{"id":3969,"date":"2023-01-18T17:09:25","date_gmt":"2023-01-18T17:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/?p=3969"},"modified":"2023-06-27T20:07:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T20:07:13","slug":"winter-bucket-list-best-things-to-do-this-winter-in-ontario","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/winter-bucket-list-best-things-to-do-this-winter-in-ontario\/","title":{"rendered":"WINTER BUCKET LIST \u2013 BEST THINGS TO DO THIS WINTER IN ONTARIO"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"b12171e95ca29a06569361a76d0dc3e3\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6144103376590397\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Winter can be one of the most beautiful times of the year, with the glistening snow, fluffy white snowflakes, snow covered treetops and warming up with a hot bevy\u2026ok this is on a good day but with the right snow gear and the right activity any winter day can turn into a magical experience.\u00a0 Whether you are the more active type or you would rather sit back and take in the winter wonder around you, we\u2019ve put together a list of some incredible winter activities that need to be on your bucket list!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Winter sleigh ride and horseback riding<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3975\" src=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleigh-ride-gce649804b_1920-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Horses trotting through the snow\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleigh-ride-gce649804b_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleigh-ride-gce649804b_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleigh-ride-gce649804b_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleigh-ride-gce649804b_1920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/sleigh-ride-gce649804b_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There is something so enchanting about being led through a forest in winter by these majestic creatures.\u00a0 The glistening snow makes it all that more romantic and magical.\u00a0 If you are looking for a more private experience,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/backofbeyondequinecentre.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Back of Beyond Equine Centre<\/a>\u00a0in Muskoka offers private winter sleigh rides through a magical winter wonderland and ends with a cozy campfire and a cup of delicious hot chocolate. \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/vondoelersranch.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Von Doeler\u2019s Ranch, h<\/a>alfway between North Bay and Mattawa, offers winter riding with miles of gorgeous forest and river trails. They even offer lakeside cabin stay-and-ride packages for those that want to make a weekend of it. If you are looking for guaranteed snow,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/captivafarms.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Captiva Farms<\/a>\u00a0in Ottawa offers horseback riding adventures through a winter wonderland of protected trails that the whole family can enjoy.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Drive your own dog sled<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3974\" src=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/finland-g04464ac6f_1920-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Dogs carrying a sled in winter \" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/finland-g04464ac6f_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/finland-g04464ac6f_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/finland-g04464ac6f_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/finland-g04464ac6f_1920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/finland-g04464ac6f_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Becoming a very popular activity in the last few years, dog sledding is a great way to enjoy winter vibes and meet some adorable and friendly huskies. One of Ontario\u2019s most epic dog-sledding outfitters is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowforestadventures.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Snow Forest Adventures<\/a>. This outfitter runs multi-day trips in Algonquin Provincial Park.\u00a0 Book a two-night adventure or for those seeking that truly off the beaten path adventure they even have eight-night expeditions to choose from where you can see the northern lights! Learn to drive your own dog sled with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.winterdance.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Winterdance<\/a>\u00a0in Haliburton. Enjoy the silence of Haliburton&#8217;s\u00a0breathtaking wilderness for a 2-hour, 1\/2-day, full day or multi-day dog sledding trip. They even offer a night tour under the glistening stars and moon light that ends with a roaring campfire and hot chocolate, an experience the whole family will love. In Cochrane,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ravensadventures.weebly.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Ravens Adventures<\/a>\u00a0offers a variety of Ontario dog sled tours from one hour to overnight expeditions. Opt for the overnight and you may even get a chance to see the northern lights which brings us to our next bucket list activity!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>See the Northern Lights<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3972\" src=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aurora-borealis-g3c53c94b1_1920-300x195.jpg\" alt=\"An image of the Northern Lights\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aurora-borealis-g3c53c94b1_1920-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aurora-borealis-g3c53c94b1_1920-1024x667.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aurora-borealis-g3c53c94b1_1920-768x500.