Discussions

I recently visited LOTW for the first time. What an amazingly spectacular area! Beautiful views and an incredible lake!  
It’s so breathtaking that I’d like to go back again this summer, then go for a month the next few summers and look for my retirement spot  
Anyone here a regular to Lake of the Woods area? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the area. Best areas, best bays, bad things too, pitfalls, what to watch out for etc…  
Any info is great as I’m sure everyone has different experiences there.  
 
Disclaimer: fully vaxxed people, all from MB, stayed on their island, zero stops in town…..don’t come at me for going , it’s literally been the best 36 hrs of the last 16 months.

I have lived in Brandon since I was 10 and we have just sold our house of 36 years and are now living at my cottage on LOTW. My dad bought land on Rush Bay in 1962 and we are now 2nd gen owners. LOTW is truly a gem and a boaters paradise.  
 
Bad things and pitfalls....I'm not sure if I can think of any other than "it's not Brandon or Winnipeg" as far as shopping or things to do. No Polo Park, Discovery Centre or Assiniboine Park but you don't have to go very far to find your own little beach or day camp spot. Grocery shopping is OK. Large Safeway and No Frills (Superstore) in Kenora. Getting work done here is not easy. Contractors here are very expensive (they need the million dollar cottages too) and notoriously unreliable.  
 
Best Bays would of course be Rush Bay. It is the closest entrance onto LOTW from Winnipeg, just a short 1:45 from Deacon's corner. About 20 Minutes drive to Kenora or maybe 45 minutes boat ride (half an hour or less in a rocket boat).  
 
What to watch out for.... 1)Winter!!! 2) Winter!!! 3) Don't boat here without a map or GPS.  
 
What more can I say. If you have any questions, ask away.

Sent you a pm.

Thanks for the info! I hate winter but assumed by a fire, indoors that the lake is just as beautiful. Do you just mean its cold or are you "trapped" there in bad weather?  
No PM in my inbox

you will have to do some serious research if your are leasing a cabin lot,heard a lot of stories of cabins being burnt down that are on treaty lands. and these are not just recent but going back 20 years or more.not trying to scare you, but be carefull of the land you are purchasing

our family went there for a time every year as a kid. (awhile back)  
 
I loved it.  
 
we camped.

Fall is a great season out here. Watching the tree's change and the resident geese learning how to fly in formation is pretty cool, but winter is by far the best. Ya! cause we winter in Jamaica but I'm sure LOTW is nice too LOL. Where we are is road access and the main road is plowed so we are not trapped by any means. Some cottage owners (Locals call them camp owners) are lake access so they would be in deed trapped, at least until the ice road is drivable but most camps here are seasonal. The closer you get to Kenora the better. Getting hooked up to city water and sewer would be important if you want to live here 365.