Casino Rama Resort

Casino Rama sits in Ontario's Lake Country, north of Orillia and close to Lake Couchiching. It is owned by the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, and the property's role in the region — as employer and as venue — is considerable.

The resort combines a hotel, several restaurants, a spa and a large entertainment centre that has hosted touring musicians for decades. Gaming is present, as the name says, but the concert calendar brings a great many guests through the doors.

The surrounding country suits a slower visit: lakes, trails and small towns, with the Trent-Severn Waterway nearby. Roughly ninety minutes from Toronto, which makes it a weekend rather than an expedition.