I Heart Lake Simcoe Resorts: Inside Briars Resort and Spa at Jacksons Point, Ontario

A review of Briars Resort and Spa at Jacksons Point, Ontario - my favourite of all the Lake Simcoe Resorts.

My visit to the Briars was sponsored the Central Counties Tourism and I thank them for their support. Note some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I am paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

It sometimes takes a lot to bust out of a Canadian winter rut but a weekend at the Briars Resort and Spa on Lake Simcoe, in Jacksons Point, Ontario (just an hour north of Toronto) was just the thing to make winter exciting again! The beauty of all the Lake Simcoe resorts is something I had long heard about but never had the chance to explore - but I knew just the people to take along on my adventure. Arriving on a Friday night with three of my best blogging friends in tow, I was excited to dive into the first offering of their “Blah Busters” package – local wine and a delicious selection of cheeses. It was the perfect way to kick off a girls’ weekend and get into the outdoors spirit.

The Briars is one of the best resorts Ontario has and, as such, it offers a wide variety of accommodations. Guests can also choose from woodland cottages, traditional inn rooms, deluxe studio-style rooms, lakeside private guest rooms, roomy suites, family friendly lodges, and antique filled manor rooms. There really is a room and rate to fit every budget. We stayed in one of the waterfront cottages, The Chip Shot. I know that a lot of people look for Lake Simcoe cottage rentals when they visit Jacksons Point, but I think that staying at the Briars is the perfect balance - you get the privacy and coziness of having a cottage but all the amenities of being at a resort. It was the perfect blend of rustic country charm with modern finishes and, between the delicious wine and cheese, and the crackling logs in the cottage’s fireplace, I couldn’t imagine a more ideal setting for banishing the winter blahs. 

While it would have been tempting to spend Saturday inside, reading by the fire and nibbling on cheese, Briars had other plans for us! First up: a breakfast buffet, filled with tempting treats such as baked French toast and fresh smoothies. I know I’m a bit biased but I can’t imagine any of the other Lake Simcoe resorts spoiling us with quite such a lovely selection of yummy treats.

Next on the agenda was a morning of ice fishing. Jacksons Point, Ontario, is one of the most popular winter fishing spots in the province. The Briars happily coordinated our pick up time and sent us on our way with a huge packed lunch. Had our ice fishing adventures been more….fruitful… we could have brought our haul back to the Briars and turned it over to the capable hands of the chef. But while we felt our lone perch was indeed a mighty specimen, he was proclaimed too minuscule for human consumption. Alas! Next time we’ll be the queens of the lake and all fish will fear our presence! (You can read all the details of our Jacksons Point ice fishing adventures here - including how I triumphantly caught the only fish of the day!)

Our afternoon brought more outside adventures. A guided photo walk led us around the property’s historic buildings (including a rare 8-sided peacock house) and allowed us to take in their stately trees. One of the maple trees is so old and so large that it requires custom built support structures to hold up the frail yet heavy limbs. Our walk soon reached beyond the main properties as we followed groomed walking trails into the woods. And we were not alone! Evidence of foxes, rabbits, and other woodland creatures were all around us and a saucy red squirrel devouring an acorn watched our every move. I know that not all of the Lake Simcoe resorts have this much unspoiled nature at hand and I was especially glad we had a chance to take it all in during our visit. In addition to the walking trails, there are special paths reserved for cross country skiing and horse drawn sleigh rides. The sleigh rides were especially fun as everyone piled on the bales of hay and we snuggled under blankets to stay warm.

With our cheeks rosy we headed inside for hot chocolate before making our way to the spa. While the outside was energizing and exciting, the spa was quiet and tranquil and we all curled up with tea and cookies while waiting for our mini manicures. Purely in the name of research, I took my spa investigations one step further and also signed up for massage therapy. It was the perfect antidote to the muscle strain of hot chocolate consumption and cottage fire building!

The Briars is set in a beautiful location and offers a long list of varied activities that would banish winter blahs in even the most grumpy of Canadians. But the real shining star has to be the staff. From Bob the manager who seems to know every guest by name to John the shuttle van driver who kept us all laughing, the team at the Briars made us feel very much at home and managed to convince us to break from hibernation and get out to explore the great outdoors. ​

If you're searching for a way to beat the winter blahs like I was, I can't recommend a weekend away atThe Briars enough. Ideally, bring your friends along just like I did!

PS: Planning to book your trip? Use our Expedia link!

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