The small communities surrounding Algonquin Provincial Park offer some beautifully quaint little towns to begin your journey deep into the province's hinterland, like the sleepy community of Barry's Bay, Ontario.

A small town with a population of around 1,300 located within the township of Madawaska Valley, about 300 km northeast of Toronto, Barry's Bay is a quiet stop along Ontario Highway 60.

Highway 60 is best known as the primary road passing through scenic Algonquin Park, but its stretch through Barry's Bay acts as one of the town's primary thoroughfares, dotted with charming shops, cafes and architecture that adds to the small-town Ontario vibe.

The waterfront community on the shores of Kamaniskeg Lake and is home to cute accommodations like rentable cottages, inns and small hotels.

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Before trekking into the wilderness of Algonquin, visitors to Barry's Bay might want to check out Mask Island, a small farming community connected to the mainland via a causeway.

Aside from its plentiful natural features and access to nearby Algonquin, the town's best known attraction is its restored historic train station, which houses a visitor centre.

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Hockey culture is also deeply rooted in the community, earning the town a position as a finalist in the 2006 edition of CBC's annual Hockeyville competition.

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Other year-round fun in Barry's Bay includes an aviation-themed park built in honour of a test pilot who worked on the legendary Avro Arrow program. Zurakowski Park — named in honour of Arrow chief test pilot and Barry's Bay local, Janusz Żurakowski — features a mock-up of the iconic but ill-fated domestic fighter jet.