It is important to properly plan your glamping trip either here in Northern Ontario, in Ontario or anywhere else in the world. Glamping is staying in nature. Everyday will be different depending on the weather, on the lake …. Leave your daily planner at home – live the moment. You should not try to plan every aspect of your trip. Bring the essentials and leave out the rest to the universe. Adjust based on the weather, based on your mood, based on what people really want to do… There is lots to do on the glamping island …
Your Glamping Guide
You will find below a glamping guide with checklists to plan your glamping trip, to ensure your glamping holiday is memorable.
Only bring the essentials – not everything you own !!!
What to Bring on the Glamping Island
The key to plan your glamping trip is to bring only the essentials. On top of your food, you should only have a small bag of clothes and a few other personal items. By bringing less, you will disconnect from your daily routine, you will not feel the weight of everything you are bringing (physical and emotional). The less you bring, the better will be your experience. Everything is already there on the island!
Entertainment
- Favourite books & magazines – we have various books available on different topics in both english and french but you might want to bring a book that you weren’t finding the time to read.
- Favourite outdoor games – we have several games but you might want to bring your own
- Indoor toys and games – we have playing cards, cribbage boards but you might want to bring your own
- Pens & paper if you want to take time to write or draw. We have some on the island but you might need your own.
- Camera
- Office & paperwork – in case you really need to do some work
Essentials
- Toiletries – we have biodegradable shampoo and body wash, sanitizer, toilet paper… Only biodegradable products are allowed to be used on the island.
- Medications – we have a 1st aid it on the island
- Phone & charger – if you do not have to work, you should not bring your computer. Please note that we do not have wifi. However, we have a strong cellular signal and if you are with Bell or Telus (or their partners) you will have no problem connecting.
- Any items essential for your young child – we have highchairs
- Pet food and kit – if applicable
- We have lawn chairs, hammocks, fire wood …
- Lifejackets, if you have your own – we have several of all sizes, but you might want to bring your own. Do not go and purchase a new one.
- If you want to fish, bring your fishing gear and do not forget your minnows/worms.
Clothing
Always verify the weather projections and adapt your selection of clothing. If you do not have the proper clothing, it can be difficult. Adapt your clothing to the season. A trip early June is not the same as one mid July.
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- Confortable shoes, sandals, slippers
- Night wear
- Raincoat
- Warm weather clothing – extra jacket or sweater
- Bathing suit and towel
We supply all bed linen (sheets, duvet, pillow…). We have all the dish cloths required for the kitchen.
Cooking
Cooking while glamping is half the fun! Our open concept kitchen if a chef’s dream – being in the wilderness and have everything needed to cook great meals. Everything is there! No needs for pots and pans, utensils … You will be eating in real dishes, drink wine in real glasses….
Although we provide basic condiments and drinking water, you will have to bring and cook your own food and beverages. We have an ice box which serves as a fridge. We suggest that you take a look at our page Glamping Menu to plan what you need to bring. We provide a lot of ideas to help you. Please note that people usually bring too much food. Please plan your meals and quantities required.
Some of the best meals we’ve had have been on the island. It can be very simple, it can be a 5-star meal. You get to decide!
Getting Here
Haileybury is located just off Highway 11 in Northeastern Ontario. It is half a day drive from Toronto or Ottawa and a few hours from Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins and Rouyn-Noranda. The closest airport would be located in North Bay.
Farr island is approximately 2.5 km south from the Haileybury marina. When you look south from the marina, the small island is right there, waving at you. Most often we bring groups to the island with our pontoon. Depending on the weather conditions, we can bring between 10 to 15 people on the same load and it is a 8 minutes ride. We usually load our guests from the loading ramp located just south of city hall, just beside the marina’s fuelling station .
If you are bringing a fishing boat, you can use our dock. Please note that only 1 boat is allowed as we need to keep a docking space available for our pontoon. The dock can accommodate fishing boats up to 21ft in length.
For people who would prefer to paddle, we have kayaks and canoes at the Villa (620 Lakeshore) just beside our private dock. For the experienced paddlers, the ride will be 35 minutes but it could take approximately an hour for a less experienced group. If you decide to paddle, we could bring your material with our pontoon. Water can get really rough very fast on lake Temiskaming. We strongly suggest that you verify the weather forecast prior to paddling on the lake. It is also a good practice to stay close to shore.
