8 minute read
Winter Activities
WE DON'T HIBERNATE, we celebrate!
Winter doesn’t stop play in Canada – if anything it gives it the green light! Karl Cushing off ers seven compelling reasons why clients should keep it Canada for their winter holidays
World-class skiing
With ski resorts in Western Canada benefi ting from usually reliable snowfall and world-class powder, it’s small wonder they are a magnet for British skiers and snowboarders.
The village at Whistler in British Columbia sits next to the slopes and combined with Blackcomb off ers an outstanding choice of runs as well as off -piste activities from bobsleighing to a lively nightlife.
In the same province, Sun Peaks is Canada’s second-largest ski area (after Whistler). With terrain on three mountains there is a huge number of runs and space aplenty. The resort has a host of beginner and intermediate skiing, making it a great choice for families.
In Alberta, Banff town, with its restaurants and shops, makes an excellent base with regular buses taking skiers and snowboarders to the local slopes at the local Mt. Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise, which comprise SkiBig3.
For a more laidback vibe, the town of Jasper is half the size of Banff and off ers excellent skiing at Marmot Basin, which has received several upgrades in recent years.
Enticing winter lovers out east are Québec’s picture-perfect Laurentian Mountains, northwest of Montréal. Here, Mt. Tremblant’s Francophone character makes for an exciting world-class ski alternative to the resorts out west.
Snow much fun off the slopes
Snowshoeing, dog sledding and snowmobile tours just some of the popular and easily accessible options that are alternatives to skiing and snowboarding.
Another signature Canadian experience, Ice fi shing trips, see visitors venture out onto frozen lakes to huddle around holes in the ice, possibly sheltered in a heated hut– this is as much about learning about local culture as hooking fi sh.
Québec resorts such as Mont-SainteAnne, Stoneham, Bromont and Sutton off er excellent cross-country skiing trails while the province’s auberges are a good bet for off -piste multi-activity packages.
Properties like the Le Baluchon Eco Resort off er guests the use of electric fat bikes, which make light work of the snowy conditions, alongside timeless options such as horse-drawn sleigh rides.
Wellness is also to the fore. In Québec options include the Nordic Spa-Nature in Chelsea, Mt. Tremblant’s Scandinave Spa and at Club Med's Mountain Resort in the
Winter fun in toronto
Charlevoix region, where hot and cold treatments alternate to soothe and rest the body and an outdoor whirlpool bath off ers views of the St Lawrence River.
Overnight options don’t come cooler than Québec’s ice hotel – or, as the locals say, Hôtel de Glace – a unique overnight experience that is usually bookable from January to March.
Other quintessentially Canadian 'alternative' accommodation options include a ‘Winter Log Cabin Adventure’ in Algonquin Park, Ontario, and a yurt stay, which can be added into multi-activity packages such as those off ered at Cabot Shores Wilderness Resort, Nova Scotia, which promises a holiday fuelled by campfi re hot chocolate and ‘s’mores’.
Ice-skating is one family-friendly option readily enjoyed in Canada’s cities. Ottawa’s Rideau Canal transforms into the world’s largest rink from January to early March, while Toronto has its Evergreen Brickworks rink and Montréal’s Old Port area draws crowds to its themed skating nights.
And try to fi nd your way out of the world’s largest snow maze, in St. Adolphe, just south of Winnipeg. Usually open to visitors from late January to mid-March, it features fi ve special theme rooms made of snow.
For the more adventurous
Serious seasonal swells draw the most intrepid winter surfers to Nova Scotia where Lawrencetown Beach is home to the East Coast Surf School. Out west, Tofi no in British Columbia off ers a diff erent type of cool. From October through April the Pacifi c Ocean packs an extra-powerful punch – so much so that storm watching is a celebrated attraction: enjoy it surfside or fi reside from beachfront resorts like Pacifi c Sands in Cox Bay. It is quite a show.
Research suggests that outdoor swimming in the winter off ers a range of health benefi ts. This is available in many places in Canada where groups gather at sites such as Toronto’s Cherry Beach, Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Halifax’s Chocolate Lake and even the Yukon, where hardy residents take a frigid dip through holes cut in the ice.
