Shop, dine, and relax at ‘The Root’!

On the very edge of the Sandilands Provincial Forest, a mere twenty-minute drive from Steinbach, there’s a very special place where you can dig your toes in the sand, cool off in the water… even enjoy a lunch on a floating picnic table! 

“Our floating picnic tables are very popular,” laughs Hilary Holmes. As one of the owners of The Twisted Root RV Park, she’s almost surprised at their success.  

It all began back in 2014, when she and her husband Brad purchased the property next to their Marchand home.  

“We planned to subdivide, but soon realized the market in our area was flooded,” she reveals. “So we thought we'd try a campground. It took off, and we haven't looked back since!” 

Over the past ten years, the RV park has always expanded in small yearly phases… until now.  

“This year we decided to put in as many sites as possible!” she says. “We developed 60 new sites, and they all have 500-gallon septic tanks, 30AMP power, clean drinking water, high speed Internet, and are about 50 feet wide by 100 feet deep. We leave as many trees as we can, so they're very well treed, private, and they're going fast. We’ve already booked 55 of the 60 new sites!” 

While most people return year after year to the same site for the full season, you can also stop in at “The Root” for a fun meal. 

“Our Boardwalk Grill is open to the public, serving pizza, poutine, burgers, ribs, and all sorts of specials,” shares Holmes. “People love our Wing Night Wednesdays! And our gooey, cheesy Reubens and delicious sandwiches and salads are very popular.” 

Diners can choose to climb the spiral staircase to the rooftop patio – a fun spot to relax with a meal or simply enjoy an ice cream, which Holmes says is also a very popular treat. 

“We're not licensed, so stop at the Marchand Inn and fill a cooler with your own refreshments,” she adds. 

Those who have been coming to The Root for 8 or 9 years in a row are already counting down the days ‘til they can return for 2024.  

“It’s quite a little community. It’s our summer family,” laughs Holmes. 

Brad and Hilary Holmes, owners of The Twisted Root RV Park

Speaking of community, the locals have been very supportive, and appreciate The Twisted Root beach being accessible to them at a very family-friendly price. Holmes says that having a place where those who live in the area can gather and have fun together is very rewarding.  

“With the growth of The Twisted Root over the last few years, Marchand is experiencing economic benefits,” she adds. “As a long-time resident, it’s wonderful to see our little piece of paradise being enjoyed by more folks, and this influx of visitors has brought tourism spin-offs to other businesses in our community as well.”  

But not everyone is in it for the long haul. Many people come to the campground for shorter getaways, renting The Root’s casual sites and unique accommodations.  

“We have two full-service sites which are $50 a night, and two un-serviced sites which are $30 a night,” explains Holmes. “We also have two rental suites – one is a trailer that sleeps six, and that's $155 a night. Then we have the Mod Pod which is a fiberglass dome that we’ve retrofitted with a private deck overlooking the beach, fire pit, barbecue, full kitchen, full bathroom, and sleeps two – that's $145 a night.” 

If you’re more of a daytripper, you should know that the beach is open to the public! If you want to show up just for the day, it's $5 per head, or you can get a family pass for $80 – so a family of five can get in for the whole summer for just $80. (Yes, you read that right!) 

It’s also worth the trip for a unique shopping experience at The Twisted Roote Shoppe – a refurbished grain bin where they sell handmade pottery, jewelry, wind chimes, and clothing created by local artisans.  

The Root opens the weekend before May Long, and closes at the end of September. 

So make plans to shop, eat, relax… and just get away for a while at The Twisted Root RV Park! Follow them on Facebook.