As you leave from the Marina heading toward the island, your will go by city hall, ‘the most expensive house in Canada’ (the Grant mansion), and Mill (or Farr) creek. If you arrive by boat, the dock in on the west side, the side closest to the main land. If you arrive by kayak or canoe, just continue straight 100m to the beach area.
Cellular Signal, Wifi & Charging Stations
A common question we get is about cellular signal & wifi.
We have a strong cellular signal and if you are with Bell or Telus (or their partners) you will have no problem connecting. The signal from Rogers is not as strong. If you have other cellular carriers, there is a possibility that it might not connect to the Bell/Telus network. In terms of safety, it is easy to contact us any time.
We do not have wifi on the island. We are looking at different satellite options at the moment, but we are struggling with this one. Some guest are saying it would be nice, others say that we should not go this route as glamping is the chance to recharge oneself by immersing in nature. There is so much to do, that connecting to wi-fi except for work purposes should not be a priority.
We have solar charging stations for cellulars in the tents and we also have a power pack just in case you need to recharge a computer. We do not have electrical outlets on the island for items such as hair dryers, straighteners… Solar panels are used to provide power to the water pump and lights.
Developing Your Itinerary
As you plan your glamping trip, it is important to grasp how much time you will actually have depending if you are staying for a 2 or 3-night stay.
The minimum stay is 2 days however we strongly suggest that you reserve for a 3 day stay. With a 3 day stay, you will be able to fully appreciate what glamping is all about, you will be able to truly enjoy the small things, you will be able to let go of the daily routine … People that have stayed for 2 days say they should have stayed the extra day!
Arrival time – we usually ask people to be at the marina for 3pm.
Departure time – we usually ask people to be ready for loading at 10am.
If you want to add a few days to your trip in the Temiskaming region, we encourage you to visit the lake Temiskaming tour web site to find what else you could do in our beautiful region, or even activities to add while travelling to and from our area.
If you are staying for a 3-night stay here is what your stay would look like.
Day 1 – arrival
– Mid afternoon arrival, 3pm loading at marina
– Unload, set up in your tent, set up in the kitchen
– Explore the island
– Dinner
– Evening around the firepit + possible activity (back up plan in case of rain)
Day 2
– For the early risers, coffee & snacks, reading, yoga, walking, fishing …
– Breakfast
– Morning activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
– Late brunch
– Afternoon activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
– Dinner
– Evening activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
Day 3
– For the early risers, coffee & snacks, reading, yoga, walking, fishing …
– Breakfast
– Morning activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
– Late lunch
– Afternoon activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain- Dinner
– Evening activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
Day 4 – departure
– Start packing
– Breakfast
– Packing food / emptying kitchen
– Finish packing tents & final check around
– Loading for return starts at 10am – might require several loads (30 min/load)
If you are staying for a 2-night stay here is what your stay would look like.
Day 1 – arrival
– Mid afternoon arrival, 3pm loading at marina
– Unload, set up in your tent, set up in the kitchen
– Explore the island
– Dinner
– Evening around the firepit + possible activity (back up plan in case of rain)
Day 2
– For the early risers, coffee & snacks, reading, yoga, walking, fishing …
– Breakfast
– Morning activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
– Late brunch
– Afternoon activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
– Dinner
– Evening activity (adults & children) + back up plan in case of rain
Day 3 – departure
– Start packing
– Breakfast
– Packing food / emptying kitchen
– Finish packing tents & final check around
– Loading for return starts at 10am – might require several loads (30 min/load)
Please take note that we require our guests to sign a Risk Acknowledgement, Waiver & Release of Liability form before heading to the island. Although the island and the installations are generally safe, the natural surroundings represent higher risk situation for individuals (i.e. tripping, falling ….), people need to agree to accept and assume the risks associated with glamping.
Contact Us To Help You Plan Your Glamping Trip
You can take a look here at our calendar to see what dates could be available for your glamping trip.
Still not sure what to bring, not sure what to do, give us a call or send us an email and we will gladly help you plan your trip.
Our job is to ensure you have a memorable experience.
Contact Jocelyn directly at cel/text 705.650.2099 or jocelyn@presidentssuites.com
