Ontario is known for many spectacular things in winter. From provincial parks to incredibly enchanting cities, Ontario has a plethora of activities that await you and your family.
While the province is much known for the amazing Niagara Falls, it also has plenty of bustling, beautiful, and festive places to visit during the winter months. To name a few, we have the astonishing Blue Mountains, great for a winter escape, and the outdoor Christmas Market in Ottawa, featuring foods and performances.
What is Ontario best known for?
Whether you prefer skating down in glassy trails, exploring frosty places, or love strolling around the city for art and trinkets, Ontario has all of these fun and breathtaking activities for you.
Ontario, Canada’s second-largest province, is a land of enchanting beauty, cultural diversity, and cutting-edge innovation. Nestled in the heart of the country, Ontario is a melting pot of cultures, traditions, and natural wonders. From cosmopolitan cities to vast wilderness, this province offers a rich tapestry of experiences that make it truly one of Canada’s most treasured gems. In this essay, we will explore some of the aspects that make Ontario best known and cherished.
Where is the prettiest place in Ontario?
Ontario has extraordinary sights to see in winter, and you don’t want to miss out on the beauty of the season by staying bundled up warm inside your home. So, as soon as the snow piles up and ice sits on the lake, it’s high time to check out and journey on some of these stunning and divine places in Ontario for every winter weekend.
Holiday Market, Toronto, and Ottawa
During the months of November to December, don’t miss out on Toronto’s Distillery Historic District which showcases some of the best-preserved industrial architecture in North America. They also have an outdoor Christmas market where you could spend the entire day enjoying street fests, food stands, and live performances!
In Ottawa, after you amuse yourself with the holiday light show in Parliament Hill, you can check out the Canadian Museum of History Christmas Market to entertain yourself with some crafts, pieces of jewelry, and edibles.
Hamilton also features hundreds of vendors that showcase spectacular gift items, and arts and crafts, including decorations during the Farmer’s Market. Lastly, outdoor performances and vendor stalls can also be enjoyed in Kitchener’s German Christkindl Market during the early days of December.
You could spend your entire December month in Ontario. You could explore it with your friends. For example, you could avail of bus rentals for you and your hockey teammates while exploring Ontario. Renting a bus can give your team convenience with regard to group transportation.. If you’re strolling around the province with a car, make sure to replace your used tires near St. Catharine’s to enjoy a safe winter travel experience.
Ontario’s capital and Canada’s largest city, Toronto, is a vibrant metropolis that embodies modernity and multiculturalism. Known for its towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and thriving arts scene, Toronto is a global hub for finance, technology, and entertainment. The iconic CN Tower graces its skyline, attracting visitors from around the world. Toronto’s diverse neighborhoods, such as Chinatown, Little Italy, and Kensington Market, reflect the city’s multicultural fabric, where different communities coexist harmoniously.
Prince Edward County
If you want a day trip, head into Prince Edward County to visit beautiful parks, fantastic hiking trails, and breathtaking views of the water. The place is also famous for its vineyards and wineries. This is why even in the cold season, plenty of wine lovers visit the area to enjoy its tasty wine varieties.
Albion Falls, Webster Falls, Tew Falls, Hamilton
When in Hamilton, the first thing you should do is admire some frozen waterfalls and then explore its attractive town. Hamilton is known for its abundant source of waterfalls, classy restaurants, and engaging events. Make your visit more worthwhile by checking out different restaurants with a variety of cuisines and bars too!
Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
Northern Ontario is the most suitable place to experience Canadian winter. They have spectacular landscapes and amazing snow views that are perfect for photoshoots.
MacGregor Point Provincial Park
Looking for a place great for camping this winter? In Port Elgin lies this park where you can do not only snowshoeing and skiing but also a 400-meter skating trail! More than that, the park has picturesque scenes that are perfect for a long drive.
Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
Go for a hike and rediscover this remarkable hidden gem in Orangeville, Ontario. These spectacular winter trails will give you winter views that you’ve never seen before at a very affordable price!
Inglis Falls
Located 2 hours away from Toronto, Georgian Bluffs has the ever-impressive Inglis Falls serving an 18-meter beautiful frozen waterfall during the winter season. It also has forest and view trails that are great for mountain bikers, hikers, and nature lovers.
North Ridge Ranch, Muskoka
For all dog lovers out there, enjoy a great experience of magic and adventure with your dogs through dog sledding at the North Ridge Ranch. Create the best exhilarating and breathtaking memories with your dogs under the blanket of snow!
Rice Lake, East of Toronto
Rice Lake hosts plenty of weekend activities during the winter! You can snow-kit in the winter and enjoy its epic landscapes, have fun on the ice, or watch the grand view from the side. Even when snow-kiters are having fun on the ice, the scenery will still serve its best look.
Algonquin Provincial Park
Of course! Who would forget Canada’s oldest provincial park? Winter in Algonquin is the best place to experience serenity and solitude. There are various trails to explore where you get a chance to see wildlife, get into snowshoeing, and do camping.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls can instantly turn into a peaceful paradise during the winter. Its frozen landscapes and waterfalls, floating ice, and snowy trees can provide you with an incredible experience unlike any other. If you like taking photos, Niagara Falls can also serve you with the best photographic opportunities.
Bruce Peninsula National Park
While people flock to the peninsula for all seasons, coming here in winter is the best season to explore snow-covered trees in parks and witness the epic view of the blue waters of Georgian Bay. You can also visit Tobermory (a nearby town) for great trails to do snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing! However, you just need to be careful as roads can be extra dangerous during the cold season.
Blue Mountain Resort
One of Ontario’s favorites is the Blue Mountain Resort, which is famous for its fun snow activities like snowboarding, skiing, horse-drawn sleigh rides, heli-touring, snowmobiling, and winter caving. Since it is Ontario’s biggest ski resort, you need to book in advance to experience its best winter offers.
Rideau Canal, Ottawa
Complete your winter bucket list by heading to Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, and skate down the Rideau Canal. The canal is considered to be the longest natural frozen skating arena. Apart from that, the winter season brings plenty of sights to see and fun activities to enjoy like an ice carving competition or simply taking a walk in the Byward Market.
Lake Superior Provincial Park
Looking for ice caves? The Lake Superior shoreline is the best place to be! During the early winter, storms turn rock cliffs and shelves into marvelous blue-iced caverns. So, strap on your snowshoes to enjoy the splendid ice cave.
Killarney Provincial Park
Another perfect spot in Northern Ontario is the dazzling white limestone cliffs in the mountains of Killarney’s La Cloche. If you’re a summit seeker and love to do short hikes, you can definitely claim the peaks, get high on its panoramic views, and create unforgettable memories with the brilliant snows that blanket the mountains.
Muskoka Lake Cranberry Ice Trail
And, the place that tops the list is the Muskoka Lake Cranberry Ice Trail. This winter, don’t miss gliding along a glassy skating trail in 12 acres of frozen Muskoka Forest and cranberries. You can also try the most exciting fun winter sport — ski shoeing! So, put on your pair of snowshoes and experience the thrills of skiing in this awesome place.
Ontario is a province that captivates the soul with its diverse offerings. From the urban allure of Toronto to the natural splendors of Niagara Falls and the tranquility of its provincial parks, Ontario offers an array of experiences for every traveler. Its multicultural society and thriving innovation landscape contribute to the province’s unique identity. Whether exploring its urban centers or basking in the serenity of its natural wonders, Ontario promises an unforgettable journey through a land of boundless beauty, diversity, and innovation.
If you want to give yourself and your family the most epic weekend this winter season, Ontario is just the place to be! Make sure to check out these 17 amazing places to experience the best of Ontario on your next winter weekend getaway.
