Collingwood is a small city in the southwest of Ontario, Canada. It's a historic town, complete with a huge park where the harbour once stood, but these days its principal attraction is the fact that it's just a ten minute drive away from the Blue Mountain resort. In any case, it's a perfect family friendly holiday destination. And by seeking out deals on rental homes, you can make the holiday budget stretch even further to enjoy this exciting part of Canada.

Historic downtown Collingwood is a great place to explore, from shopping to relaxing in the Collingwood Harbour area. But most people visiting the town will be looking to spend at least one day at the all seasons resort of Blue Mountain, just outside the city. Skiing and snowboarding are popular activities, and there is also a water park open in the summer and the Monterra golf course. If you're planning a winter trip, snowmobiling is another popular activity, and you can hire snowmobiles and buy trail maps from several outlets in the region. During the summer, there are many more golf courses available, including the Cranberry at the nearby Cranberry resort, and cycling around many local trails is also popular. You can also explore Scenic Caves, an extensive cave network which comes complete with a log cabin which is available as a rental home throughout the year. It's a part of the world geared to outdoor pursuits, with hiking trails in the summer, and ski trails in the winter.

With a wide range of rental homes in the Collingwood area, from urban condos to lakeside chalets, starting from as little as £400 a week, there is self-catered accommodation in the area to suit every budget, and it certainly compares very favourably to the rates for hotel rooms in Ontario. The rental homes are great for kids as they come fully equipped with TVs, DVD players, broadband and satellite services - not to mention a great deal of extra space for the kids to run around and let off steam. A trip to Blue Mountain and Collingwood can be very tiring and frantic, but at least renting a holiday home will give you the chance to relax deeply in the evenings during your visit.