My partner and I have been working from home since the pandemic and have not gone on vacation since 2019. This year, we decided to take the dogs on a getaway for a few days to unplug. We had three things in mind when looking for a place to stay:
A place that will allow more than 1 dog
2-3 hours from the GTA
Hiking trails nearby
After two weeks of searching, we found this place located in Thomasburg, Ontario. This airbnb called Riverbend Cabin is absolutely breath-taking! We wished it was a little bit warmer but we made it work.
The reason why we chose this place was for various reasons:
The host allows more than 1 dog!! (no cats allowed though, as the host is allergic to them)
Only 2-3 hours from the GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
There are a few hiking areas
Additional Perks!!
It's right by the river, like literally
An hour drive to Prince Edward County
They have a vinyl record AND board games!
Our Drive
My partner and I are originally from Mississauga but recently moved to Cambridge. This airbnb is three hours from our home and two hours from Toronto. It took us about 5 hours to get to this location because we wanted to stop by a few places before checking in.
While heading east, we stopped by Ajax Waterfront Park to take the boys on a potty break. It was so windy so walking by the shoreline was super windy. Although Esco didn't mind, Beau was cold.
After a 15-minute walk, we decided to leave because it was too windy for Beau. We headed towards the highway and stopped for lunch at Ban Ban Korean Fried Chicken. If you like Korean food and are around the area, it's a must try! We ordered the Yangnyeom (boneless chicken) with small side of fries. We ate in the car while the boys had a bully stick in the back seat.
When we arrived at our destination, the first thing we did was let the boys out to potty and took them for a quick tour around the place before unloading.
The view was beautiful - the only downfall was the yard was not fenced off and the host mentioned that there are coyotes in the area. We didn't leave the dogs unattended but kept them on a long line.
In the house, we were able to put their beds right under the stairs. It was the perfect spot as it didn't obstruct any walk way and still allowed room for them to play. In the kitchen, there was a jar of treats!!
Prince Edward Country & Belleville
When we woke up, it was raining, but that didn't stop us. We checked the weather to see when the rain was going to stop and planned our day. Our original plan was to go hiking but the conservation was flooded so we decided to head to Prince Edward County.
The drive was about 50 minutes and it rained the entire time. We got there around noon and the skies were just clearing up. The sun came out and we were able to let the dogs explore for 30 minutes before it started to get cloudy again.
On the way back, we stopped in Belleville at Zwick Centennial Park for a nice walk since we knew it was going to be much warmer further from the lake. It was 17 degrees! The boys had such a great time.
We got back around 4 in the afternoon and spent the rest of the evening by the river and played board games.
Back Home
It snowed on our last day. Perfect way to end our short getaway. Checkout time was 11am. We had everything packed and ready to go by 9am. We took some last photos and headed out at 10:30am.
Of course we had to make just one more stop before heading off. We stopped in Oshawa at a the Lakeview Park Beach. The boys loved it!
Overall, we had a great time in those three days. It was such a good feeling taking the boys out. We know they had a great time as well. Obviously we wished we had nice weather all three days but we made it work. I definitely would recommend this small cabin to anyone who wants to getaway for a little bit.
Thanks for taking the time to read our very first blog.
Much Love,
Celia