The May long weekend in Canada is the unofficial start to summer. For some, Victoria Day weekend (or “May 2-4”) means packing up the car for the ceremonial task of opening the cottage for the season.

Canadian summers, specifically in the Muskoka region of Ontario, is a beacon for celebrities to head north and unwind in cottage country away from the spotlight. For years, it’s been great chance to get in some swimming time and revel in outdoor barbecues as they enjoy the hotter months of the year.

Between Canadian stars like Justin Bieber and Shania Twain, to A-listers including David and Victoria Beckham, Muskoka is an area that’s often frequented by some of the most recognizable names in entertainment. Below are some of the many big names who have enjoyed trips to the Muskoka region over the years.

Shania Twain

Twain recently took to social media to reflect on spending time in Canada with her husband, Frédéric Thiébaud. In April, the 60-year-old country-pop icon shared some photos taken during a recent visit home.

“I’ve been spending more time in Canada recently and it’s been inspiring in the sweetest way,” she wrote. “Spending so much time in nature and breathing in that fresh Canadian air has led to a lot of reminiscing. That and going through old family photos.”

In October 2024, Twain also shared a photo of herself bundled up on a dock while sitting in a Muskoka chair.

“There isn’t anywhere more beautiful than Canada in the fall, and there isn’t a better feeling than being warm and cozy in the crisp, cold air,” she wrote. “Thankful for friends and family and this fabulous view. Heaven!”

Canadian fans (and fellow celebrities) were quick to echo Twain’s love of Canada.

“Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!” commented fellow Canadian songstress Avril Lavigne.

“It’s like God dumped bright colours on all the trees. Growing up in northern Ontario, it was my favourite season,” wrote a fan.

While Twain spent her younger years in Timmins, Ont., she now spends some of her time a bit further south, in Ontario’s Muskoka cottage country. Twain reportedly has a home in Lake of Bays.

Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber

Crawford and Gerber are frequent visitors of the Muskoka region. Last August, the supermodel showed off a carousel of photos on Instagram, including snapshots of herself and loved ones enjoying the Muskoka region.

Her post included various selfies of her summer getaway, as well as pictures of herself paddleboarding, posing on her speedboat and eating delicious meals. She also included more photos of her husband, along with their two kids, Presley Gerber and Kaia Gerber. They posted an intimate sneak peek inside their Lake Muskoka cottage, nicknamed “Gerber Point Lodge.”

“Thanks for another great summer,” Crawford captioned her post, alongside a sun emoji. “Until next year.”

In summer 2022, Crawford also made a few Instagram posts of her time at their cabin, including a video of herself steering a boat and a carousel of photos of her husband at their lakeside property.

David and Victoria Beckham

In 2024, Victoria Beckham shared another series of photos from her and her family’s summer spent in the Muskoka area. On Aug. 27, 2024, she posted a carousel of snapshots featuring loved ones, as well as a group photo featuring Crawford and Gerber.

“Special family moments in Muskoka,” she wrote with a Canadian flag emoji. “Kisses, #SalterFamily, I love you all so much!” The 52-year-old fashion designer also tagged her 51-year-old husband David, as well as kids Romeo, Cruz and Harper.

The previous summer, Victoria shared another carousel of photos from a family trip to the Muskoka area. On Aug. 7, 2023, she posted a variety of candid lake-side pictures of herself and loved ones.

The post featured a picture of herself waterskiing, along with snapshots of the family enjoying the lake life. She also shared a photo of her and her husband posing with Canadian businessman Jamie Salter and his wife, Sheryl, on the water.

“The most perfect few days in Muskoka with beautiful friends,” Victoria captioned that post. In the comments section, people expressed their love for the English couple and welcomed them to Canada.

“Come back soon! Hope you enjoyed your stay in the Muskokas!!” one person wrote, while someone else wrote, “Welcome to our playground.”

Austin Butler

Victoria Beckham also took to social media last summer to share a video featuring husband David, son Cruz and Elvis star Austin Butler lifting a fallen tree trunk above their heads. Butler, 34, likely spent time with the Beckhams while visiting the Muskoka region with then-girlfriend Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford’s daughter.

“Did you ever think you would see Elvis and Beckham lifting a tree? Helping the community in Muskoka. I’m impressed, gentleman!” Victoria captioned her clip on Aug. 6, 2023.

In the comments, fans praised Butler and the Beckhams for embracing “the Canadian way.”

“How very Canadian of them,” a fan wrote, while another added, “they are being so helpful like friendly Canadians.”

Justin and Hailey Bieber

While Hailey and Justin Bieber don’t currently own property in Muskoka, they’ve rented places on Lake Rosseau and Old Woman Island on Lake Muskoka in the past, according to Hello! magazine. The couple, who welcomed their first baby together last summer, reportedly kick back in the region often.

