Ontario Writing Getaways

Loretto Maryholme was the site of many of our own annual retreats, we have a lot of love for this place. Originally the summer home for a group of social-justice-oriented nuns, the nuns now host silent retreats, spiritual retreats and rent out space for self-guided retreats, which of course can be filled with writing. Guests enjoy lake access, a beautiful labyrinth and the feeling of being in a place with a long history of spiritual connection. Some of the rooms are on the main floor, so this is one of the more accessible places for a range of mobilities.

Warbler’s Roost is a beautiful B&B located about an hour north of Huntsville. The owners, who are artists themselves, offer self-directed artist residencies to artists and writers who are looking to nourish their creativity at this rural getaway. Set in the middle of the woods, and only steps to the shores of Deer Lake, there’s no lack of inspiration from the natural world here.

Residencies are for a week, and breakfasts are included in the price. There’s also access to well-equipped kitchens to use during your stay. If you’re without a car the owners can arrange to pick you up from the nearest town for an extra fee. Coach Ailsa spent a productive week working on her novel here in early 2018, and came back raving about the hospitality and quiet beauty she experienced.

Fells Meadows is a cozy and stunning spot for gatherings and quiet contemplation. It consists of a century farmhouse, a yurt, two small cabins and 100 acres of trailed woods and fields. Leslie Fell is a soulful and conscientious host, who facilitates workshops and does one-on-one work with people but also understands the need that many guests bring for silence and space. Approximately 90 minutes from Toronto, right near that big apple on the 401.

Artscape at Gibraltar Point is an artist residency center located right on Toronto Island, making it a phenomenally convenient escape for Torontonians. Artscape provides short and long term artist residencies for artists from all disciplines at surprisingly affordable rates. More institutional than charming, this space doesn’t offer frills, but a concentrated group of real-ass creatives working hard in one location can have its own kind of magnetism. Private rooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms are available. Several Firefly students have enjoyed month-long and weekend-long retreats here and have all come back with a creative charge. There are ramps and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, but the showers aren’t barrier-free yet.

Note: There will be no residencies in 2024 due to major renovations on the A-frame. Applications for residencies from July 2025 to end of June 2026 will open in the summer of 2024 and close in October 2024.

The Al Purdy A-Frame is the original country home of late Canadian poet Al Purdy in Prince Edward County. A group of volunteers have worked tirelessly to get it set up as a writer’s residency offering 1-3 month-long stays, especially for poets. Get this — you get paid to stay there. You need to apply of course, and they only accept a limited number of people per season, but what a beautiful thing this is. We have huge admiration for everyone who pulled this together. We haven’t stayed here, but we’re emotional and financial sponsors of the project.

The Nook is a sweet little off-grid cabin nestled by the water in Prince Edward County. It is cozy, isolated and very private, a perfect get-away for folks who are looking for big silence and a rustic edge. Being off-grid, there’s a generator to fire up if you want hot water or to charge your laptop or to fill up the most beautiful bathtub in southern Ontario. The fridge and kitchen are powered by propane. There is lake access and a wood burning stove for the winter. 

Bon Echo Suites are a series of small self-catering apartments in a century-old building on the main street in the tiny town of Tamworth, Ontario. They are close to cafes, grocery store, and everything else a writer might need. Free parking and a shuttle service from Kingston is available.