'Plunging' into the Blue
Mark Pavilons

When asked whether she was a fish or a girl, my bubbly two-year-old responded "fishy-girl."

"I go to Plunge now, Dada?"

It took her less than 24 hours to gush forth with her demand, after being exposed for the first time to the fantastic aquatic experience known as the Plunge! at the Westin Trillium House at the Village at Blue Mountain.

And, my six-year-old male child repeatedly asked to go swimming in the pool at 10 p.m. for "one last time before bed."

My eldest, a born waterlover given her Aquarian nature, was rarely seen above water that week, except for the occasional meal and gondola ride.

You'd think that after a week in and around Georgian Bay, my little, water-logged fish would be tired of refreshing water and fun in the sun. Not on your life!

I have found that the best critiques and opinions on just about everything come from my young charges. They don't pull any punches and tell you exactly what they love.

The Plunge! at the Westin is one of the neatest inland water parks around, in a beautiful setting, all within a relatively short drive of the GTA.

The Plunge! is a 10,000- square-foot indoor/outdoor centre, featuring childfriendly play areas, hot tubs, water slides and a well used rope jump.

The indoor leisure pool opens up to the larger, deeper outdoor pool, heated all year long. Despite the fact it's open daily 9-9, our kids would have loved to squeeze in an extra hour.

It's not limited to children - there's plenty to engage the parents and grandparents, too. The staff are simply amazing and they offered a great summer camp program.

We loved our lavish tworoom suite at the Westin Trillium House, which Lexie referred to in her scrapbook as the "home sweet." What did I tell you about the pearls of wisdom from young ones? In bold letters in her journal entry, she mentioned the fact this room had a kitchen! To them, such a thing goes way beyond practicality - it's seen as an entirely new resort experience. While we've had some swanky digs in our travelling past, this one definitely ranks very high on our list. A large, well appointed two-bedroom suite with a balcony does bring a typical family vacation to another level.

From our balcony, the view was spectacular, from the mountain to the millpond, to the village. As the sun set one evening, I understood the attraction of resort living and the Village at Blue.

The hotel restaurant at the Westin Trillium House, Oliver & Bonacini cafe-grill, is a jewel. Its decor is outmatched only by its cuisine and the large, outdoor terrace offers one of the best views in the resort. My wife and I both agreed we had the best meal in years during our late afternoon break from the children. Our server was absolutely spot-on when she offered her suggestions and opinions. The spring rolls and Thai sauce are unparalleled and the cheesecake is to die for. Kudos for a cuisine and setting that's second to none.

My wife was somewhat familiar with Blue Mountain and Collingwood, albeit it has been some time since she skied in the area.

The roughly seven-yearold Village at Blue Mountain is nothing short of pictureperfect. My wife said it reminded her of the quaintness of Vail, Colorado - high praise to be sure. It's a unique little place, whose cobblestone streets are home to dozens of shops and restaurants, all at the foot of the runs of Blue Mountain. It was particularly attractive, in the heat of early August, warming this non-skier to a very charming and inviting lifestyle.

My son, who's not typically given to theatrics, did remark that he could "get used to this." The retail outlets offer some high-end fashions and designer eyewear and the food choices and quality are unbelievable. While it's resort pricing, it's definitely worth it.

The 32-acre development features more than 30 shops and restaurants and boasts a vibrant street life. In the short time we were there, we were treated to no less than three outdoor concerts.

Intrawest's Village at Blue is similar to Whistler and Tremblant and the plans are to expand this area to 2,000 resort homes and 70 shops and restaurants. The Vancouver-based Intrawest is North America's leading developer and operator of four-season, village-centred resorts.

This was something new for yours truly and his gaggle. To be surrounded by luxury and haute cuisine in what's basically a privately owned village, was truly fascinating. While I'm not a skier, my family's summer experience has me wanting more, with hopes of returning to the spot to enjoy the colours, or even giving the slopes another shot this winter. I can only imagine the postcard-like scenery the area transforms into when covered by a blanket of snow.

While our stay at the Blue is a memory, there's a picture displayed in our kitchen of a lone Muskoka chair by the pond. It makes me smile each and every day.