to grab a drink and hang out with friends nearby!

Bala Falls Pub
Grab some pub grub and a libation. Meet the locals and find out the inside scoop on things to do in the area. It is right next door to The Kee and only a two-minute drive from Dudley’s.

Clear Lake Brewing
Home of the Beer Spa, it has to be visited to be believed. Once paid your cover and you’re in, they have concerts, a pool, hot tubs, saunas, a steam room, a beach, games, several seating areas, and…well…a ton of beer. You’ll love it. Only an 8 minute drive from Dudley’s.

There are great places to drink and dance farther away in Gravenhurst and Bracebridge, but we want you to be safe. If you choose to go to the many quaint Muskoka towns and drink, designate a driver or let us arrange transport for you!

Fun Getaways In Bala

As you can see, there are tons of Muskoka activities close and convenient to The Dudley Inn. So, tear yourself away from the crowds and stress of the city and get wet! Let the Muskoka breeze wash over you while you make lasting memories. If you leave Toronto on a Friday afternoon in the summer, you’ll be here before the sun goes down. Sleep on the comfy beds in our air-conditioned rooms and wake up refreshed in the morning waiting to jump into all the fun the area has to offer.

Make your reservation now and find out why we’re one of Muskoka’s best places to stay!

Muskoka, Wakeboarding