| Our winter getaway over the last two days was | | | | operated by various organizations ranging from parks |
| supposed to include a couple of different activities: | | | | to clubs and resorts. The Ski Ontario website provides |
| snow-tubing and outdoor skating. Well, our outdoor | | | | an extensive listing of cross-country opportunities |
| skating fell through, due to the extraordinarily warm | | | | across Ontario. Special offers for snowshoeing and |
| conditions, however, we had a beautiful day yesterday | | | | cross-country getaways are featured on the Ontario |
| on Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie, where we enjoyed some | | | | Outdoor website. Snowmobiling: Ontario offers more |
| great outdoor time on frozen Lake Simcoe. Today, | | | | than 43,000 km (26,000 mi.) of maintained, |
| after our delicious filling breakfast at Nicholyn Farms | | | | interconnected, uncongested trails. It is the longest |
| Bed and Breakfast, we headed off for another | | | | network of recreational trails in the world. The 248 |
| adventure: snowtubing at Horseshoe Valley. | | | | member clubs of the Ontario Federation of |
| Unfortunately the weather today was even less | | | | Snowmobile Clubs build and maintain this extensive trail |
| cooperative: as the day progressed it went from | | | | network. Find more information about snowmobiling in |
| freezing rain to rain to a veritable downpour as we | | | | Ontario in the Ontario Snowmobiler Magazine. |
| drove back to Toronto. Nevertheless the morning was | | | | Iceclimbing: The north of Ontario is the heart of |
| cold enough for our snowtubing adventure. My 8-year | | | | Ontario's iceclimbing country and features ice-clad |
| old nephew had never been snowtubing before, and | | | | routes with heights of more than 90 m. Special |
| knowing his penchant for high-speed adrenaline-filled | | | | ice-climbing getaways are featured on the Ontario |
| activities, we knew that he would fall in love with this | | | | Outdoor Website. Dogsledding: Dog sledding has |
| sport. Horseshoe Valley is one of several Ontario | | | | evolved from a utilitarian form of transport in northern |
| winter resorts and in addition to downhill skiing, | | | | countries to a unique travel experience. Some |
| cross-country skiing and skating, it also features a | | | | dogsledding operators have a guide drive the team, |
| snow-tubing hill. It's a thrill to get pulled up on the hill, | | | | where at other places you may drive the sled yourself. |
| sitting on a refunctioned inner tube, and then getting | | | | The Ontario Outdoor Website features a variety of |
| linked up in a group of 2, 3 or 4 snow-tubers, who hold | | | | dog sledding adventures and getaways. Urban Winter |
| on to their neighbouring tuber's handle and then get | | | | Getaways: For those who want to enjoy the best that |
| pushed down the hill by one of the staff members - | | | | Ontario's cities have to offer over the winter time, |
| with a spin and a momentum that feels almost like a | | | | there are a variety of special events going on. Many |
| roller coaster! Snowtubing is just one of the many fun | | | | cities and towns throughout Ontario feature special |
| winter activities that Ontario has to offer. Snow Valley | | | | winter festivals, starting with many festivals of light, |
| Resort just on the other side of Highway 400 also | | | | tree lighting ceremonies and New Year's celebrations |
| offers snowtubing. Blue Mountain Resort in | | | | in November and December, and continuing with a |
| Collingwood is another place for Ontario snowtubing | | | | variety of special events, trade fairs and restaurant |
| enthusiasts. Skating: Obviously hockey is Canada's | | | | promotions throughout January and February. The |
| national sport and skating runs in the veins of many | | | | Success with Ontario website features a listing of |
| residents of this northern country. Virtually all Ontario | | | | Ontario's Festivals and events. Major festivals include: |
| cities, towns and villages have outdoor skating rinks | | | | Toronto's WinterCity Festival and Winterlicious |
| and indoor arenas. Outdoor skating is free in many | | | | Ottawa's Winterlude Winter Festival Niagara's Icewine |
| cases, and indoor pleasure skating is generally a very | | | | Festival Ontario Accommodation Choices: Ontario |
| inexpensive sport. One of the best known skating | | | | offers a wide variety of choices for getaways. From |
| Ontario opportunities exists in Ottawa, on the 7.8 km | | | | all-inclusive feature-packed resorts, to down-to-earth |
| long Rideau Canal, the world's longest skating rink | | | | farm vacations, to cozy bed and breafasts, secluded |
| according to the Guiness Book of Records. The City | | | | cottages and chalets and inviting country inns, Ontario |
| of Ottawa lists its public skating information on the | | | | has a wide selection of accommodation providers. |
| Internet. Toronto's well-known outdoor skating venues | | | | Unique boutique hotels, and centrally located urban |
| include City Hall, Harbourfront and Grenadier Pond in | | | | hotels round out the accommodation offers. Ontario |
| HIgh Park and the City of Toronto provides a list of | | | | Travel's website offers a great overview of the |
| leisure skating opportunities in Toronto. Skiing & | | | | accommodation choices available in Ontario. There is |
| snowboarding: Although Ontario certainly doesn't have | | | | plenty to do in the winter in Ontario, indoors and out. |
| the greatest vertical drop compared to international ski | | | | Nature lovers, urban explorers, adrenaline junkies, and |
| resorts, but it does offer 41 resorts for downhill skiers | | | | romantic lovebirds will all find something to choose |
| and snowboarders at the Ski Ontario website. | | | | from to brighten up those cold winter days. |
| Cross-country skiing & snowshoeing: Ontario's more | | | | Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a web portal for |
| than 120 cross-country ski areas are rivalled only by | | | | unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. |
| Quebec for sheer number and variety. Ski areas are | | | | |