Getting to Scugog Island: the causeway, not the ferry

Is there really no ferry?

None needed. Scugog's tourism office puts it simply: the island is a few minutes from downtown Port Perry, reached by a short drive across a causeway, "no ferry required". The island sits in the middle of the lake, and man-made channels around its swampy south end keep it an island (encyclopedia account). Island Road, Durham Regional Road 7 on the map, runs up its length and past the hotel.

How long is the drive?

We measure every route with the same routing model on OpenStreetMap data, from the same pin, so the numbers compare fairly. They are model drive times with no traffic. Add time on a Friday afternoon, in snow or on a long weekend.

Which way does the drive go from Toronto?

From downtown, the model takes the Don Valley Parkway to Highway 401 east, then Highway 412 north and a short stretch of the 407, which is a toll highway, before turning north on Regional Road 2 towards Port Perry, along Highway 7A and finally up Island Road. From Pearson, it joins the same line on the 401. If you prefer to avoid the toll road, set that option in your map app; the trip gets longer, not harder. The last few kilometres are rural roads with farm fields and very little street lighting, so give yourself time in winter.

Scugog's tourism partners describe the island as about an hour from Toronto, and on empty roads that holds. When we opened the Google Maps route from Union Station early on Saturday 31 October 2026, Google estimated 1 hr 4 min via the 407 and 1 hr 5 min via the 401; from Pearson it showed about 1 hr 5 min over roughly 102 km. Our model is more cautious, at about 80 minutes from Union Station and 96 from Pearson. Weekday rush hour will beat both.

Can we come by train?

Partly. GO Transit's Lakeshore East line serves Oshawa GO Station, which is 42 km from the hotel by road. From there the realistic options are a taxi or a rideshare, around 47 minutes by the model. We did not find published fares, and in rural Durham late in the evening cars can be scarce, so arrange the last leg before you board.

Is there a bus?

We could not find a scheduled bus that crosses the causeway to the hotel. Durham Region Transit started Route 618 on 5 May 2025 as a weekday daytime pilot linking Port Perry with Sunderland, Cannington and Beaverton, without advance booking. It helps if you are already in Port Perry and heading north; it does not reach the island. Check the transit operator's site for the current state of on-demand service in North Durham before you count on it.

Where do we park?

On site, for free. The operator lists free on-site parking and every room includes free self-parking. See arrival and parking for check-in rules.

Where is it on the map?

Here is the property's own Google Maps place. The pin marks the casino building; the hotel stands just south of it on the same grounds.

Great Blue Heron Casino & Hotel, 21777 Island Road, Port Perry, ON L9L 1B6 · map by Google Maps

Open in Google Maps · Directions to the hotel · The hotel's official page

Sat-nav tip: search for the full address, 21777 Island Road, Port Perry, rather than the town name; Port Perry's downtown is about 11 km away across the water.