Original blog by Kimberley Marquis of Chic Confidential | March 2019
So, if you guys were following along on Insta-stories a couple weeks ago, you already know that Andrew and I headed on a little romantic getaway to Grey County for the weekend. And what a spectacular weekend it was!Let me tell you – I typically don’t anything during the winter, let alone outdoorsy activities. I’m more of the ‘let’s stay indoors and drink all the wine by the fireplace’ kinda gal.
However, spending the weekend in grey County on this little romantic getaway sounded like the perfect weekend. We visited Owen Sound, Georgian Bluffs, Meaford, Thornbury and The Town of The Blue Mountains – all of which are in Grey County.
So, I packed my snow pants, gloves, hats, sweaters, more sweaters and we headed up north on this little couples escape. Also – I really didn’t need any of the layers that I brought with me, because the weather was pretty cooperative that weekend. It stayed pretty mild with a low of -4 and a tiny bit of snow. Which made everything prettier if you ask me.
Okay, let’s get into what we did, what we ate, and drank, and where we stayed. Because it was an adventurous weekend, packed with ALL the fun, so naturally I must share.
Watch the video, and then we’ll get specific!
EAT
Sweetwater Restaurant at Cobble Beach Resort
Okay if you’re anywhere near Owen Sound, you must stop into the beautiful golf resort and grab a bite at Sweetwater Restaurant. They have such a cute setup and the food is amazing. We had lunch and dinner here one night, and MAN, everything was delicious. The night we arrived we had dinner here. We started with some of their signature cocktails. I obviously got the Cobble Cosmo, and Andrew had the Dark and Stormy. Then I had their delicious Caesar salad, and Andrew got the Escargot on a crostini. It was marinated in different mushrooms, which was SO GOOD. For dinner, I had the pappardelle pasta with chunks of mushrooms in a truffle cream sauce. Andrew had the pan seared salmon over a selection of beans. It was light, healthy, and so so good! The chef sent out a platter of desert after dinner. It was basically everything that was on their desert menu!
We loved the restaurant so much that we decided to do lunch here as well. So, we came back the next day to try out their lunch menu. I started with an amazing coconut base soup with chunks of turkey and vegetables. I’m a huge sucker for anything Thai, so this soup hit the spot for me. I also got the chicken strips with plum sauce as my main, and Andrew had their signature Cobble burger and Caesar salad. It was SUCH a good burger!!
Fabbrica Thornbury Restaurant
OMG – so if you love Italian cuisine (and who doesn’t??) you will LOVE this cute spot. Firstly, the restaurant itself is GORGEOUS, and has such romantic vibes. And secondly, the food. Oh my God, the food! We started off with the calamari, fried shrimp, and Andrew got the oysters. I don’t do oysters, but the calamari and shrimp were to DIE FOR. Guys, I’m not lying when I say the calamari was one of the bests I’ve ever had. For dinner, I had the gnocchi with a red sauce. Simple, and made to perfection!! Those gnocchis were little clouds melting in my mouth. HEAVEN. Andrew had the braised beef in pappardelle pasta. He said it was “the best thing he’s ever eaten” and then almost licked the plate clean…
Needless to say, we enjoyed every morsel from Fabbrica, and we’d go back in a heartbeat.
Thornbury Bakery Café
The next morning, we stopped into Thornbury Bakery Café for some breakfast. Guys, this place has ALLL the feels. It was super cute and charming. Just what you need for a couples escape. Very Instagrammable! The staff working there were also adorable and friendly. It’s the perfect place you want to have breakfast at. They are also super busy, so you gotta get there early if you want a table. The building has got a lot of their original beams, wood panels, and exposed brick from the 1920s, which made it very cozy. The owner, Trish is so wonderful! We had a bunch of little things of their menu. I had the Aussie toast with avocado and sprouts, and an omelette with mushrooms and Swiss cheese with a mocha on the side. Andrew had the French toast, and over-easy eggs with sausage and toast. If you’re ever in that part of town, make sure you stop in for some breakfast or even just coffee. You need to see how cute the interior is!
Northwinds Brewery
Our last stop before heading home was at Northwinds Brewery in the Blue Mountain Village. This has your typical pub vibes. They have all their beers brewing out in the open for you to see. Their barrels are on the upper floor of the restaurant. They’ve got an awesome selection for lunch. I had the fried cod tacos, YUM. Andrew had their delicious chicken wings. Definitely stop in for a beer if you’re in the Blue Mountain Village.
DRINK
Mudtown Station
Ok – this was SUCH a good brewery!! It was an old train station back in 1946, and the owners kept a lot of the old architecture and turned it into a super cool and rustic brewery. If you’re in Owen Sound, you MUST stop into this place for a beer or if you’re me, a cider. I had one of their ciders which were SO delicious. Andrew had a flight of their beers and really enjoyed them all.
Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery
Well if you’re into good wine, you need to stop into Coffin Ridge! We popped in for a quick tour and tasting, and the grounds are SO beautiful!! It was snowing when we got there, which made things A LOT prettier as I mentioned earlier. The vineyard wraps around the property and the inside of the building is very modern. It gives off a spooky yet cozy feel. We tasted a total of 6 wines each, which I surprisingly even remember! They were all really delicious, but my favourites were the whites and the rose. They also make some ciders! I had a chai tea cider, which they only bring out during the winter months. It was soooo good!!
