Muskoka District Municipality, Ontario
See also: Muskoka (beer) |
Muskoka District Municipality |
The
Muskoka District Municipality (more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka, or simply
Muskoka) is a
regional municipality in
Central Ontario that extends from
Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of
Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border of
Algonquin Provincial Park in the east. Located approximately two hours north of
Toronto, Muskoka spans 2,500 square miles (6,475 km²) and has some 1,600 lakes, making it a popular resort destination. Indeed, this region, which, along with
Haliburton, is referred to as "
Cottage Country," sees over 2.1 million visitors annually. Muskoka is a region sprinkled with picturesque villages and towns, farming communities, and lakeside vacation hotels and resorts near to golf courses, country clubs, and marinas. The regional seat is
Bracebridge. Visitors often erroneously refer to "the Muskokas" (plural); in fact, there is only one, and the region is properly referred to simply as "Muskoka".
Muskoka has just over 50,000 permanent residents, but an additional 100,000 seasonal property owners spend their summers in the region every year, making this a major
summer colony. Many of the seasonal properties are large mansion-like summer estates, some of which have been passed down through families from generation to generation. Most of these expensive properties can be found along the shores of Muskoka's three major lakes,
Lake Muskoka,
Lake Rosseau, and
Lake Joseph. In recent years, various Hollywood and sports stars have built their retreats in Muskoka, including
Steven Spielberg,
Tom Hanks, and
Mike Weir, as well as
Goldie Hawn and
Kurt Russell. Also,
Eddie Van Halen,
Martin Short and
Catherine O'Hara are rumoured to have resorts here.
The soap opera
Paradise Falls, about a fictitious cottage community, was taped partly on location here, to take advantage of the scenic background.
There are six municipalities in Muskoka: the towns of
Bracebridge,
Gravenhurst, and
Huntsville; and the townships of
Georgian Bay,
Lake of Bays, and
Muskoka Lakes. The
Wahta Mohawk Territory and
Moose Point 79 are also in the district.
Camp Ramah in Canada is located on
Skeleton Lake.
*
District of Muskoka*
SimcoeMuskoka.com - Extensive Muskoka Area Attractions*
Doitinmuskoka.com - Muskoka Area Guide
