Orillia is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is in Simcoe County between Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. It is part of the Huronia region of Central Ontario. The population in 2021 was 33,411.

It was incorporated as a village in 1867, but the history of what is today the City of Orillia dates back at least several thousand years. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of fishing by the Huron and Iroquois peoples in the area over 4,000 years ago, and of sites used by Aboriginal peoples for hundreds of years for trading, hunting, and fishing.

Known as the “Sunshine City”, the city’s large waterfront attracts many tourists to the area every year, as do a number of annual festivals and other cultural attractions. While the area’s largest employer is Casino Rama, overall economic activity in Orillia is a mixture of many different industries including manufacturing, government services, customer service and tourism.

Orillia is located on the shores of two connected lakes: Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching. Both lakes are part of the Trent-Severn Waterway.

We departed Kirkfield and were waiting for a weather window to safely cross Lake Simcoe. After maneuvering through five back to back locks – Bolsover, Talbot, Portage, Thorah and Gamebridge, – we entered Simcoe Lake in some windy conditions. The buoys are two to three miles apart. Even in ideal conditions, it’s difficult to see one from the other. And many landmarks are too far away to recognize.

The lockmasters told us it could be a rocky ride but that didn’t deter Captain Pat. It was windy but in the end all good. We arrived safe and sound at the Port of Orillia Marina and were happy to be there, especially after spending days tied up at lock walls.

This marina reminded us of our stay at the marina in Trenton. Clean bathroom facilities, free laundry, beautiful park grounds and ice cream and the Metro grocery just steps away. We loved our stay here.

We had some big celebrations at Orillia. July 26 Captain Pat turned 70! Hard to believe. He always said he would do the Loop before he turned 70.

He had a Captain’s breakfast, a great lunch at a local cafe, and dinner at the Common Stove. This was a recommendation and did not disappoint. We had a quiet celebration and of course lots of phone calls with well wishes. We will celebrate with family and friends upon our return to the States.

July 27 we celebrated 32 years of marriage. We walked around Orillia, did some shopping and had a lovely dinner. Lots to celebrate!

On our last day in Orillia, we had some special visitors. Irene and Brian Phair read our blog and couldn’t believe we were in Ontario. How ironic that they live near the Peterborough lock! They frequent the “Andrew” bridge we posted, and kayak near the lock. Myron and Pam Molenda also came for lunch. We had a great visit catching up with good friends.

We really enjoyed the town of Orillia. Great restaurants, art, culture and shopping. Here are a few pics:

We only had one mishap at this marina. You have to have at least one. Captain Pat took Sunshine out to get fuel and an pumpout. I was up at the marina office writing a blog so I did not go. Unknown to him the line on the port side was in the water! And as he departed it made it’s way into the prop! Lucky for us, no major damage was done. Patrick donned his scuba gear and went underneath the boat to inspect the props. We thought for sure there would be damage, but we lucked out. And we were so grateful!

Here are more pics from our stay at Port of Orillia Marina: