Guests | Blue Mill Cottages

We have been renting the Blue Mill Cottages every year for the past twenty years. Every year we take a picture of our kids – in the first image they range in age from 2-4 years and the second image was taken in July 2022 and they are now 22-24 years old! The kids still look forward to their week at the cottage every summer and book time off of work early to make sure they don’t miss it! Thank you so much for allowing us to book the same week every year with our family and friends (that are truly family to us).
– Michelle Ridgers, Stoney Creek, ON

Renée and I really enjoyed our time away at the Blue Mill Cottages in Port Elgin. Our hosts, Karen and Dan Calligan, offer a lovely cottage experience, inside and out, with a quick walk to the beach or downtown and a drive to many beaches and towns nearby. If you’re ever in the need for sun and surf, alongside nightly inspiration from the glorious sunsets, ( at the best price anywhere!) look this place up.
– Deirdre and Renée, Hamilton Ontario

We visited Blue Mill Cottages for the first time this past August. We were joined by our adult children. We were all impressed with the cleanliness of the cottage, and the property around it. The cottage was well appointed with everything you need for your visit. The cottages are close to all the services in town and walking distance to the beach. There is lots to do in the area, we shopped, golfed and rode our bikes. We enjoyed ourselves enough that we are coming back next year! Thanks, Karen and Dan!
– Gary and Cheryl Beemer and Family, Caledonia, ON

We came upon the Blue Mill cottages when there was a last minute cancellation, and loved our experience so much that we’ve been back every summer since. Now, after five summers, this has become a much beloved family tradition.

The space is perfect for young families – you have the benefit of being near the beach, while being able to safely play in the spacious yard. Karen and Dan take such great care of the property, including a fun little playground for kids. The cottages are well appointed, with all the relevant kitchen tools for both the casual and gourmet cook. Dining space is comfortable both inside and out, with cool adjustable picnic tables that can accommodate alternate seating (like a highchair or wheelchair). We’ve found the cottages have plenty of privacy, but the families in the neighbouring spaces are always lovely. Recently, friends of ours booked during the same week as us and we shared outdoor meals and fires together very comfortably.

During the pandemic, we felt so grateful for the chance to get away safely, knowing that Karen and Dan’s cottages would be fully disinfected. They’re always well cleaned, and in perfect working order, doubly so during COVID.

Overall, we cannot recommend these cottages more highly; you will not regret a week spent at Blue Mill Cottages!”
-Lisa and Jeff Hood, Guelph, ON

For seven summers now, my wife and I have enjoyed a week’s vacation at Blue Mill Cottages. Our cottage has always been very clean and comfortable. Along tree lined streets, we’ve enjoyed short walks to the beach or to the local coffee shops. Each summer we feel at home once again in Port Elgin. We highly recommend Blue Mill Cottages.
– Mike and Veronica Brennan, Kitchener, ON

We have been fortunate to have spent a week every summer over the past 10+ plus years at Blue Mill Cottages! It has been our home away from home each summer. Karen and Dan are amazing hosts/owners who take such pride in the ownership of their cottages and the large property itself. We love the location and all the amenities Blue Mill Cottages has offered our family all these years. We never leave their disappointed hence why we have made it our go to summer destination over the past decade plus!
– The Core/La Torre/Mamone Families, Hamilton, ON

I have been vacationing in Port Elgin since I was a kid myself and over the past few years have had the pleasure of introducing our own children to our annual week in Port Elgin. The Blue Mill cottages are a perfect family get away, located a short walk from the beach or into town. With multiple cottages on one property it’s a great way to vacation with other families but still have the privacy of your own cottage. Our whole family looks forward to visiting the cottages each summer and we love that it has now become something that our children look forward to as well. We love the small town atmosphere, the backyard campfires, ice cream and swimming at the beach, the best sunsets in Ontario, and the drives along the water from Port Elgin to Southampton. We look forward to many more summer getaways at the Blue Mill cottages.”
– The Chase family, Dundas, ON

Our family has been staying at Blue Mill Cottages for the past 7 years. We love our summer vacation to Bruce County. Our days are spent at the beach, biking along the many trails, shopping at the Wednesday flea market, visiting the Bruce County Museum, watching the spectacular sunsets, checking out the Southampton Art Gallery and exploring the surrounding area. Our vacations wouldn’t be complete without the multiple trips to get ice cream and gelato. The Blue Mill Cottages have all the comforts of home but have the bonus of being near Lake Huron. After long days of adventuring we return to the cottage tired and happy to have such a great spot to unwind and rest.
– Lindsay, Deanna, Caleigh, Guelph, Ontario

We have been vacationing in Port Elgin for close to 20 years. We have stayed in various Blue Mill Cottages and in the Mill House. We have had so much fun there with our family and have made beautiful memories there.

Karen and Dan have always ensured the cottages or house were thoroughly cleaned and have basically thought of everything, ensuring guests are equipped with everything. It truly feels like home away from home.

In this challenging year of the pandemic, we felt very comfortable booking a cottage and actually vacationed there on two different weeks.

We look forward to many more vacations there with our family. We thank the Calligan’s for always making us feel welcome!!

We highly recommend the Bluemill Cottages.
– Mike & Michelina Bozzo & Family, Hamilton, ON

We’ve been returning to Blue Mill Cottages for 28 years and have never been disappointed. Karen and Dan are wonderful hosts. Their cottages and the house are well maintained, exceptionally clean and nicely furnished. The beach and rebuilt pier were especially enjoyable this past year. The sunsets are fabulous. Biking , campfires, BBQs and just relaxing, round out the week. We can’t imagine going anywhere else….thanks for the fun and the memories.
– Peter and Kathy Szota & Family, Ancaster, ON

We have been coming to the Blue Mill cottages for over 20 years with our three girls. We have many memories attached to the cottages and Port Elgin. We have always found Karen and Dan to be welcoming and the cottages ready with the amenities you need to have a relaxing and comfortable week. Over time, we have stayed in different cottages on the property and they have all met our needs. The location of the cottages provides easy access to the beach and downtown and the surrounding area has plenty of things to do on the occasional rainy day. The area is quiet and family’s of all ages can enjoy their stay. We have had family from Manitoba come to stay with us at the cottages and thoroughly enjoyed their stay as well. We look forward to coming back next summer.
– Shelagh Daly and Rob Hamilton from Hamilton, ON

We have been renting a cottage for our summer family vacation for 26 years. The first cottage we rented was in Sauble Beach. We have also rented cottages in Southampton as well as Port Elgin. The last few summers, we rented a few different cottages in Port Elgin. We were not pleased at all with the cottage we rented last summer so decided that while we were renting the cottage for two weeks in Port Elgin, that we would go on-line and see what other cottages would be available for the following summer. We looked at 5 different cottages, one being the Bruce Cottage #5 at the Blue Mill Cottages. I went on the website and emailed Karen to see if it would be at all possible to view the Bruce cottage while we were in Port Elgin. She quickly responded to my email and we set up a time to view the cottage. Much to my surprise, when we arrived at Blue Mill Cottages, the property was very well maintained and Dan was cleaning one of the BBQs for the next guests. Karen met us at our car and took us through the Bruce cottage as well as a tour around the property. We had a few questions and Karen was more than happy to answer all of our inquiries. After looking inside the Bruce cottage, we told Karen, book us in! Upon our arrival at the Bruce cottage the following summer, I opened the fridge and to our surprise was a welcoming bottle of wine. What a beautiful touch! The cottage was clean, spacious and very well equipped. There was also a folder with all kinds of information of things to do during our stay. Despite the weather, we had a wonderful week at the cottage. We have two grown children and are very fortunate that they continue to this day, to spend a week at the cottage with us, a family tradition that I hope will continue for many years to come. Next year I am pleased to say that we will be a regular at Blue Mill Cottages.

– Diane and Greig Rosenberg, Cambridge, Ontario

We started a 3 generation family tradition 13 summers ago when we booked our first week of cottage time in Port Elgin. As the grandchildren grew and our needs changed we took a look around to see what we could find that might better suit and lucky for us… we visited Blue Mill and met the lovely Karen. She made us feel comfortable, welcome and right at home and within minutes we were nodding our heads that we had found just what we were looking for! Our 2017 vacation in the new Saugeen cottage was AWESOME! From finding a chilled bottle of wine in the fridge, to bedrooms with closets, well stocked kitchen cupboards with lots of tools, dishes and cooking utensils it didn’t take us long to settle in. The location to the beach and to downtown makes for easy pedestrian travel. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the lake this summer and have already confirmed our reservation for 2018… for 2 weeks this time.. Can’t wait! Thank you Karen and Dan for providing us the opportunity to continue creating family experiences and memories that will last a life time!

– Marilyn Vaux and family

Our family has vacationed at the Blue Mill Cottages for the past five consecutive summers. The children start asking about the cottage at Christmas! It is the first date that we put on our new calendars each January so we can count down the weeks until it’s time to go to the cottage. Our annual family vacation at the Blue Mill Cottages has become a special time that we all look forward to. We enjoy the familiarity of staying at the Bruce cottage the first week in July, where we have established traditions and happy memories to build upon each year.

– Leigh Moore, Hamilton, Ontario

This was our first time at Blue mill cottages/Port Elgin and we LOVED it!! When we first drove up to the property we couldn’t believe it actually looked exactly like the website pictures. It was a very welcoming place to stay in Port Elgin, and the rates were reasonable. Our kids absolutely loved the playground and the amount of space in the yard. They made a lot of friends and lasting memories from those long hours of playing! The Elgin cottage was like a home away from home and we will definitely return next summer. Thank you to Dan and Karen.

– The Abbott Family, Toronto, Ontario

I had the pleasure of a short get-a-way at Blue Mill and was delighted with the accommodations. The proprietors were welcoming and friendly and made every effort to ensure my stay would be pleasant. The cottage was spotless and cozy and the grounds were well kept and inviting with a picnic table and wonderful Muskoka chairs where you could relax and read or enjoy a nice glass of wine. The neighbours were friendly and my Grandchildren really enjoyed socializing in the play area out the back. A great beach only minutes away. I would not hesitate to visit Blue Mill Cottages in the future. To the Calligan’s – Thanks for a wonderful stay!

– Pat Christie, Brantford, Ontario

During our stay at the Blue Mill Cottages, we stayed in the Mill House. The house was perfect for our three families that stayed there. There was more than enough rooms in the house, and the house had everything we needed in it. The property was very large and safe for our children to run around and play in. It was very quiet and relaxing, we loved enjoying our morning coffees on the large outdoor deck while the children played in the yard. The location was perfect, just a few blocks from town, and a few blocks from the beach, which allowed us to walk to both. A special thank you to our hosts Dan and Karen. This will be a place for us to return with our family again each year as we look forward to many more wonderful memories.

– Stefani, Perry Chevalier and family, Brampton, Ontario

Every summer my Family looks forward to staying at Blue Mill Cottages, we’ve begun a tradition, created lasting life long memories and wouldn’t give up our vacation of fun and relaxation for anything. Our cottage is always in mint condition, our hosts Karen and Dan always accomodating and the atmosphere is amazing with the sunsets, lakeside activities and small town hospitality. My Family will continue to vacation at Blue Mill Cottages for many years to come.

– Ed & Heather Dryngiewicz, Cambridge, Ontario

Staying at Blue Mill Cottages is very restful, peaceful and relaxing. Karen and Dan, our hosts, are very accomodating and make our vacation most enjoyable. Wouldn’t miss our week in Port Elgin for anything!

– Ken and Patricia Callaghan, Hamilton, Ontario

We have been visiting Port Elgin for many years, as a couple on our own or with friends or with family. Port Elgin offers everything we could possibly need for both young and old. It is reassuring to know that when we stay at the Blue Mill Cottages we are assured of comfortable, clean, friendly accomodations every time. The cottages are spacious and well equipped, the owners helpful and welcoming. We are looking forward to a huge family reunion this summer in Port Elgin!

– Karen and Dan Johnson, Hamilton, Ontario

We have stayed at the Mill House for four years in a row and it has become a family tradition for us and we hope to be able to stay there for many years to come. The location is perfect for walking to the beach or uptown. The kids love the property and have all the room they need to play hide and seek or tag and we all enjoy the fire pit at night. We would recommend the Blue Mill Cottages to anyone.

– Doug McGhee, Bolton, Ontario

The Huron Blue Mill cottage was full of wonderful memories spent with family. Spacious, light and airy, very clean and lots of room to play games, family discussions and a kitchen better equipped than at home.

– Brenda Haslip, Sarnia, Ontario

We have a great time every year that we come visit Blue Mills Cottages. The kids always have fun and there is so much to do; roasting marshmallows on the fire, hanging out at the beach, talking with other guests, and visiting all the local attractions.

– Jon, Kathie, Lexy and Reese, Grimsby, Ontario

The Harbour
The Saugeen
The Huron
The Bruce
The Hampton
The Georgian
The Mill House

“ Karen and Dan, our hosts, are very accomodating and make our vacation most enjoyable. ”
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A Few Words From Our Guests

A perfect get away with family, friends or by yourself