10 epic Canadian outdoor winter experiences to try at least once

Dec 20 2019, 7:46 pm

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Winter in Canada is pretty magical, and regardless of where in the country you find yourself this season, there is no shortage of incredible outdoor winter experiences.

If you love to spend time in the great outdoors, you may be looking for a new way to keep busy and get outside this winter.

Lucky for you, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s a round up of 10 of the best Canadian outdoor winter experiences, that may even make you want to brave the cold to experience.

Ice Castles Edmonton, Alberta

ice castle

Image: AJ Mellor

Ice Castles Alberta is a massive and intricately sculpted ice castle made up of hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists. The castle includes breathtaking LED-lit sculptures, frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, fountains, and so much more.

The stunning attraction is located at Hawrelak Park in Edmonton.

Moonlight Snowshoeing, Toronto

moonlight snowshoe

Scenic Caves

Scenic Caves Nature Tours is offering guided evening snowshoe tours throughout the wooded trails under a bright canopy of stars.

The tours last between 1.5 to two hours and lead visitors along a number of scenic trails where they can learn about the surrounding wildlife, and visit a series of lookouts as the moonlight and stars light the night sky.

One of the main highlights of the guided tour is getting to cross over the massive suspension bridge, which is actually the largest in southern Ontario.

The bridge suspends 25 metres above the Blue Mountain valley floor, giving you spectacular views of the Georgian Bay and surrounding area.

rayneorshinephotography

Lake Louise

kim.n.logan/instagram

Lake Louise in Banff National Park is home to stunning views year round, with emerald green waters enveloped by endless mountains.

Now that the lake is frozen over and the mountains are snow-capped, there’s no way to describe it other than breathtaking.

The lake has only ever looked like this a handful of times, because its difficult to catch pictures before it gets dusted with snow.

Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, British Columbia

Whistler Blackcomb

Whistler Blackcomb/ Facebook

Ranked best overall ski resort in North America for 2017, Whistler Blackcomb has everything from a dedicated beginner area to challenging powder-filled bowls. On a clear day, the views are incredible; this is a resort that will make or break you.  

Whistler is off the Sea-To-Sky Highway, about 120 km north of Vancouver. A two-hour drive from the city.

Aurora Village Northern Lights, Yellowknife 

Aurora Borealis, aka the Northern Lights are visible from this town in Northern Canada.

Aurora Village in Yellowknife, Canada, provides guests with an ideal location to witness the natural phenomenon up close and personal.

Visitors are able to explore the north in all its glory via individual or combined winter tours.

Hotel de Glace, Quebec

winter experiences

Hotel Du Glace/valcartier

The Hôtel de Glace features beautifully ice-sculpted rooms and suites for a luxurious night’s stay. You’ll sleep in ultra-comfy arctic sleeping bags. A peaceful place under the stars, you’ll look forward to unwinding at the hotel’s Nordic relaxation area featuring outdoor spas and a sauna. Our dedicated staff are on hand to ensure that you have the most comfortable and enjoyable getaway possible. A unique and unforgettable winter experience awaits you!

Rideau Canal Skateway Ottawa, Ontario

Rideau Canal/Ottawa Tourism

The historic Rideau Canal in Ottawa is home to the largest naturally frozen ice rink in the world with a total length of 7.8 km.Each year, from roughly January to late February or early March, the scenic Rideau Canal – Ontario’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site – freezes and welcomes nearly one million visitors for winter fun. During winter months, the rink hosts a daily average of 19,000 visitors.

Maligne Canyon Icewalk, Jasper, Alberta

winter experiences

Travel Alberta/Youtube

If you’re not someone who skis or snowboards, you can still enjoy and explore frozen waterfalls, ice caves, and incredible ice formations at the bottom of the Maligne Canyon – the deepest accessible canyon in Jasper National Park. You can experience this guided tour and learn more about the incredible ice formations along with the whole family.

The Icewalk Tour covers approximately 3.5 kms (2.1 miles) and is mostly downhill

Niagara Helicopter Tour

Niagara Helicopter Tour / Instagram

To truly appreciate the beauty of the falls, visitors must see the falls from above – especially in wintertime, when the mist from the falls covers the trees and freezes. Making everything look like a frozen winter wonderland.

Snow tubing at Mount Royal Park, Montreal

winter experiences

Snowtubing/Mont Royal

Experience the exhilaration of snow tubing down lanes overlooking Beaver Lake at Mount Royal Park in Montreal. This park also offers a number of other activities including snow shoeing tours or ice skating, so you can fit in a number of winter activities into one day. They also do snowshoeing under the stars some nights to enjoy the bright snow under starlit skies.

Bundle up and hit up any of these outdoor experiences this winter in Canada.

Daily Hive StaffDaily Hive Staff

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