Winter kayaking and SUP are available for those with a wetsuit but for a truly iconic Canadian pursuit watch or try ice canoeing along Québec’s St Lawrence River.
In the Canadian Rockies winter conditions are ideal for ice climbing, with hundreds of challenging routes available. Trips are arranged out of bases such as Banff – and you needn’t be Bear Gryls either, with family options and taster days on off er.
Unforgettable events
Canadians love their outdoor winter events and visitors will too, insulated by hearty local fayre such as hot chocolate, coff ee from the local Tim Horton’s, a steaming plate of poutine or a hot apple cider.
Calendar highlights include January’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Festival, which takes place over two weekends. The town’s heritage district sets the stage with Ice wine from local wineries, ice-wine-inspired cuisine and live music. Tastings are off ered at the region’s award-winning wineries.
Montréal’s three-week musical Igloofest
ice fishing in sun Peaks
(which was cancelled for 2022), draws thousands of electronic music fans to the Old Port of Montreal each January/February.
Other winter events mark local culture, such as February’s Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg, Manitoba, a 10-day affair with the tagline 'We don't hibernate, we celebrate!'
It pays homage to the first inhabitants of European origin (French) to settle at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers and the many Francophone voyageurs of the fur trade who followed them.
The festival includes a live presentation on the life of the voyageurs, music, dance, a snow sculpture contest and a parade.
In British Columbia, the Rossland Winter Carnival has roots stretching back to 1897. Signature events include a carnival parade with fire spinners, an ice palace, beer gardens and snow sculptures.
For sheer irreverence March’s Griz Days in Fernie, BC is hard to beat, with lumberjack shows, leg wrestling and axe throwing.
Festive markets, winter lights
Toronto gets in the festive mood early with a huge Santa Claus Parade on the third Sunday in November, before embracing the season with its Cavalcade of Lights, Fair in the Square and Christmas Market.
Vancouver's big draws include the Bright Nights Christmas Train ride in an illuminated Stanley Park, and a German-themed Christmas Market featuring a carousel, music, arts and crafts and Alpine Haus, a heated tent which was extended in 2021 to ensure more distance between visitors.
Ottawa and co-hosts Gatineau will look to welcome back the popular Winterlude festival in February 2023. Aside from outdoor activities like a gigantic snow playground called Snowflake Kingdom, many other Winterlude activities – indoors and outdoors – highlight Canada's cultural, artistic and culinary diversity. Urban sites, museums and events present opportunities to connect with Indigenous culture.
Other winter draws in February include Edmonton’s Silver Skate festival and Québec City, where event mascot Bonhomme emerges from his ice palace each year to lead the magical Québec Winter Carnival, with parades, snow sculptures and ice canoe races.
The nearby pretty and atmospheric Laurentian villages really get into the seasonal mood too, with their Christmas illuminations.
Kids love exploring the illuminated Niagara Falls during the Winter Festival of Lights, which runs from mid-November to mid-February, and Yellowknife’s Snow castle, the centrepiece of the Snowking festival each early March.
CANADA DESTINATION
fat tire biking near canmore, alberta
CANADA DESTINATION
family fun in Quebec’s laurentian mountains comforts
CANADA DESTINATION
‘Tis the season for city breaks…
Canada’s cities are at their enchanting best in the colder months. In Ottawa illuminations, seasonal foods and festive entertainments add a seasonal lustre to a visit while in Toronto’s shopping areas deck themselves in bells, holly and more, with Eaton Centre, Yorkville and Queen Street popular retail spots.
Ontario Place’s rejuvenation includes a winter lights exhibition along with skating fire pits and food vendors. The city also has Theatre District, where Broadway performances at venues such as the Ed Mirvish theatre (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child arrives May 31 2022) and the Prince of Wales Theatre are cozy winter options.
Montréal takes winter in its stride, with daily life going on seamlessly in its ‘underground city’. For a two-centre winter break, Montréal twins well with Québec City whose historic architecture and riverside setting are at their beguiling best under a blanket of snow and ice.
Vancouver and Calgary (with its multiattraction WinSport Park), were respective hosts of the 2010 and 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Both are excellent city stay options that can be added to the front or back of a ski or winter activities holiday.
