Cottage Life

The go-to source for cottagers, the award-winning Cottage Life offers valuable advice as well as profiles, how-to articles, recipes, essays, issues pieces, and lifestyle stories that help readers look after their cottages, entertain guests and, of course, kick back and have fun.

unsung heroes on White Lake, Ont.

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Cottage Life

Editor’s Note: Summer showtime

Your Letters: ‘I am not part of the group wanting fancy renos’

Dock Talk

New wildfire suppression systems embrace tech with super sprinklers, sound waves, and, of course, AI

Reporter: Fire power, best for bugs & flavour find

How this family created a new cottage-country trivia game

This laid-back island has 108 lakes, sandy beaches, and it’s still affordable

The World’s Smallest Record Shop sounds like it’s worth a visit

Cottage Q&A: Steak the right way; an odd owl; stain-busting tips; radon risks; tick testing

This cottager built a bunkie that’s also a treehouse

An oscillating multi-tool is a true Jack of all blades at the cottage

Our lakes are changing in ways scientists didn’t expect. What’s really going on under the surface? • Our lakes are changing, in ways scientists didn’t expect. What’s really going on under the surface?

Big Picture: Waterskiing is a multi-generational event

Stuff We Like: Barbecuing props to add to your grilling tool kit this summer

Four years ago, we put the call out for this treasured boat—and you answered

How to entertain cottage guests while barely lifting a finger (including etiquette you can ignore, we swear!) • What do visitors want? What do hosts expect? We’d like to prevent feelings of alienation, so we asked what each side hopes from the other. To be discussed over dinner, featuring memorable, no-math cocktails and easy dishes we can all agree on

Bored? At the lake? It can happen, but the cottage can help us embrace the feeling • Being bored at the lake isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the cottage can help us manage the feeling—and even embrace it

Every summer, Crystal Lake cottagers gather for an epic, off-the-wall, amateur talent show

Feeling like the cottage is less secluded than you need? Here’s how to add privacy • Feeling like the cottage is less secluded than you need? How to reclaim splendid isolation—by modifying your cottage, your surroundings, or your thinking

PUZZLE PORCH ANSWERS FROM P.100-101

Puttering

The quirky history of the service centres on Ontario’s 400-series highways • The service centres along Ontario’s 400-series highways have evolved since their original (and odd) design

We asked you to caption this hilarious photo

This low-tech tool will never leave you in a twist

In the boat, on the dock, or floating in the drink—conquer this set of cottage puzzles • In the boat, on the dock, or floating in the drink—any of these cottage locations will inspire you to conquer this set of puzzles

This lodge owner’s shore lunches feature the freshest fish and a homemade touch • Krista Cheeseman’s shore lunches feature the freshest fish, traditional sides, and a homemade touch

Don’t be fooled: these tiny birds are cute, but they’re fiercesome predators • These cute little birds are scary-good predators

Chores you can assign to your guests • If you believe that bored guests are unhappy guests, assign them chores. They’ll be occupied until dinner; you’ll have less to do. Everybody wins. Kind of.