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aurora-borealis-g3c53c94b1_1920-1536x1001.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/aurora-borealis-g3c53c94b1_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Tip alert! The best time to see northern lights also known as the aurora borealis in Ontario is in the Winter! Canada is actually one of the best places in the world to witness the Northern Lights and you don\u2019t have to go all the way to Nunavut to see them! In Ontario, there are eight designated\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rasc.ca\/lpa\/dark-sky-sites\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Dark-Sky Preserves<\/a>, which are natural areas identified by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rasc.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC)<\/a>\u00a0that protect the night sky from light pollution for the ultimate stargazing experience. In Northern Ontario check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.manitoulinecopark.com\/darksky\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Manitoulin Eco Park<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/us-keepexploring.canada.travel\/user%22%20%5Ct%20%22_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Manitoulin Island<\/a> on Lake Huron. Manitoulin Island is a magical place all on its on with a huge presence of authentic aboriginal culture. Stay in an insulated star gazing cabin right inside the Dark Sky Preserve and partake in one of their\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.manitoulinecopark.com\/darksky-stargazing-night-hikes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Stargazing Night Hikes<\/a>\u00a0and scheduled\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.manitoulinecopark.com\/darksky-astronomy-nights\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Astronomy Nights<\/a> for an immersive experience with an experienced Astronomy Guide. Killarney national Park on the northern edge of Georgian Bay is also perfectly situated to view the northern lights. Coxy up in the beautiful <a href=\"https:\/\/www.northeasternontario.com\/partner\/killarney-mountain-lodge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Killarney Mountain Lodge<\/a> where you may even get views straight from your balcony or head into the park which has a dark sky observatory for the ultimate star gazing experience. In addition, many of Ontario\u2019s national parks, provincial parks, conservation areas and wilderness spaces are prime places to witness the northern lights.\u00a0To make sure you have the best chance possible of seeing this amazing phenomeno,\u00a0 the astronomers and researchers provide an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/auroraforecast.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Aurora Forecast<\/a>\u00a0that can help you plan your stargazing expedition!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Hike to a frozen waterfall<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3970\" src=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screen-Shot-2023-01-04-at-11.48.25-AM-300x202.png\" alt=\"A picture of a waterfall in winter\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screen-Shot-2023-01-04-at-11.48.25-AM-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screen-Shot-2023-01-04-at-11.48.25-AM.png 570w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>When most people think of a Canadian waterfall, they picture Niagara Falls. Many don&#8217;t realize that Ontario actually boasts numerous beautiful waterfalls. These falls are even more remarkable in the winter when the cascading water can sometimes even freeze into a gravity-defying pose and the ice sparkles like diamonds. Whether you\u2019re looking for a hike, to snap some awe-inspiring photos, or to commune with nature, these 4 spots are for you.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bcparks.ca\/explore\/parkpgs\/bridalveil_falls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Bridal Veil Falls<\/a>, near the village of Kagawong, is a 34-meter-tall waterfall fed by Lake Kagawong. Take the steel stairway down to the gorge for the best view of the falls. Alternatively, you can walk around the falls to take in all their beauty.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.greysauble.on.ca\/portfolio\/inglis-falls-conservation-area\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Inglis Falls<\/a>\u00a0in Owen Sound boats an 18-metre-high cascade that is worth the hike it takes to get there (6.3 kilometres in out and out along the Inglis Falls Trail.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ontarioparks.com\/park\/kakabekafalls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Kakabeka Falls<\/a>\u00a0just west of Thunder Bay, is known as the \u201cNiagara of the North,\u201d Kakabeka Falls is the second highest waterfall in Ontario with year-round access for viewing. Hamilton known as the city of waterfalls is host to many incredible waterfalls. Our pick is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/conservationhamilton.ca\/conservation-areas\/devils-punchbowl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Devil\u2019s Punch Bowl Falls<\/a>\u00a0which is 37 metres high and freezes into a beautiful icy formation. The falls are best viewed from the bottom, where you can see the coloured rock layers of the Escarpment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Take a boozy snowshoe tour<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3971\" src=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screen-Shot-2023-01-04-at-11.49.53-AM-300x199.png\" alt=\"A girl pouring a glass of wine\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screen-Shot-2023-01-04-at-11.49.53-AM-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Screen-Shot-2023-01-04-at-11.49.53-AM.png 402w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For a truly unique Canadian experience strap on some snowshoes and sip your way through snow covered vineyards. