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Who needs a sprawling cottage to have the perfect summer getaway? Some of Ontario’s dreamiest vacation rentals come in unique and seriously small packages, like these tiny cabins tucked away on sprawling farms, perched above quiet waterways and hidden among acres of trees!
To help with your next summer escape, here are five tiny homes you can rent around Ontario this summer that prove you don’t need a ton of square footage to get the full cottage-country experience.
A tiny red tower in Castleton
Host: Airbnb in Castleton
Space: 2 guests, 1 bedroom
Distance: About a 2-hour drive from Toronto
This 10-by-10-foot little red house sits on a hillside in rural Northumberland County, about five kilometres from the artsy village of Warkworth. It’s surrounded by 30 acres with walking trails winding through the woods, and guests get the hilltop around the tiny house to themselves!
Inside, there’s a double bed tucked into a sleeping loft, along with electricity, heat, a small fridge, toaster oven and hotplate. Things get even more cottage-y once you step outside. There’s a large private deck for lounging and stargazing, a BBQ, outdoor sink and an open-air shower with hot and cold water. During the summer, you can also cool off in a small hot tub-sized pool.
The bathroom situation is more glamping than lux hotel, though. The outhouse is about 50 feet from the tiny home and has a camping-style pit toilet, so just make sure you’re comfortable with rustic amenities before booking! The house sleeps two, so perfect for a romantic couples’ getaway.
A little gem perched over Nogies Creek
Host: Airbnb near Bobcaygeon
Space: Up to 2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bed
Distance: About a 2-hour drive from Toronto
This 225-square-foot timber-frame cabin is surrounded by trees and has huge windows overlooking the water, along with soaring 14-foot ceilings that make its tiny interior feel super airy. A steel ladder leads up to a sleeping loft with a queen bed, while the timber framing and custom carpentry give the space a warm, rustic feel.
This is definitely an off-grid option, though: there’s no electricity, Wi-Fi or running water, but the trade-off is a very pretty, dreamy summer setting! Guests have access to a canoe to take out on Nogies Creek, as well as a quiet waterway that’s perfect for paddling, swimming and fishing from the dock.
A tiny cabin on a farm in Acton, Ontario
Host: Farmview Sunrise and Sunset Cabins, Acton
Space: Up to 3 guests, 1 bedroom, 2 beds per cabin
Distance: About a 1-hour drive from Toronto
These Farmview Sunrise and Sunset Cabins are separate rentals and sit on a 50-acre farm in Acton, offering a tiny-home getaway that’s filled with rural charm. Bonus: you’ll have horses, sheep, swans, ducks, chickens and miniature goats as your neighbours!
Both cabins come with electricity, hot and cold running water, Wi-Fi and AC. There’s even a small Smart TV with Netflix if the weather puts a damper on your outdoor plans. Head outside and fish in any of the farm’s three ponds (just bring your own fishing gear!) or just hang out on the cabin’s front porch and take in the surrounding countryside. Each cabin also has an attached rustic “cowboy shower,” as well as a full washroom with a shower, sink and toilet located about 100 feet away.
A complimentary breakfast is included, with vegan and plant-based options available through the farm’s in-house chef, giving the stay a bit of a bed-and-breakfast feel. The town of Acton is only about seven minutes away, so you can just as quickly pick up some groceries or go for a Timmies run.
A rustic, off-the-grid ‘Snake Cabin’ in Schomberg
Host: Airbnb in Schomberg
Space: Up to 2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bed
Distance: About a 45-minute drive from Toronto
This gorgeous cabin is nestled on Jecara Farms, an 86-acre property with trails, ponds, wetland, horses, chickens and even a farm shop! The space overlooks a sprawling 40-acre wetland where you could hear frogs, ducks, geese and swans outside your door. The cabin is powered by wind and solar energy, with a wood stove for heat, an indoor composting toilet and an outdoor manual shower.
Keep in mind that there’s no running water, but the hosts provide fresh water, firewood, propane, cookware, kitchenware and linens. You can cool off in the swimming pond, try trout fishing, wander the walking trails or settle in around the outdoor firepit. Come evening, simply hang out on the property and watch the sunset over the surrounding landscape.
Cooking can be a huge part of the outdoor experience here, too. There’s a BBQ on a covered cedar porch overlooking the natural pond, and you can heat water using the BBQ’s side burner. There’s even a coffee press (because, well, going off-grid doesn’t necessarily mean giving up coffee).
If Snake Cabin is booked, the hosts offer two other cabins to choose from, as well as a studio apartment.
A tiny off-grid cabin near Stoney Lake
Host: Airbnb in Douro-Dummer, near Stoney Lake
Space: Up to 2 guests, 1 bedroom, 1 bed
Distance: About a 2-hour drive from Toronto
This tiny cabin sits among 95 acres in Douro-Dummer and is only about a five-minute drive from Stoney Lake. Bonus: you’ll have the entire private property to explore! Inside, a ladder leads to a loft with a queen bed, while the main space includes a mini fridge, propane cooktop and a sink supplied with 20 litres of fresh water. You won’t have to make a nighttime trek to an outhouse either: unlike some of the more rustic properties on our list, the cabin has an indoor composting toilet. Outside, there’s a fire pit beside the cabin, as well as a seasonal outdoor shower.
After exploring these tiny Airbnbs, check out how you can spend the night inside a real vintage train caboose at this Ontario railway museum!
