Flower Pot Island, Tobermory, Ontario

I am so excited about this post. Last year on my 23rd birthday, my now fiance, my 10 month old, and I went to Tobermory and it was my first time there. We stayed at a motel for two nights, and we spent the first day exploring local trails, restaurants, and stores. The second day, we took a glass bottom cruise to Flowerpot Island – this is one of my favourite adventures.

For starters, the glass bottom cruise is a must if you are in Ontario. This cruise takes you on a boat overlooking shipwrecks that lie on the bottom of the lake. There are 20 known shipwrecks. The glass bottom tours are open for 3 seasons, fall being my favourite time to go since it isn’t as busy. Everything in the Fathom Five National Marine Park is truly a remarkable history lesson, but also very beautiful to look at. You also get to see the Big Tub Light House up close.

Next, you travel nearly 7km (by boat) to Flowerpot Island. This island has lots to explore – from the boat you can see the light station, the light keeper’s home, and the flowerpot formations. The boat docks at Beachy Cove to let passengers off to hike and explore the island.

The loop of the island is only 2.6km, however there are many stops to make. There are the flowerpot formations that you can get close to, stairs that lead into caves, the lighthouse, and lots of rare plants. It’s also a great location for bird watching. I recommend planning to spend at least 4 hours on the island.

This island was so gorgeous that my fiancé even proposed to me on it! After we explored for a while, we ate lunch and then started sight seeing again. I remember looking at this view (see photo above) and being in complete awe. I asked Brodi if we could take a picture of us there, and so I set up the camera to record a video, and he proposed! What a dream! On an island, hiking, sight seeing, and boom – engaged! Clearly, Brodi knows me quite well.

After spending about 6 hours exploring the island, we took the boat back to the mainland and went out for a celebration dinner. The nice thing about Tobermory in fall is that everything is still open, but it is not nearly as busy as it is during the summer days.

Next time I visit the Bruce Peninsula, I would like to go backcountry camping. Last time we couldn’t since we brought our then 10 month old, I was also 5 months pregnant. So exploring the backcountry is definitely on my bucketlist!

Stay tuned for more in the upcoming weeks!

If you end up checking out Flowerpot Island, tag me in your photos! @yourmatiekatie #katieoutdoors

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Keep on trekking, Kate🥾🌲