The Collingview
The double-height great room with a board-formed concrete wall, plank timber ceiling, ring pendants and a glass wall onto the deck

Near Collingwood

Half an hour west of Collingwood, on the quiet side of the bay.

Close enough for dinner in town and a full grocery shop. Far enough that the nearest sound at night is the wind on the escarpment.

Plan your group stay

Where we are

Not Collingwood, and we will not pretend otherwise.

A lot of places in this region, luxury ones included, advertise themselves as Collingwood. Some of them are further from it than we are. It is an understandable habit — Collingwood is the town most visitors have heard of.

We are about 28 kilometres west of it, between Meaford and Thornbury, on high open ground above the bay. That is about a thirty-minute drive along the shore. You will go into Collingwood for a good dinner, a big shop or a rainy afternoon, and you will come back out to somewhere with no streetlights.

If what you want is to walk out of the front door onto a main street, book somewhere in town. If what you want is the town available but not underneath you, this is the right side of the bay.

The rear elevation in late light, with the rooftop terrace railing visible along the roofline

What the town is for

The things worth the drive east.

Dinner
Collingwood has the widest choice in the region by a distance — everything from a good burger to a long tasting menu. On a summer weekend or a ski Saturday, book ahead. This is not a walk-in-at-seven town in high season.
The big shop
Full-size supermarkets, the LCBO, the pharmacies and the big-box stores. Meaford and Thornbury both have a proper supermarket, so you only need Collingwood for the things they do not stock.
The harbourfront and main street
A restored heritage main street, independent shops, and a waterfront trail along the old shipyards. The best hour to spend in town if the weather has turned.
Breweries and cafés
Several breweries and a serious coffee culture, most of it walkable from the main street.
The Georgian Trail
Thirty-four kilometres of flat converted railway between Collingwood and Meaford, passing through Thornbury. You can ride it in either direction from close to the house.
Scenic Caves
On the escarpment above the town. Crevice caves, a long suspension bridge, treetop walkways and a zip line in summer; Nordic and snowshoe trails in winter. The best half-day here for a mixed-age group.

For a group

Why a house out here beats three condos in town.

Groups of eight to twelve coming to this region usually end up doing one of two things: booking several condominiums near the resort, or booking one large house further out. Both work. They produce very different weekends.

Several units means everybody has their own space and nobody has a shared one. The group fragments — there is no kitchen big enough to cook for twelve, no room everyone fits in, and somebody is always driving between buildings.

One house solves that, provided the house is actually large enough. A fifteen-foot island means four people can cook without colliding. Four bathrooms mean no queue. A separate lock-off wing with its own entrance means the couple who want an early night can have one. And the rooftop terrace, with a fire and a hot tub, is the room everyone ends up in.

That is the argument for the quiet side of the bay. Half an hour of driving, in exchange for the group being together.

Where to eat in Collingwood

Collingwood · 30 to 35 minutes

  • The Tremont Cafe · 172 Hurontario St
    An upscale, Mediterranean-leaning restaurant downtown. Takes reservations.
  • Side Launch Brewing · 200 Mountain Rd
    A brewery taproom and beer garden, with Mexican food from a partner food truck.
  • The Huron Club · 94 Pine St
    A pub and dining room in an 1890 building, with a patio and a kids’ menu. Reservations by phone. Good for a group.
  • Lakeside Seafood & Grill · 9 Harbour St E
    Seafood on Collingwood harbour, with weekend brunch and a patio. Takes reservations and has a private room for groups. Good for a group.

Checked September 2026 against each restaurant’s own website. Hours change with the season, so check before you go, and book ahead for a group on a weekend.

Bringing a group to this side of the bay?

Send us your dates and numbers. We will come back with a real answer about whether the house fits the trip, and what it would cost.

Plan your group stay

Keep reading

Drive times are ordinary-conditions estimates and will stretch on a winter weekend or a summer Friday. See how we quote and what we ask of guests before you enquire.

Questions about Collingwood

Is The Collingview in Collingwood?

No. It is about 28 km west, in the Municipality of Meaford near Thornbury, roughly 30 to 35 minutes by car. Plenty of rentals in this area advertise as Collingwood from a similar distance; we would rather tell you where we are.

Where can a large group stay near Collingwood?

Most vacation rentals around Collingwood are condominiums near the resort or houses in town without much land. For group accommodation (eight to twelve people who want a whole house on its own acreage), you generally have to look outside the town, west along the shore, which is where this is.

Can we rent near Collingwood for the ski season or longer?

Yes. Seasonal and long-term rentals are a big part of how people use this area in winter, and the house takes stays of twenty-eight nights or more, with heat, hydro, water and Wi-Fi included and a clean every two weeks. It is half an hour west of Collingwood and 25 to 30 minutes from Blue Mountain. Our extended-stays page has the details.

Is it a cottage, a chalet or a house?

A house. Around Collingwood, cottages to rent are usually smaller places near the water and chalets are usually condos or townhouses near the hill. This is a whole modern house for up to twelve on 2.5 acres, half an hour out of town, which suits a group, a family holiday or a retreat better than it suits a couple who want to walk to dinner.

Is it better to stay in Collingwood or outside it?

Collingwood puts restaurants and shops within walking distance and is about 13 minutes from the Blue Mountain village, which suits a couple or a short trip. A house outside town suits a group that wants space and quiet more than a walk to dinner: a family weekend getaway, say, or an executive retreat that needs a long table and no interruptions. Our where-to-stay guide compares Collingwood with Thornbury, Meaford and the village.

What is there to do in Collingwood?

The main street and the harbourfront, the Georgian Trail, breweries and restaurants, and the shipbuilding heritage. Scenic Caves and the escarpment lookouts are just above the town.

How far is Collingwood from Toronto?

Roughly 150 km, about two hours by car in ordinary conditions. The Collingview is about another half hour west, so budget two and a quarter to two and three-quarter hours from the city.