The Christmas Magic of Muskoka and Boundless Ontario Scenery

And I am so looking forward to this stop, because… I love Christmas! For as long as I can remember, the magic of presents, the festive atmosphere, and spiced lattes were the things I held most dear, and that I looked forward to all year. And so, when we contacted Rob Jackson, the Simcoe–Muskoka dealer for Postech, and heard that he would give us access to Santa’s Village, my heart was overflowing with excitement!

In this amusement park that’s well-known in the region, Rob has his connections and knows the place by heart: the rides, the terrace, the booths, and the grandstand – his Postech mini-excavator has pulled Santa’s summer sleigh many times around here! With the backing of the park’s owner, who doesn’t hesitate to call when he needs to install any foundations, Rob has installed more than 150 screw piles to keep the magic of Christmas going all season long.

“What? You didn’t know, Hélène? This is where Santa lives during the summer!” Rob jokes. He always knows just the words to make me laugh. But really, I wouldn’t be surprised: from the nice lakes and the exquisite milkshakes from Burger Shop at exit 16 off of 118 North, where we first met up with the Postech team (Rob, Nick, and Brittany), to the retro movie theater and calm environment, I’m sure that Santa Claus himself would settle right in to this summer paradise. “Plus, we’re already only a couple of reindeer leaps from the North Pole!” Rob laughed at my little joke.

Private visit, roller coasters and S’mores!

Our visit to the park, which was closed to the normal public at the time, allowed us to get a few photos with Frosty the Snowman, a polar bear, and some reindeers! We also had the pleasure of taking a pedal boat tour… without waiting in line! We got to try the balloon ride for which Rob installed the screw piles that hold up the central tower! Amusement parks are fabulous places, as long as the security of the parkgoers enjoying it is guaranteed. To that end, the screw piles installed by Rob allow the park to operate within even the strictest standards, all while offering the park owner the attractive perk of extremely short installation times.

We had reserved a spot at the Whispering Pines Campground, in front of Santa’s Village. Of course, we invited Rob, his son Nick, who works with him as the regional manager, and Brittany, who is in charge of social media, to join us around the fire. Personally, I was treated to a crash course in S’mores 101 (!) and we all got to learn more about the small and extremely nice Simcoe–Muskoka Postech team. We passed a wonderful evening together, under the shelter of the towering pines, until late into the night.

Onward to Winnipeg!

Then the following day, we drove, until we could drive no longer. We drove through the day, and through the night, with Lake Superior at our side. We were able to see a magnificent sunset, surrounded by the sound of waves lapping against the stones on the shore we stopped at to take a few shots. We drove through some national parks during the night, refueling in White River to continue on to Thunder Bay. And at dawn, we finally arrived at the KOA of the area. We love this chain’s campsites because it’s possible to reserve a spot online, and turn up whenever you want to. With our atypical hours, it’s a real advantage! However, it’s worth noting that the WiFi is never usually very strong there, which means you get to spend more time getting to know your neighbours! But a huge plus: the facilities are clean. 🙂

We left before noon, taking back to the road toward Winnipeg. We are still in Ontario and more than seven hours separate us from our destination. The next Postech dealer, San Higgins, is waiting for us with big news… We cannot wait to get there so we can reveal the big secret!