Thornbury Village Cider House
YES, we drank quite a bit on this little romantic getaway! We popped into Thornbury Village Cider House for a flight each of beer and cider. Andrew loves his beer, while I prefer more of a sweet taste. Ciders are PERFECT for me. This particular cider house had an amazzzing selection of ciders that I loved! Derek showed us around the place and we got a sneak peak of how they do things around there. Great little place!
Royal Majesty Espresso
This is a must-do place in the Blue Mountain Village! If you’re a coffee drinker, you’ll LOVE their espressos. Andrew and I are HUGE on espresso. Nothing fuels our Saturday mornings like a cup of Italian espresso. So, naturally when we saw Royal Majesty Espresso, we had to stop in. The place is super modern and Instagrammable, with marble everywhere. HELLO! While it wasn’t too cold outside, we still enjoyed a warm solo espresso here.
STAY
Cobble Beach Resort in Georgian Bluffs
GUYS – look no further when booking around Owen Sound!! Because this little (but really large) resort is a dream come true and the perfect romantic getaway. If you were following along on IG stories, then you know I couldn’t hide my excitement the MOMENT we stepped into our room. Whether you’re doing a romantic couples getaway or a girl’s weekend, this resort has it all and more. If you’re a golfer, make sure you come in the summer time. And if you’re into hiking or fat biking, come anytime, because these happen all-year round! Oh, and their beds! It’s like sleeping on a giant, fluffy cloud. We had THE BEST sleep of our lives.
The Resting Place B&B
This was our stay in Meaford just between Owen Sound and Thornbury. And the second we got in, I basically never wanted to leave. The Resting Place B&B is an entire house you rent out all to yourself. The area is stunning and it’s right across the Coffin Ridge Winery. The house was spectacular! 4 bedrooms, a few washrooms, a huge bath tub (I could live in the bathtub!) a wood burning pizza oven, a walk-in fridge (!!!) and yet another comfy bed! Andrew and I were literally in heaven. We cracked open our bottle of wine from the Coffin Ridge winery and had a party for two ? Just the perfect little romantic getaway.
ACTIVITIES
Fat Biking through Cobble Beach Enchanted Forest
So, remember when I told you guys I was NOT into winter activities? Well, that all changed once I got on a fat bike and rode around for an hour in the snow. LOL. BTW, if you’re wondering WTF a fat bike is, (because I was) it’s a bike with really fat tires. Basically, so that you can ride around in the snow and ice, and feel safe. Andrew and I fat-biked for an hour!! I was totally prepared with my snow pants and winter gear. I was seriously proud of myself. We rode all over the Cobble beach grounds, saw the lighthouse, took a bunch of really cute photos, and made it back to the resort for our couples massage.
The Spa at Cobble Beach Resort
Now THIS is more my scene, you know? We had a couples massage waiting for us the second we got back from our bike ride. The spa is so beautiful at the resort. They have a hot tub and steam room as well. We’re SUCH hot tub people. If you follow along on IG, then you already know this. Andrew and I hot tub at least 4 times a week. It’s just amazing for muscle relaxation. Anyway, our massage was fantastic. So calming and relaxing. Exactly what we needed to carry on with our busy day.
Nak'd Basics Aromatherapy Hub
OMG – this was one of the best things we did all weekend! Guys, we made body oils and bath bomb from scratch. Basically, this ADORABLE aromatherapy shop sells mostly 100% natural stuff. So, everything from deodorants, to facial scrubs, soaps, shampoos, and much more. They also offer up different classes and one-on-one sessions on how to make whatever you want. So we chose to make body oils and bath bombs. I’m all about oils that are 100% natural. I made mine the sexy kind ? I mean, there’s nothing better than 100% natural lube. AMIRIGHT OR AMIRIGHT?!
Anyway, if you’re Owen Sound, you must stop in and say hello to Charlee and Amy! They are also the sweetest, and so much fun. This is the perfect activity for anyone really! The ladies make it so much fun, even Andrew enjoyed making his pretty bath bomb.
Activities at Blue Mountain Village
So, this was my very first time at Blue Mountain, and oh my gosh!! I was totally blown away by how cute this little area was. The village is so well done! It felt like I was strolling around in Switzerland with all the stone grounds, and the cute shops everywhere. There is SO much to do in the village. Andrew and I got on the Mountain Roller Coaster, which was terrifying in the best possible way! I don’t think I’ve been on a roller coaster since I was like 12…
Of course, Blue Mountain is known for their skiing and snowboarding. We were supposed to head up to their Woodview Mountaintop skating, but when we got there it was closed due to the warm weather. Boo, thanks Canada! You can also go hiking and tubing, which is tons of fun. There’s something for everyone to do in Blue Mountain. If you’re not into any of the activities, you can literally stroll through the village and enjoy the shops and restaurants.
Blue Mountain was where we wrapped up our weekend! It was SO gorgeous you guys. I highly recommend this little romantic getaway to Grey County, Ontario. I had NO idea how beautiful the city was. And it’s right in our own backyard!
Okay – who has been? What did you love? Also, any other recos are welcomed, because we’re DEFINITELY heading back this summer. Leave any recos in the comments.
A special thanks to Visit Grey who made our stay SO memorable.
Xx, kim
