There’s a stretch of Highway 400 north of Barrie where the landscape shifts — the subdivisions thin out, the rocks get bigger, and the sky opens up over the Canadian Shield. Most people drive this corridor in a rush to reach cottage country. This guide is for the ones who want to slow down.

From Toronto to Parry Sound is only three hours, but with stops in Orillia, a detour to Killbear Provincial Park, and an evening on the harbour, you’ll want a full weekend.