Although the ski hills at Blue Mountain are just minutes away, this former shipping hub on Georgian Bay maintains some of its small-town charm. The 19th-century main street is becoming increasingly gentrified, with home decor shops catering to the local condo boom. Briarwood twig chandeliers and log bunk beds at Fad/Peaks & Rafters (705-444-8330) fit the region’s outdoorsy theme. Three Herons (705-444-8481) specializes in high-end antiques. The area is home to hundreds of artists, who display their works at the Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts gallery (705-445-7843). Next door is the Gayety Theatre (519-599-3915), a converted 1920s cinema and vaudeville house now home to Theatre Collingwood, a professional company that mounts popular comedies in summer. Once a gateway for prairie-bound settlers, Collingwood has a fascinating shipping and railroad history, on view in the Collingwood Museum (705-445-4811). Old grain silos and other architectural artifacts line a harbourfront walking path in an area known as the spit. A two-hour Summerbound (705-445-5267) sunset cruise is a great way to take in the view and a little of the area’s maritime history, including some of the many wrecks, dating back to the 1800s. When all the outdoor activity works up your appetite, try Café Chartreuse (705-444-0099), where Paris-trained master pâtissier and chef Patrick Bourachot prepares flaky croissants and sells high-end picnic supplies. Accommodations include Pretty River Valley Country Inn (705-445-7598) and Beild House (705-444-1522, 1-888-322-3453).