In addition to that, it features a magnificent motel that was renovated to have a 1970s-chic look.
The fact that I wasn't entirely sure where we were was one of the most exciting parts. My good buddy Katlyn and I saw each other for the first time since 2018 when we both travelled to Toronto from opposite ends of the United States in June of last year. But an hour after touching down in the province's capital, we found ourselves encircled by verdant rolling fields and winding our way down two-lane roads in the direction of some spot named Suable Beach. It seemed as though the city vanished just as quickly as our friendship started getting back into its groove.
A little over a year ago, I published a piece about two friends of mine who renovated a midcentury outpost on the beaches of Lake Huron. This endeavor was captured in a series that Netflix produced called "Motel Makeover." After the piece was published, the proprietors and I stayed in contact, and they asked whether I'd be interested in going there with a friend once the warmer weather arrived. Only Katlyn was the only person for whom I held out hope that she would be there. Katlyn and I have been friends ever since we first crossed paths in Prague while we were both enrolled in college there. The three words that brought us together were "Sure, why not?" Because of this, Krakow, Vienna, Joshua Tree, and Vermont are all in our rearview mirror, and a sleepy seaside hamlet in Canada is now stretching out in front of us.
We were excited to witness the rebuilt 1970s-meets-Instagram design of The June Motel in person because the motel had become something of a celebrity in recent years. However, after being subjected to a level of forced regularity for two years, we yearned for the uncomplicated excitement of something new. Katlyn and I had a general idea of our destination, but we had almost no point of reference other than my narrative and the show. For us, Canada was the epitome of impromptu fun.
After a trip that took about three hours and took us from Toronto to Suable Beach, it was getting close to midnight when we finally arrived. The A-shaped lobby at the front of the property was vacant, save for an employee who was waiting for us to arrive. As soon as we signed in, she grinned and poured us each a glass of rosé while holding a tray. As we explored the area, I remarked, "I nearly have the impression that I'm back in California." The brilliant white walls and warm wood ceiling of the lobby surrounded a coffee bar and shop in a blush-toned color scheme on one end of the space, while on the other end was a lounging area replete with a longboard leaning next to a circular leather couch. Our acquaintance who was working behind the counter laughed and added, "Well, the weather certainly isn't typical of California."
As we were making our way outside, one of the owners and her friends signaled for us to join them around a fire that was located next to the guarded pool. Wine and tea as well as pre-packaged s'mores components and blankets were provided as a subtle nod to the latitude at which we were actually located. While Katlyn took her time roasting a marshmallow and I eagerly nibbled into mine, we pretended to be children at summer camp and told each other stories while sitting out beneath the stars. After our drinks had been consumed and we were aware of the late hour, Katlyn and I made our way toward the motel that was located in the rear of the property. The entrance to our room was a sliding glass door that looked out over the pool, and the walls of our room were lit up with a neon pink sign that read "positive vibes only."
As we prepared to leave the hotel in the morning to make the one-hour drive to Tobermory, an oatmeal and fruit breakfast was waiting for us at the door. Once more, the landscape whirled through our windows as music from Bob Seeger and Paul McCartney filled the air. This continued until our destination, a quaint harbor town, came into view. We were in Tobermory to do the one thing on our trip that was planned: a tour of 19th-century shipwrecks on a glass-bottomed boat sailing toward Flowerpot Island, which was named for the curious V-shape rock formations scattered along its coast. Flowerpot Island was named for these curious rock formations. The ships that had been around for ages were plainly visible beyond an equally ancient lighthouse that had tried to warn them, but instead, their blunders were preserved in the extremely cold water that was brilliantly blue and effortlessly transparent. Both Katlyn and I were unable to comprehend what we were seeing.
December Night
— Louis Albanese (@DrLouisAlbanese) January 6, 2023
A foggy December night in my small-town home town in Niagara.
Fonthill,Ontario Canada@myPelham @myNiagaraOnline @ThePhotoHour @StormHourMedia @StormHour @YoushowmeP #sharecangeo pic.twitter.com/67hKR2t1q5
Despite the fact that we were dressed in sweaters and caps, we asked one another, "Are we in Canada, or the Caribbean?" We took advantage of the much better weather on land by going for a stroll through the town, stopping for fish and chips and ice cream for lunch, and generally enjoying ourselves. There was a map of the Bruce Trail in a store that we were in, and it just so happened that we were hiking on it. On its website, the route is referred to as "Canada's oldest and longest recognized footpath." It extends from Tobermory to Niagara Falls and covers a distance of 500 miles.
I said to Katlyn, "We could tackle the whole path if we wanted," even though I knew that what I had just said wasn't so much a request as it was a forecast. The trip to Niagara Falls from Toronto took less than two hours, but we were already in Ontario at the time. After a few of days had passed, we eventually made our way there. Who's up for some spontaneity?
When we came back to Sable Beach, we went to its eponymous sand and surf at sunset, and then we later had supper at the hotel's restaurant, Heydays, which had an outside dining area. During our visit in late spring, the town had not yet really come alive for the season; yet, we were still satisfied with what the motel had to offer, including numerous rounds of s'mores, our very own hammock, and lounge chairs by the pool. The Wellness Refinery and Amici's Coffee Bar are both good options for a quick bite to eat in the morning that are located close by. If you have a hankering for a Blizzard, Diary Queen is just down the street.
After spending the weekend at Sable Beach, we boarded a flight to Toronto and made a few more pit stops in the countryside along the way before arriving at the Drake Hotel and being engulfed in the hustle and bustle of a city for the first time. But the laid-back atmosphere at the June Motel and the spontaneous road trip we took across the Bruce Trail to Niagara Falls turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. Even though we were only vaguely aware of our location the entire time, we were learning new things about ourselves.