Cross the one-lane swing bridge into Little Current or drive off the Chi-Cheemaun ferry and you've already arrived somewhere singular. Manitoulin Island—Mnidoo Mnising, "Spirit Island" in Anishinaabemowin—is the world's largest freshwater island and one of the most compelling Indigenous tourism destinations in Ontario.
There is nowhere else in Canada where you can paddle ancient canoe routes with an Anishinaabe guide in the morning, stand in front of internationally exhibited Woodland-style paintings in the afternoon, and watch original Indigenous theatre after dinner. This three-day Manitoulin Island itinerary is your guide to doing exactly that.
Pull in, take a breath, and let the pace change. Island Sunrise Cottages on Lake Mindemoya offers private lakeside cottages with their own docks and fire pits, run by Neil Debassige of M'Chigeeng. The location puts you close to hiking trails and art galleries, with salmon fishing charters available out of nearby Providence Bay. Settle in, then head out.
The OCF's architecture is stunning; a modern circular atrium anchored by towering cedar poles with light flooding in from above. Inside, the museum spans the full sweep of Anishinaabe history and spiritual life: ancient scrolls depicting the attainment of Anishinaabe spiritual knowledge sit alongside unflinching interpretations of the Residential School System.
The gallery carries porcupine quill boxes, ash and sweetgrass baskets, antler carvings, and fine art, all vetted by an Executive Advisory Panel of historians and heritage experts who ensure every piece provides a balance between contemporary and traditional craft. The OCF has been celebrating and promoting Anishinaabe artists since 1974, making it the longest-running art institute run by and for the Anishinaabe people.
Drop-in craft workshops run throughout the season. Check the calendar before you visit, there may be a copper-bead workshop or cedar-bark weaving session you can join.
15 Hwy 551, M'Chigeeng | ojibweculture.ca
Just down the road from the OCF, Lillian's Crafts rewards wandering. Owned and operated by Lillian Debassige, who purchases directly from 75 local Anishinaabe artisans, the shop is arrayed floor to ceiling in Anishinaabe art—including rare ash baskets, intricate quill boxes, the distinctive Woodland-style paintings of Leland Bell, ceramic work by Carl and Ann Beam, leather and bone carvings, and work by painters Stan Panamick, Blair Debassige, Stephen John, and Duncan Pheasant as well as handmade moccasins and jewelry.
The attached museum is filled with glass cases of porcupine quill boxes identified by small cards bearing the names and photos of the artists who made them.
5950 Hwy 540, M'Chigeeng
Debajehmujig Storytellers is one of only a handful of professional Indigenous theatre groups in Canada. Founded by Shirley Cheechoo, Blake Debassige, and a group of fellow Indigenous artists in 1984, Debajehmujig's main stage remains the open-air ruins of Holy Cross Mission in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, where performances often unfold against the sunset, a view of the bay, and the sounds of the evening.
The troupe has been presenting original work for over 40 years and has toured across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Great Britain. On any given night the stage might hold spoken word, dance, new Anishinaabe theatre, or touring work from elsewhere. The on-site gallery has rotating exhibits. Check for current events on their Facebook—there's nearly always something on.
The theatre is headquartered in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory but has offices, rehearsal space, and a theatre in the village of Manitowaning at the Debajehmujig Creation Centre.
43 Queen Street, Manitowaning | debaj.ca | 705-859-2317
Wikwemikong Tourism runs guided paddles and hikes that follow the same routes the Anishinaabe people have used for centuries, and the guides who lead them are from the community. The Bebamikawe Memorial Trail, Manitoulin's only professionally built trail system, offers 14 kilometres of looped single-track hiking with scenic lookouts over Georgian Bay, open year-round. For the on-water option, their guided canoe excursions thread through landscapes where every bend carries a name and a story. Or, join a cultural experience that weaves Anishinaabe plant knowledge, history, and land teachings into the outing.
If your visit lands in early August, make time to attend the Wiikwemkoong Annual Cultural Festival. First held in 1961, it has since grown into one of the largest and longest-running powwows in Northeastern North America. Expect dance, arts and crafts vendors, Anishinaabe cuisine, gallery exhibitions, and cross-cultural performances across a full weekend at Thunderbird Park in Wiikwemkoong. This is a competition powwow, with drum group prize purses starting at $12,000 and dancers competing across multiple categories.
The festival follows the Wiikwemkoong Arts and Music Festival on the Friday before, which has featured artists like Crystal Shawanda and William Prince. It's a not-to-miss weekend on the island calendar.
Owned and operated by Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, Point Grondine Park sits just outside Killarney on Highway 637, with 18,000 acres of old growth pine, Georgian Bay shoreline, and ancient canoe routes connecting six interior lakes. Guided hikes, canoe tours, night sky paddling trips, and cultural experiences are all on offer.