Muskoka might be one of the couple’s favourite Canadian destinations, but an area closer to Toronto appeared to steal their hearts back in 2018. That year, according to iDesignArch, Justin, 32, and Hailey, 29, purchased a $5-million waterfront estate on Puslinch Lake near Cambridge, Ont.

Simu Liu

In July 2023, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu took to Instagram with a carousel of snaps from a vacation in Muskoka. In the sun-soaked photos from Goshulak Island, the 36-year-old actor spent time on the lake boating, jet-skiing and wakeboarding with his fiancée, Allison Hsu.

In his now-deleted post, the Canadian star included a caption that was nothing short of a love letter to Goshulak Island, revealing it has been his “safe haven for over a decade.” The 37-year-old Barbie actor added he “lived a lot of life and seen many things in those years, but nothing quite compares to the majesty of the lake.”

Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell and Kate Hudson

According to Forbes, actors Goldie Hawn, 80, and Kurt Russell, 75, own property on Lake Rosseau, north of Lake Muskoka. It’s where the couple have spent summer vacations with Hawn’s 47-year-old daughter, Kate Hudson.

In a red carpet interview with etalk at the 2023 Oscars, Hudson recalled her family’s go-to pit-stop when driving up to their Northern retreat. “You got to go to Tim Hortons, and I usually just get coffee,” she told Canadian TV host Tyrone Edwards.

Martin Short

Canadian comedian Martin Short is a big fan of Muskoka. The Only Murders in the Building star owns a cottage on Lake Rosseau and has even honoured his summer getaways in Ontario by creating a collector’s coin.

In 2013, the now 76-year-old actor teamed up with artist Tony Bianco to create a $3 coin for the Royal Canadian Mint. The collector’s item features Short’s summer home, a sailboat and two Adirondack chairs.

“As much as I adore the excitement of cities, it’s rural Canada that has always had my heart,” the Hamilton, Ont.-born star said in a press release that year. “When I’m there, I feel like I’m in heaven. More than anything, that’s what Canada means to me.”

Mark Wahlberg and Tie Domi

In August 2022, David Beckham shared a photo on Instagram posing with Canadian billionaire Jamie Salter, 63, Ted actor Mark Wahlberg, 54, and former Toronto Maple Leafs player Tie Domi, 56. In the picture, the four men flashed bright smiles for the camera and put their arms around each other.

“Great few days in Muskoka,” Beckham shared in the caption, alongside a Canadian flag emoji. “With family and friends. Wow, what a place. And yes, we laughed a lot and drank a little. The best.”

Shenae Grimes-Beech

In July 2022, 90210 star Shenae Grimes-Beech shared a set of photos from her family holiday in Muskoka on her Instagram Stories. “Found a strip of pop-up shops made out of pastel-painted shipping containers in the middle of the woods. Muskoka, you’re great,” she captioned the first snap.

The 36-year-old actress doubled down on her love for the region by sharing an additional photo of herself jet skiing, paired with the caption, “I repeat… Muskoka, you’re great,” alongside a Canadian flag emoji.

Tom Hanks

According to Forbes, Forrest Gump actor Tom Hanks has planted roots on the coastline of Lake Muskoka. The 69-year-old star owns a stunning lakeside cottage full of bay and picture windows, according to Bavarian Window Works.

In the past, Hanks has shown his love for Canadians and the country’s beauty. He replied to a letter from a fan in Toronto in 2016 who made a bet to see who could get a bet from a famous actor the fastest. “Toronto, huh? D— fine town,” he wrote in his response, enclosed with a photo of himself. “Growing fast, all those condo towers down on the lake.”

Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin

The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills actress Lisa Rinna, 62, and her Clash of the Titans-starring husband, Harry Hamlin, 74, have been taking getaways to the Muskoka area for years. They’ve reportedly spent many summers on Governors Island in Lake Joseph, where Hamlin’s family has had a cottage for more than a century.

In August 2023, Rinna took to Instagram with a carousel of photos from her summer in the region that year. “Some lake life 2023,” the star captioned that post, alongside a Canadian flag emoji. Fans back then shared their appreciation for the post in the comments section.

“Have the same view! It’s the best,” wrote New York-based stylist Leslie Fremar.

“You rock,” a fan added.

Summer McIntosh

Summer McIntosh might be an Olympic-winning swimmer, but that doesn’t mean she can’t spend a bit of vacation time on Lake Muskoka. Following the Paris Olympics last year, the 19-year-old athlete took off to her family’s cottage in the area with “the girls.”

The Toronto-born swimmer took to Instagram last August to share a carousel of photos with her friends enjoying the lake-side relaxation time. In the photos, the women posed on a dock wearing bikinis.

“I think her favourite place is our cottage up north, she’s just so excited to go there,” McIntosh’s mom, Jill, said last summer, according to the National Post. “She loves outdoors. She loves waterskiing. She doesn’t do any swimming up there — she might do a cannon ball off the dock and that’s it.

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