Floating Lodges Offer a Different Sunset Country Vacation Experience
if you've never rented a houseboat you don't know what you're missing!
By Gerry Cariou
Gerry is the Executive Director of Ontario's Sunset Country
April 12, 2023
Try a Floating Lodge for a Change of Pace
One of the more unique ways to explore some of the BIG lakes in Sunset Country is to rent a houseboat. With all the amenities of a regular cabin, houseboats offer the vacationer a chance to see the many sights and sounds of our beautiful natural environment. This is a cabin that floats and has a motor in it to propel you around the lake. Land your boat on a wilderness sand beach and explore your surroundings. Build a campfire along the shoreline and have a marshmallow roast with your family. Go swimming in the cool clear water and revel in the natural paradise that you find yourself in.
Three Great Lakes to Discover
In Sunset Country, houseboat rentals are available on two magnificent freshwater lakes. The number of freshwater lakes in our region of Ontario is amazing but until you actually get out on the lake, you won't fully appreciate the grandeur of these water bodies.
Houseboat, fishing boat, water toys, beach, deck - what more do you need? Photo: Sioux Narrows Floating Lodges
Lake of the Woods
Think about it for a minute. If dreams were islands, you could dream about a different island on Lake of the Woods every night for 39 years. With a surface area of almost one million acres and over 14,500 islands, this lake is a true miracle of nature. You can cruise the open waters in your houseboat or navigate between the many islands.
With a smaller boat in tow, you'll be able to do some serious freshwater fishing as well. Catch the mighty muskie, a fish the lake is famous for, or go after fighting northern pike which is very easy to catch just about anywhere on the lake. If catching dinner is on your mind the walleye fishing on the lake is second to none and don't forget the tasty black crappie. Lake of the Woods is also famous for its quality bass fishery and in places like Whitefish Bay and Clearwater Bay, lake trout.
Visit some communities on the lake and do some shopping. Kenora on the north end of Lake of the Woods is the largest community in Sunset Country and a great place to visit. Sioux Narrows and Nestor Falls are sister communities on the east shore and Morson is located on the southern shoreline.
At 75 miles long and almost 25 miles across, Lac Seul is another incredible lake that is ideal for cruising on a houseboat. A reservoir of the mighty English River system, Lac Seul is known for its beautiful shoreline vistas and is an out-of-this-world walleye fishery. Houseboat rentals are available in two locations on the lake. Hudson, just west of Sioux Lookout is one community and Ear Falls on the far west side of the lake is the other.
One of the more unique ways to explore some of the BIG lakes in Sunset Country is to rent a houseboat. With all the amenities of a regular cabin, houseboats offer the vacationer a chance to see the many sights and sounds of our beautiful natural environment. This is a cabin that floats and has a motor in it to propel you around the lake. Land your boat on a wilderness sand beach and explore your surroundings. Build a campfire along the shoreline and have a marshmallow roast with your family. Go swimming in the cool clear water and revel in the natural paradise that you find yourself in.
Three Great Lakes to Discover
In Sunset Country, houseboat rentals are available on two magnificent freshwater lakes. The number of freshwater lakes in our region of Ontario is amazing but until you actually get out on the lake, you won't fully appreciate the grandeur of these water bodies.
Houseboat, fishing boat, water toys, beach, deck - what more do you need? Photo: Sioux Narrows Floating Lodges
Lake of the Woods
Think about it for a minute. If dreams were islands, you could dream about a different island on Lake of the Woods every night for 39 years. With a surface area of almost one million acres and over 14,500 islands, this lake is a true miracle of nature. You can cruise the open waters in your houseboat or navigate between the many islands.
With a smaller boat in tow, you'll be able to do some serious freshwater fishing as well. Catch the mighty muskie, a fish the lake is famous for, or go after fighting northern pike which is very easy to catch just about anywhere on the lake. If catching dinner is on your mind the walleye fishing on the lake is second to none and don't forget the tasty black crappie. Lake of the Woods is also famous for its quality bass fishery and in places like Whitefish Bay and Clearwater Bay, lake trout.
Visit some communities on the lake and do some shopping. Kenora on the north end of Lake of the Woods is the largest community in Sunset Country and a great place to visit. Sioux Narrows and Nestor Falls are sister communities on the east shore and Morson is located on the southern shoreline.
At 75 miles long and almost 25 miles across, Lac Seul is another incredible lake that is ideal for cruising on a houseboat. A reservoir of the mighty English River system, Lac Seul is known for its beautiful shoreline vistas and is an out-of-this-world walleye fishery. Houseboat rentals are available in two locations on the lake. Hudson, just west of Sioux Lookout is one community and Ear Falls on the far west side of the lake is the other.
Gerry is Executive Director of Ontario's Sunset Country Travel Association and is an avid fisherman and nature photographer. Gerry has been writing about Sunset Country's varied travel experiences for over 20 years and lives these experiences year-round in Kenora, Ontario.