A Sisters’ Creative Retreat at Skipping Rock Cottages

Escaping the City for Content, Connection and Cottage Calm.

When life gets a little too noisy and your to-do list starts to blur, there’s only one thing to do. Grab your sister, pack the car with gear and snacks, and head north. That’s exactly what Faith and I did when we booked a midweek work retreat at Skipping Rock Cottages in Meaford, Ontario.

We both needed a reset and some solid content time, so we figured why not escape the city and make the cottage our office?

The Drive: Sunshine, Spotify and Small-Town Charm

We hit the road from Georgina with the sun shining, windows down, and our “Cottage Core But Make It Productive” playlist queued up. Honestly, the drive itself felt like the start of something good. We passed through Collingwood and a bunch of adorable towns that looked like they belonged on postcards.

Before arriving, we made a quick stop in Thornbury at Foodland for groceries and grabbed a bottle of rosé from the LCBO. Just a few more turns and we pulled into Skipping Rock.

First Impressions: Actual Heaven

The long driveway gave us our first glimpse of the property and we were already freaking out a little. Beautiful trees, charming cottages, a swing set, a huge dock, and the log cabin we’d be calling home. Even the neighbours waved to us like we were locals. 

Kylie had sent over everything we needed for a smooth check-in, so we let ourselves in with the code. Inside, the air conditioning was on, stunning flowers from Belvedere Farm were waiting on the table, there were locally roasted coffee beans by McGinty’s, and a handwritten note to welcome us. So thoughtful!

We parked right beside the cottage, which made unloading our many bags super easy. The interior was clean, bright, cozy, and perfectly styled. It had that ideal mix of cottage comfort and modern design.

Thoughtful Touches That Made Us Feel at Home

Right away, we were impressed by how well everything was set up. There were clear signs in the washroom reminding us what not to flush, QR codes with instructions for the coffee machines, and every single light switch was labelled so we didn’t have to play the “what does this one do” guessing game.

Even the cottage's close-down process was simplified with a helpful QR code that gave us everything we needed to leave the place just as perfect as we found it. They truly thought of everything and made it so easy to settle in and feel at home.

Exploring the Property

Naturally, we set off to explore before even unpacking. The 100-foot dock was dreamy. The kids’ cabin was adorable. The garage loft had great natural light and super clean rooms. And the games garage with foosball? Such a fun surprise.

Every part of the property had something special. It felt like the ultimate setting for content shoots but also just an amazing place to unwind.

Dinner, Docks and Dreamy Sunsets

After a little unpacking and some shooting, we got to work making dinner. We cooked spinach and ricotta ravioli with rosé sauce and salad, poured a glass of wine, and just let the day slow down. The kitchen had everything we needed (pots, pans, bowls, cutlery, everything!), which was such a relief.

We ended the night with a sunset kayak around the bay. The water was glassy, the sky was pink and golden, and we couldn’t stop smiling. We FaceTimed friends just to show them the view.

Back inside, we changed into PJs, put on The Birdcage (we love Robin Williams!), and called it a night.

Day Two: Sunrise, Sun and Sandwiches

We woke up around 5 am to the most stunning sunrise coming through the window of the king bedroom. It was one of those golden, peaceful mornings you want to bottle up. We snapped a quick pic, smiled at the view, and then promptly fell back asleep. 

Later that morning, we made eggs and bacon, brewed coffee, and set up shop at the dining table to get a bit of work done. A few hours later, we changed into our bathing suits and headed straight for the dock. It was warm, sunny, and absolutely perfect. The water was still a little chilly, but dipping our toes in was the perfect cooldown between tanning and reading.

We listened to music, made sandwiches, and had a little dock picnic before heading back to the cottage to shower and get ready for dinner out. We drove into town and landed on Station 87, an old firehouse turned restaurant, and grabbed a spot on their rooftop patio. The food was so good. Highly recommend the chicken sandwich and the potato pizza.

On the way home, we made a very important stop at Dairy Queen and took our ice cream down to the dock for one last sweet treat before getting into our coziest clothes and calling it a night.

Day Three: Vintage Finds and Local Flavours

The weather was a little overcast, so we decided to venture into Meaford to explore. First stop: Pom Pom Ice Cream where we got lemonade ice cream (yes, lemonade—and yes, it was incredible). We wandered around town and visited Grandma Lambe’s, picking up a frozen mac and cheese for dinner and a few local treats and gifts for our family.

We also stumbled into This & That vendors market and I scored the most beautiful vintage serving bowl and a framed painting I absolutely adore. There’s nothing like finding one-of-a-kind treasures to remind you of a perfect trip.

Back at the cottage, we did a bit more work and then made a cozy dinner of salad and Grandma Lambe’s mac and cheese. It was the kind of quiet, feel-good evening that fills your cup.

Our Last Morning: Rainy Goodbyes

On our final morning, we woke up to pouring rain and packed up slowly, feeling a little sad to leave but so full of gratitude. This place gave us exactly what we needed. It was creative fuel, quality sister time, and total peace all wrapped into one.

We’ve already emailed our entire family to start planning a reunion here for the end of August. With a big family like ours, it’s rare to find a place that feels perfect for every age group. But this spot has space to spread out, cozy corners to relax in, and so many kid-friendly touches that make it ideal for hosting multiple generations and little ones, too.

Skipping Rock Cottages gave us everything we didn’t know we needed. A peaceful escape. A content creator’s dream. A family reunion waiting to happen. Faith and I are already counting down the days until we’re back—this time with the whole crew.