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mywinecountry.com\/on\/snowshoe-hikes-in-the-vineyard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">My Wine Country<\/a>will take you on a guided trek through the Riesling vineyards of the Thirty Bench vineyards in Beamsville,\u00a0Niagara, including wine sampling and warm snacks. Enjoy a picturesque guided snowshoe hike along the Bruce Trail with <a href=\"https:\/\/freespirittours.ca\/snowshoeing-apple-pie-trail\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Free Spirit Tours<\/a> then hop in the car for a quick drive to Georgian Hills Vineyard and cozy up with local wine paired with cheese and a charcuterie plate. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coffinridge.ca\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Coffin Ridge<\/a> takes their visitors on a snowshoe trek through the 25-acre grounds. Learn all about the history of the wine and the growing process then head inside to warm up fireside with a hot mug of mulled wine and a hearty bowl of soup and artisan cheeses. In Blue Mountain, <a href=\"https:\/\/bluemountainadventuretours.ca\/tour\/snowshoe-waterfall-wine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Blue Mountain &amp; Collingwood Adventure Tours <\/a>offers the ultimate winter bucket list adventure that offers a snowshoe, waterfall and wine tour all in one!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Check out a winter festival<\/h4>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3973\" src=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/christmas-gcdc05ad8e_1920-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Women outside in the snow\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/christmas-gcdc05ad8e_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/christmas-gcdc05ad8e_1920-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/christmas-gcdc05ad8e_1920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/christmas-gcdc05ad8e_1920-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/christmas-gcdc05ad8e_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Winter is a great time to enjoy a number of amazing festivals that truly bring out the magic of winter. Our top pics are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ottawatourism.ca\/en\/see-and-do\/winterlude\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Winterlude<\/a>\u00a0in Ottawa running from Feb 3-20th.\u00a0 Offering both indoor and outdoor activities, most of which are free, there is seasonal programming including beautiful ice sculptures, skating on the world-famous Rideau Canal Skateway and Snowflake kingdom, a gigantic snow playground the kids will go crazy for!\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/wfol.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">The Winter Festival of Lights<\/a>\u00a0in Niagara runs until February 20th and is Canada\u2019s largest free outdoor light festival. Experience the spectacular displays with millions of light and larger than life displays across the tourism districts. New this year the Horseshoe falls will be lit up for a new illumination light show with live family entertainment on the weekends. In Bracebridge, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/fireandicebracebridge.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Fire and Ice Festiva<\/a>l\u00a0kicks off January 29th offering a unique approach to a traditional winter carnival with a full list of scheduled activities like axe throwing, drum circles, outdoor bowling, Ice Sculpting, Busker Shows and so much more!<\/p>\n<p>Stay warm and have fun!<\/p>\n<p>Natalie &amp; Phil<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Winter can be one of the most beautiful times of the year, with the glistening snow, fluffy white snowflakes, snow covered treetops and warming up with a hot bevy\u2026ok this is on a good day but with the right snow gear and the right activity any winter day can turn into a magical experience.\u00a0 Whether&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":3975,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[134,10,11,5,12,13,14,6],"tags":[1168,1528,874,1517,1513,1515,1522,1521,260,1519,1520,1523,873,1510,1518,1512,1514,1527,1526,1516,1157,1511,1524,1525],"class_list":["post-3969","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ontario-region","category-central-ontario-region","category-eastern-ontario-region","category-niagara-region","category-northern-ontario-region","category-ottawa-region","category-southwestern-region","category-greater-toronto-area","tag-algonquin-park-winter-tours","tag-bracebridge-fire-and-ice-festival","tag-dark-sky-stargazing","tag-dog-sled-tours","tag-dog-sledding","tag-drive-your-own-dog-sled","tag-hamilton-waterfalls","tag-inglis-falls","tag-kakabeka-falls","tag-northern-lights-in-ontario","tag-ontario-waterfall-in-winter","tag-snowshoeing-tours","tag-stargazing-in-ontario","tag-things-to-do-in-winter","tag-where-to-see-the-northern-lights","tag-winter-activities","tag-winter-bucket-list","tag-winter-festival-of-lights","tag-winter-festivals-in-ontario","tag-winter-hiking","tag-winter-horseback-riding","tag-winter-sleigh-rides","tag-winter-wineries-in-ontario","tag-winterlude-2023"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3969","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3969"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3969\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3977,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3969\/revisions\/3977"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3969"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3969"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summerfunguide.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3969"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}