The Amik Ziibi Interpretive Hike pairs plant knowledge and land history with smoked fish and tea at the end. The Paddle the Park tour is a half-day canoe journey to Wemtagoosh Falls with a shoreline lunch of smoked fish, wild rice, and berry salad. Glamping cabins, drive-in and backcountry camping are available. Tours run June through October, reservation required.
grondinepark.com | 705-859-2900 | info@grondinepark.com
This one takes a little planning but it's absolutely worth it. James Simon Mishibinijima was born in Wikwemikong in 1954 and grew up immersed in the legends of the Ojibway people. One of Canada's foremost artists, with a loyal following in North America and internationally, he has won countless first-place and best-of-show awards at international exhibitions. His private gallery is by appointment, and a viewing fee applies, but it gives you open, direct conversation with the artist himself. His Mishmountain series and Woodland-style canvases deal with ancestral memory, sacred geography, and the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
426 Lakeshore Road, Wikwemikong | By appointment: james.mishibinijima@gmail.com | 705-859-1007
Wasse-Giizhik Tours puts you on the water with guides whose families have fished these waters for generations. Options range from downrigging for salmon, rainbow and lake trout on Lake Huron to flatline adventures for walleye, pike, and musky throughout Manitoulin's inland lakes. For something different, you can journey through the historic canoe routes of the Anishinaabek on a guided Georgian Bay cruise that travels the traditional canoe routes of the Anishinaabek, stopping at pictograph sites, the 2,000-year-old Amikwa village site, and the ruins of Holy Cross Mission.
The spring culinary experience is a standout: a shoreline fishing adventure combining two of the best springtime fares on Manitoulin: maple syrup and freshly caught rainbow trout, right at the water's edge.
Whether you're an avid angler or a first-timer taking the family out, Captain Wassegijig and his guides tailor every trip to the group.
wasstours.com | 705-562-5852
Pull into Little Current for dinner and, if you like, stay the night. The Manitoulin Hotel & Conference Centre opened in 2013 as the first new hotel built on the island in a century. Its conical lobby was designed to resemble a traditional teepee, with six large pillars reflecting the Grandfather Teachings, and built with wood and stone sourced from nearby communities. Ownership is shared among the Great Spirit Circle Trail and six First Nation communities—Aundeck Omni Kaning, M'Chigeeng, Sagamok, Sheshegwaning, Whitefish River, and Wiikwemkoong—and 80 percent of its staff identify as status First Nation.
Dine at North46 for a feast of local ingredients with a focus on Anishinaabe food—pan-seared Manitoulin whitefish and Anishinaabe tacos are among the crowd favourites, with views across the North Channel and the LaCloche Mountains beyond. The patio on a clear evening is hard to beat.
66 Meredith Street East, Little Current | manitoulinhotel.com
If you've got golf clubs in the trunk, Sunday morning at Rainbow Ridge is a genuinely good time. On Manitoulin's eastern side, just outside the historic village of Manitowaning, Rainbow Ridge is the island's championship 18-hole course and the only one owned and operated by an Indigenous community, the neighbouring Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. The challenging course has numerous water features, and its clubhouse also has a state-of-the-art virtual golf setup that lets you play famous courses from around the world year-round, in any weather. Not a golfer? Post up at the Ridge Bar & Grill for a basket of wings.
Great Lakes Cultural Camps is a small family-run business from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory, built around the idea that being outdoors—really outdoors, on the water and in the backcountry—is one of the most direct ways to encounter Anishinaabe knowledge and traditions. Their programs cover traditional games, fire-lighting, Anishinaabe survival skills, backcountry hiking, and pictograph and cultural history tours led by Noodin Shawanda, an Odawa from Manitoulin and cultural educator.
During summer months, participants travel along waterways to explore sacred sites and receive teachings connected to the land. Half-day experiences are also available.
culturalcamps.com | info@culturalcamps.com
Stillwater Fishing operates out of Stillwater Marina on McGregor Bay, running fully guided fishing charters, boat tours, kayak and canoe tours, sunset cruises, and full-day Baie Fine excursions along the rocky shoreline and secluded swimming holes in the shadow of the LaCloche Mountain Range. Charters cater to all levels of anglers, with guided gear fishing, fly fishing, downrigging, and ice fishing all on offer. The vessel accommodates up to four anglers, with larger groups available on request. McGregor Bay is home to some of the best fishing in the province, and owner Brian Still knows every corner of it.
If you want to stay on the water, Among the Trees Glamping makes that easy. Two geodomes sit on the hillside forest canopy above Stillwater Marina, with private decks, full mini kitchens, and access to McGregor Bay below. The Canopy House sleeps two; the Maple House sleeps four with a stargazing loft. The property is open year-round—summer means paddling and fishing, fall brings some of the best foliage views on McGregor Bay, winter offers ice fishing and cross-country skiing, and during maple syrup season you can book a tour with Stillwater to collect and boil your own sap and bring home a jar.
fishmanitoulinisland.com | amongthetreesglamping.ca | 1-519-369-4391
Manitoulin Island hosts eight powwows between June and September — one for each of the six First Nations communities on the island, plus Whitefish River First Nation on nearby Birch Island and the Wiikwemkoong Annual Cultural Festival on the August civic holiday long weekend. If you're building a trip around the powwow calendar, this four-day Manitoulin Island powwow road trip itinerary maps out the whole season. First-timers should read what to expect at a powwow before they go, and the powwow etiquette guide is worth bookmarking for the day of. The full Ontario powwow calendar has dates, locations, and grand entry times.
