Cottage Life

The go-to source for cottagers, the award-winning Cottage Life offers valuable advice as well as profiles, how-to articles, recipes, essays, issues pieces, and lifestyle stories that help readers look after their cottages, entertain guests and, of course, kick back and have fun.

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Cottage Life

The great migration to cottage country

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Waterfront • Winter is over; time to come out of hibernation. We don’t just mean the wildlife.

This cooler doubles as a food warmer • Who says that coolers are just for chilling your beer and that tools are just for your workshop?—Not Makita!

A century birthday for this cottage icon

Deconstructing birds’ avian adaptations • We pulled apart eight species to highlight their avian adaptations. Can you tell who is who?

Ontario hydro bill hike, wild Canadian weather events, and undersized wildlife overpasses

Refreshing a coffee table with vintage Cottage Life magazines

Can you identify these birds by their body parts? • Did you identify the birds on p. 21 correctly?

Why you have more in common with snakes than you think

A sunscreen that isn’t greasy

Infectious disease spreads to bats in Western Canada

Animal-inspired paint • Sometimes paint companies take inspiration from the animal world when they come up with their colour names. For example, Brown Rabbit. Okay, makes sense. Baby Turtle? Sure. But what colour is Dog’s Ear? What about Mole’s Breath? And do you really want to tell your cottage guests, “I chose Dead Salmon for the kitchen”?* Still, if the paint folks can do it, we’ll take a crack at it! Colour of the Year 2023, here we come!

Workshop • Fighting for better air, sharper edges, and your right to repair since 1988.

Disposable vs. reusable respirators

Knife sharpening hack

Right to repair being thwarted by modern design

Opening weekend chores • Opening up the cottage is enough work without bickering over who should do what and when. We’ve organized the weekend—for you, your guests, and your beloved. The discussion is closed.

Make your own shooting board

Tips for troubleshooting a propane grill

Rehabbing rusty tools; soap scum solution, stink removal options, and types of stains

Cottage devices that will improve your experience and protect your property • Today’s gadgets can lower your energy bills, prevent flood damage, and cook you the perfect steak

A case for gathering without the competitions • Why must lakeside gatherings involve chili cook-offs and karaoke contests? What happened to just, you know, gathering?

A cottage reno reveals those who came before them • Our reno, dreamed up by the campfire with old friends, gave a glimpse into the lives that came before us, and those yet to come

Three saunas for design inspiration • Whether you fancy something traditional or a sleeker style, a well-designed sauna can help you extend the cottage season

The white moose of Groundhog Lake • These rare white moose and the family who loves them have decades of history in a quiet patch of Northern Ontario

Is cottage country ready for a population boom? • A tight housing market, an influx of retirees, and the remote work revolution have led to booming growth in cottage country. Are rural areas ready for the new wave of residents?

Loons are under attack. What's threatening this iconic cottage bird? • It’s hard to imagine our lakes without loons. But losing these ancient birds is a real possibility. Here’s what’s threatening them and how you can help

A simple East Coast breakfast that’s part biscuit and part pancake • Part pancake, part biscuit, all delicious. The touton is an East Coast breakfast staple that’s as flavourful as...