Girls’ Weekend Getaway: Scandinave Spa And Grey County

Girl time. It’s good for the soul. At least it is in my humble opinion… Some of my favourite travel memories involve my girlfriends. Regardless of whether we journey somewhere exotic or escape for a short jaunt outside of the city, the elements of our getaways remain constant: amazing food, a solid playlist (the soundtrack to our memories), girl talk marathons, epic adventures and some R&R. And as we get older, I’ve found the R&R component has become increasingly important — we just can’t seem to find enough time to unplug and unwind in our day-to-day lives. So on our most recent trip, we decided to build the getaway around the spa. Oh, but not just any spa. One of my favourite spas on the planet: Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain…

Those of you who’ve been following my blog for a while know how obsessed I am about this little slice of heaven. It’s just one of those places that I’d trek to in a heartbeat and send droves of people to. I love it that much…

D.R.E.A.M.Y… If you haven’t been to Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain, you NEED to visit. It’s truly a special place. And when you go, check out the places I’ve listed below so you, too, can experience the bestestest weekend with the girls in Grey County (for those unfamiliar with Ontario, the region is a two-hour drive north of Toronto)…

Where To Stay In Grey County

Pretty River Valley Country Inn – You know it’s going to be a memorable stay when you’re greeted by reindeer as you pull into the driveway. Everything about this inn is magical. From the inspirational quotes that dot the property to the lovely couple (Paul and Linda) who have poured every ounce of themselves into their retirement project. A stay at this gem during ANY season is a must. I recommend booking a roomy croft for a girls trip — like the two-storey Ben Nevis Croft we stayed in. Think: cathedral ceilings, wood burning fireplace, Jacuzzi and a balcony overlooking Pretty River Provincial Park. Perched on 125 acres of the Niagara Escarpment, the Inn was the perfect accommodation for our spa-centric R&R trip. Bonus: they offer a two night girls’ spa getaway package with priority Scandinave Spa bath passes (so you’re sure to get in to the popular spa)!!

What To Eat And Drink In Grey County

Sip On Local Cider At Beaver Valley Cidery – I don’t know about you guys, but my girls’ trips always involve some sort of boozy libations. Cue the Saints & Sinners Trail! Yup, nothing like spending the afternoon “exploring” (aka tasting) your way through the region’s wineries, microbreweries and cideries. And while everyone has their drink of choice, you’d be remiss not to spend some time at Beaver Valley Cidery (fun fact: Grey County produces 23% of Ontario’s apples so the cider scene is on point). These guys are located in a converted heritage barn and focus on making cider with minimal intervention (they don’t add any sugar, alcohol or artificial flavours). My pick? The Organic Ginger Cider. It is addictive!! Thankfully, they also serve it at Her Father’s Cider Bar in Toronto so I can have my fix between visits to Grey County.

Enjoy Wine And Cheese At The Cheese Gallery – My girlfriends and I could spend all day at this cute shop in Thornbury. Literally! We felt so welcomed by the owner and her staff. But beyond the warm service, we fell in love with the ambiance and the cheese — they carry so many of my faves so we had to order a cheese board and grilled cheese (the best in the County!) Our afternoon was spent sipping sparkling lemonade, nibbling on cheese and catching up…Perfection.

Devour Lunch At HaiSai – Although this resto has gone through a series of openings and closings the past few years, I’m thrilled to report that they’re serving up great eats once again. Yeay! They don’t throw around the words “farm to table” for marketing purposes here — it’s in their blood. A deeply ingrained philosophy brought to life by the brilliant Michael Stadtlander. I’ve never met a chef who’s more dedicated to the quality of ingredients: the man grows vegetables, raises livestock, makes his own maple syrup, forages and even has his own bees! A true culinary leader who’s brought his dreams to life time and time again. Do not leave the region without visiting this resto in Singhampton or the famous Eigensinn Farm. I was blown away by the food, the friendly service and the Gaudi-esque interior..

Treat Yo Self At Pom Pom Treat Hut – Can’t have a girls trip without ice cream! Well, at least not in my books. My BFF is addicted to ice cream so we always include a stop, or two (or three) on our trips. Pom Pom Treat Hut is the cutest little spot to grab ice cream (The London Ice Cream Company) or frozen treats before going on a walk alongside the harbour in Thornbury. Try the homemade Wheelie Pops — I loved the Creamy Strawberry Rhubarb!

Dinner At Northwinds Brewhouse & Kitchen – My girls and I love craft beer so this brewery was a great spot to share a few pints. All of the beer is produced on-site in small batches at their 15 barrel brewhouse and bonus: they serve up some delish farm-to-table dishes! The Brewshi Asparagus Roll was really unique and complemented our beers beautifully (charred ginger asparagus in a handmade roll tempura fried with black bean garlic sauce and scallion aioli). I also really liked the Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos (crispy buffalo cauliflower, lime guacamole, cactus pico de gallo, shredded lettuce and house made ranch served in two grilled tortillas). The thing that stood out the most at Northwinds was how knowledgeable and passionate the staff are about beer. Cheers to that!

What To Do In Grey County

Take A Nature Hike To Hogg’s Falls – My travel buddy and I somehow always find ourselves in the woods during our travels. And when faced with a fork in the road on hiking trails, we often take the darker path. During our trip in Grey County, we did exactly that when wandering through the Bruce Trail. Enamoured by the name of the Friendship Trail, we followed a “use at your own risk” path which led us in the wrong direction. Ooops! But hey, what’s life without a little adventure?! We eventually found our way to the beaut Hogg’s Falls…

Visit Kickin’ Back Alpaca Ranch – So… I think alpacas are my new fave animal! They’re shy, but curious and suuuuuper soft. Although I’ve interacted with them before, this was my first time seeing a baby alpaca (fun fact: they’re called cria). Our hearts melted as soon as we saw him at the ranch (he was just learning to walk). I mean… alpacas are cute to begin with, but baby alpacas are a whole new level!! We spent some time chatting with the owners (they’re the loveliest couple and really care about the animals), snapped a few selfies and checked out their store filled with alpaca gear. I loved their alpaca wool packaging which proudly displays a photo of the alpaca that was sheared. Head to this ranch for a dose of cuteness — they’ll def put a smile on your face…

Unwind At The Spaaaaah – The pièce de résistance and sole purpose of our trip was to spend time at this gem of a spa. And that we did. Wrapped in soft robes, we went through a series of cycles (hot-cold-relax) that had us feeling like jello in no time…

Scandinavian baths are a Finnish tradition known to energize and rest the body. The body warming stage (via Eucalyptus Steam Bath, Finnish Sauna, Infrared Sauna or Hot Baths) reduces blood pressure, increases blood flow to skin and muscles and releases the body’s negative energy. The second stage (a dip in the Cold Plunge Baths/Cold Shower/Nordic Waterfall) closes the pores, helps release endorphins and increases the heart rate. And the final stage (relaxation) is meant to regulate the cardiovascular system by resting the body to help stabilize the blood flow and heart rate. I prefer to do at least 3/4 rounds of this hot-cold-relax cycle for the ultimate R&R. It’s an idyllic way to spend a morning/afternoon or the entire day with the girls (they offer massage services and food on site too!)

Le sigh…we had such a fab girls’ getaway to Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain. It’s a trip we’ve done dozens of times and will continue to organize over and over again (I personally like to visit at least once each season if I can). I sometimes forget that the relaxing oasis is only 2 hours north of Toronto. Hope you guys get a chance to head there soon for some R&R!

A huge thanks to Scandinave Spa and Grey County for hosting us and sponsoring this post. I’ve visited the region and spa many times on my own dime and would highly recommend it!