For Sale: 5 Canadian Homes That Will Make You Think You’re at the Cottage

By Josh Sherman | 3 minute read

Photo credit: Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

Not everyone can afford a vacation property. Even if money is no object, a secondary property requires constant maintenance.

If you like the idea of cottage living but not the time and money associated with it, you may want to consider one of these five Canadian homes. At these homes, part of the weekend never dies. They’ll make you think you’re at the cottage — but without the headaches and expense.

1. 137 Stinsons Bay Rd., Kawartha Lakes, Ont.

Photo credit: Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

List price: $2,950,000

Dubbed the Edgewater Estate, this 3,000-square-foot custom home is located right on the  Trent-Severn Waterway, a scenic 386-kilometer canal linking Lake Ontario to Lake Huron and Port Severn. Not only is the five-bedroom home fully functional as a permanent residence — it’s got a generator, high-efficiency furnace, heated garage, and ultraviolet water-treatment system — it also has many cottage-like features. Inside, there are three stone fireplaces for a fireside-cottage vibe, and the backyard has a dock, firepit, and hot tub.

2. 395910 11TH Line, Blue Mountains, Ont.

Photo credit: Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

List price: $3,949,000

Tucked below a ridge on a 25-acre wooded lot in the Blue Mountains, the sleek-and-subtle Ridge House is the work of award-winning Toronto architecture firm Superkül. The architects designed this home to meet highly energy efficient passive house standards. Modernist homes aren’t exactly known to be the coziest, but Ridge House’s double-sided fireplace adds a touch of warmth to the expansive main living area, which is bathed in natural light. While the home office is set up for remote work, Ridge House is more like a private retreat, including a spa-like primary bathroom that lets out to a tranquil Zen garden.

3. 43 Woodland Acres Cres., Vaughan, Ont.

Photo credit: : Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

List price: $4,926,000

If you didn’t read the listing description, you probably wouldn’t guess this home is located in Vaughan, one of the 20 largest cities in Canada. Encompassing more than an acre of heavily treed land in the rural outskirts of Vaughan, this home is sheltered from the hustle of city life — but proximate enough to it that there’s no need to compromise. It may not have a lake or river nearby, but the infinity pool should more than make up for it.

4. 7-3105 Thacker Dr., West Kelowna, B.C.

Photo credit:  Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

List price: $2,799,000

Thacker Ridge Estates, a three-bedroom house with mountain-and-lake views, gives the best of Cottage Country a run for its money. The home’s interior has a character-rich great room with vaulted 20-foot ceilings, stone fireplace, and exposed wood beams as well as what the listing describes as “charming secret passages.” It’s not all whimsy, though. The kitchen is made for entertaining, with dual sinks, gas range, double ovens, and oversized fridge-freezer. Also made for entertaining: the backyard, where there’s a resort-style cabana, including a commercial kitchen and bar, bathroom, and lots of lounge seating by the pool. 

5. 6999 Highway 3, Hunts Point, N.S.

Photo credit: Sotheby’s International Realty Canada

List price: $2,500,000

This oceanside (full-time) escape is set on five acres of windswept land that has both rugged natural features and meticulously landscaped gardens. Floor-to-ceiling windows won’t let you forget this home’s prime waterfront location, and even though the interior has a super contemporary design with Scandinavian accents, there’s still room for an old-fashioned wood fireplace.