The Haliburton Highlands is a year-round play land. With 600 lakes, many connected to river routes, canoeists can paddle for hours and even days. Most of the lakes have public access beaches and boat rental is widely available. And, if you want a day out, there’s plenty to keep you occupied.

Climb to the top of the Dorset Fire Tower – and look out over a 310 square mile viewing radius from the 82 ft. high forest fire lookout tower. Several hiking trails radiate from the Tower. Then visit Robinsons General Store. Owned and operated by the same family since 1921, this famous general store is a "must-see" for anyone visiting the Dorset area. 14,000 sq ft of retail area will keep any ardent shopper happy. Moccasins are a specialty.

Canoe a river route– Rent a cottage on the Burnt River and canoe miles of tranquil waterways spotting birds and wildlife along the way. A perfect way to spend a day.

Have an ice cream at Kawartha Dairy in Minden –– no trip to the Haliburton Highlands is complete without a trip to the Kawartha Dairy store in Minden. This locally owned company has been treating cottage owners to a taste of pure dairy ice cream since 1937.

Enjoy the Haliburton Highland Games –– this annual event held in mid-July features massed bands, border collie herding demonstrations, and highland dancing competitions.

Take a Walk in the Clouds –– Book this great tour in advance so as not to miss a unique experience. Starting with a 1/2 kilometer walk along the scenic Pelaw River and followed by a short, guided, voyageur-canoe ride across a wilderness lake to the final destination: the Canopy boardwalk – the ultimate highlight of the outing. Over half a kilometer long, the canopy boardwalk winds through the treetops some 20 meters above the forest floor. Enjoy a tree top snack on one of two platforms, suspended from the tree tops above, and enjoy the spectacular view across the lakes.

See a pack of wolves in their natural environment – - The Haliburton Forest is home to Ebony and Citka, the Alpha pair, and their siblings and offspring who roam freely in a 15 acre enclosure, one of the largest of its kind in the world. A large indoor observatory overlooks the feeding area within the wolf compound.

Play a round of golf – - courses bordered by rivers and lakes and nestled in amongst pine forests are a feature of this area. 18 hole courses at the Delta Pinestone Resort and Martinwood provide a challenge while several 9 hole courses will also please.

Go Geocaching –– caches abound across the Haliburton Highlands and will provide the motivation to get the whole family out and searching for those elusive hidden containers. Hike or bike the Haliburton Trails to find them.

Take a course at the Haliburton School of the Arts – An amazing range of week long and weekend courses are on offer throughout the year. Straw bale construction, digital photography, stained glass workshops, and watercolour painting classes are just a few of the courses available.

Stay is a waterfront cottage and you’ll have all of this on your doorstep, with a well equipped and comfortable home to come back to at the end of a busy day.

Heather Bayer is CEO of CottageLINK Rental Management, specialising in cottage vacations in Ontario and Southern Quebec. http://www.clrm.ca

Source: www.ezinearticles.com