Cottage country is a common name in
Ontario for areas that are popular locations for
recreational properties such as
cottages and
summer homes. Cottage country is often socially, culturally, economically, and politically distinct from other rural areas in that it is populated by a notably higher concentration of urban vacationers and residents who have an affinity for the outdoors in contrast to more traditional rural populations that are largely absent of "city folk" (although, this distinction tends to be more noticeable in the East than the West). Any major population centre may have its own popular "cottage country" area. The name is sometimes applied locally in vernacular use. For example,
Toronto,
Ontario residents might say "I am heading up to cottage country this weekend," which is locally understood to be referring to
Muskoka, the
Kawarthas, or the
Haliburton area. On the other hand, a speaker from
Ottawa would use the same phrase to denote the
Rideau Lakes area.