A breathtaking winter wonderland. That’s how I’d describe Haliburton in Ontario’s Highlands. Blanketed with snow, quiet and incredibly serene, it is one of my favourite winter getaways in the province. An escape that instantly awakens my inner child and reminds me how incredible Canadian winters can truly be. The rugged landscapes, winter adventures, mouthwatering eats and warmhearted people in the region make Haliburton Highlands the perfect place to escape for the weekend…
Photo credit: Yours Outdoors.
How To Get There…
I’m all about the winter road trips so pack your car, grab a few friends (Arienne was my travel buddy), take some snacks, make a few epic playlists and hit the road. The journey is half the fun! Haliburton is located less than three hours from Toronto and Ottawa so you’ll be there in no time. Make sure you have an emergency kit in the trunk (blankets, flashlights, flares etc.) – winter roads can be unpredictable!
Where To Stay…
Oakview Lodge And Marina – A home away from home. Perched on Little Hawk Lake, this is the most welcoming and cozy lodge everrrrr. The new owners, Greg and Anna, are just bursting with kindness and love. They did everything in their power to make sure we had what we needed for a comfortable and memorable stay. Their small gestures (like offering us a ride to the local resto, making us hot chocolate after a cold day and chatting with us by the fire) were genuine and made us feel like we were part of their family! I highly recommend staying at this lodge when you visit Haliburton, but make sure to book ahead: they only have four suites, two rooms and a private cottage. Breakfast, non-motorized activities and WiFi are included. More importantly, so is the spectacular lake view…
What To Eat…
Rhubarb Restaurant – Located on the shores of Mirror Lake, this resto is a local gem. Having devoured Chef Christoph’s cuisine before, I knew exactly what I as getting myself into this time around: food heaven. Do yourself a favour and order the duck confit poutine (rich, gooey and loaded with duck), crab cakes (moist and served with house-made tomato jam) and the pork schnitzel (perfectly cooked and topped with pear and camembert). Drool. I recommend pairing everything with the craft beers produced onsite at their small batch brewery. Oh, and never skip out on desserts when Germans are running the kitchen…
Oakview Lodge And Marina – Lucky for us, our lodge had a great restaurant on the main floor so we didn’t have to go far to devour yummy food! We loved rolling out of bed and heading down for breakfast: a cup or two of warm coffee and great convos kicked off our days. Oh, and they’re open daily for dinner as well. Order the French onion soup and braised lamb shank – you won’t regret it.
What To Do…
1. Snowshoe With Yours Outdoors – With thousands of kilometres of scenic trails, there’s TONS to explore in Haliburton Highlands. And I’m convinced there is no better person to guide you through the beautiful landscape than Barrie Martin from Yours Outdoors. He is basically a walking encyclopedia and knows everything about the region, including where all the breathtaking spots are. Barrie is incredibly passionate and can arrange just about any kind of adventure (from snowshoeing and ice climbing to cross country skiing and foraging) to get you excited about Haliburton! A day or two with him is a must.
2. Ice Climb At Medeba – Ready to get that heart racing?! Ok, so – as you all know – I’m petrified of heights AND not the biggest fan of rock climbing, but I decided to give this challenge a try. My first attempt was a huge fail, but the team at Medeba and Barrie from Yours Outdoors cheered me on and motivated me to try again with much greater success! The 36-foot ice climbing wall is a great place to learn the ropes in a safe and controlled environment.
Photo credit: Yours Outdoors.
3. Explore Abbey Gardens – Offering fresh ideas about local food through collaborative projects, there is plenty to do at Abbey Gardens. The 310-acre property has operated as a gravel pit for the past several decades and is being transformed by a group of very passionate locals into a productive space for local food, educational experiences and community programming. Make sure to visit Haliburton Highlands Brewing onsite AND sign up for the yoga sessions in a yurt aka “yogurt”!
4. Dogsled At Winterdance – Dogsledding is the most invigorating winter sport I’ve ever experienced. Words can’t describe what it feels like to be surrounded by an energetic group of Siberian Huskies that are just yearning to run. We went on the half day tour at Winterdance (three hours on the trails) which was quite the workout. Yes, you’ll need to hop off the sled and help the dogs up steep hills — this is not a theme park ride: it’s a winter sport! That being said, there is plenty of time to sit back and take in the over 50 km of private, snow-covered trails. Oh, and they schedule a little break mid-journey so you can sip hot chocolate and bond with your huskies…
Photo credit: Sik Photography.
5. Snowmobile At Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve – Epic doesn’t even begin to describe this experience. With more than 80 000 acres of forest, 50 lakes and 300 km of scenic trails, Haliburton Forest is one of the top snowmobiling destinations in North America. We loved exploring the majestic property at our own pace (which basically meant stopping to take in the breathtaking views every five minutes). Dress warm, grab a map and buy a sandwich at their restaurant for the road (you can warm it up at one of the shelters that dot the property). This is by far one of my all-time favourite winter activities: snowmobiles give you the ability to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time so you can explore an incredible variety of landscapes on your journey…
Photo credit: Sik Photography.
Well, if those aren’t enough reasons to head to Haliburton Highlands, I don’t know what is! Even though I’ve shared this post as a weekend escape, I’d honestly spend an entire week there if I could. I always come back to the city feeling refreshed, energized and inspired. There’s just something about the region that feeds my heart and soul. Hope you get a chance to explore it soon! And if you have any recommendations in the area, please do share — I’m definitely heading back!
Our food, accommodations and activities were paid for by Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization as part of a press trip. As always, all reviews and opinions are entirely my own. For more photos, tweets and videos check out #WanderOH and #WinterWander on social media!
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