Anytime there is a snowfall in and around Toronto, we get the urge to do a little drive a couple of days after. With the early snowfall in December and continuous lake-effect flurries, there’s always a reason for winter day trips from Toronto.
While some hunker down at home to hibernate, the adventurous types have much to see and do.
If you wake up early, get your gear and emergency supplies into your car quickly, you can easily take a long drive through areas such as Orangeville, Beaver Valley and further north to Wiarton and Lions Head in Grey and Bruce Counties.
The drive through these areas is an eye-opener. On one of our past winter day trips from Toronto through these towns, we realized that weather and temperature changes can occur in less than 100 km. As well, they can affect on the landscape dramatically.
While many who live along the warmer shoreline of Lake Ontario in the Greater Toronto Area may not have too much snow on the ground, if you head just a bit north of Highway 401 and Highway 407, it’s a completely different situation.
If you drive to the Wiarton area and there’s way more snow and ice. Most of this is due to the snow coming off of Georgian Bay.
Four Winter Day Trips From Toronto
Although there are numerous spots and activities to do in winter outside of Toronto, I’ve listed some of our favourite places for a drive. You can explore these areas in the winter for a break from the city winter scene.
TIP: Wait for a day for snow ploughs to clear the roads. Also check the Weather Network, as one part of Ontario might be getting inclement weather, while another one is sunny.
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Island Lake Conservation Area – Orangeville, Ontario
Island Lake Conservation Area in Orangeville is located right by the city. This makes it an oasis for avid hikers, skiers and snowshoers. The scenery is absolutely stunning in the winter-time after a fresh snowfall. The well-marked trails are great for a hike. You will find the occasional dog and owner walking early in the morning.
ou will find the occasional dog and owner walking early in the morning.
The Conservation Area is close to restaurants and not far from downtown Orangeville. This makes it a perfect place for a day trip, checking out the trails and then walking around “downtown” Orangeville.
It’s not too far from Toronto. It’s about an hour’s drive in early morning weekend traffic, depending on which route you take.
Admission ranges from $3 to $5 depending on age during most of the season.
Location: 673067 Hurontario Street South, Orangeville
Beaver Valley (Kimberley, Ontario)
One of the prettiest winter day trips from Toronto is to explore the area of the Beaver Valley. Lower Valley Road is one of our favourite places in this area of the Beaver Valley. We’ve driven it in the summer, fall and winter and always find it to be quiet and picturesque.
In the winter, you will find it snow-packed and somewhat treacherous. Just take your time and it will lead you to county roads passing through the small village of Kimberley, Ontario. The whole area here is full of hills and the Niagara Escarpment.
It’s just a pretty place to drive in the winter on a sunny day. Not too far is Hogg’s Falls.
As the area is quite quiet, it’s mostly great for a drive “off the beaten path”. Take your camera for pretty pictures.
| Related: Top Five Fall Day Trips From Toronto For Fall Foliage
Inglis Falls In The Winter
This spot is a popular destination for winter day trips from Toronto. In recent years, more people have heard about the beauty of the frozen falls. So for this destination, I recommend getting there earlier in the day to avoid crowds.
The roar of Inglis Falls near Owen Sound gets louder as you step closer to the look-out point, perfectly situated for photographers who want to stay dry and safe. During our visit, the ice and snow build-up at the base and sides of the falls was impressive.
A few insane individuals decided to walk out onto the ice pack, despite the potential of it cracking and a fall into the extremely fast-rushing water.
This is a spot for a brief stop to take photos and view the wonder of waterfalls in the winter-time (if you don’t want to deal with crowds at Niagara Falls).
Inglis Falls is located south of Owen Sound, off of Highway 6 and Grey Road 18.
Wiarton
Head northwest from Owen Sound on Highway 6 and you reach Wiarton, Ontario. It’s the home of the famous groundhog named Wiarton Willie. Every February 2nd, there is a big festival for the traditional Groundhog Day activities. Wiarton Willie predicts how many more weeks of winter we’ll have.
In the winter-time, there’s not much to do and see in this small town, but it’s the perfect spot to stop for lunch and stretch your legs before heading back to Toronto. Taking a drive along Colpoys Bay in Wiarton, you can see the frozen waters of the bay and depending on the time of the year and weather conditions, you’ll witness a fog along the shoreline. The main photo is of one of the many boats at the marina, stored away for the winter.
Ontario Winter Day Trip Travel Tips
The whole point of winter day trips from Toronto is to see a change of scenery, to stop and stretch your legs on a short trail, and to explore. Here are a few things to consider before you head out:
- Be prepared! Don’t get stuck in the middle of nowhere without an emergency kit, blankets, food and a bottle of water, etc. Bring a thermos with coffee or tea to either enjoy during your trip or in case of a car breakdown. A charged-up cell phone is a must, but be aware that you may be in areas where there’s no reception. You may have to wait for a kind passer-by to help out.
- Side roads may not be cleared of snow and ice in sections. Use major country roads.
- Know your general route and list of destinations. Share them with family or friends in case you get stuck in a difficult situation.
- Check the forecast in advance to know if you should expect snow squalls or lake-effect snow off of Georgian Bay. This area often gets blasted with snow, so know what kind of potential conditions you may face.
- Make sure your gas and windshield washer fluid are topped up.
2 Comments
We wanted to head to some parks last week to snowshoe but they were closed because of the ice storm :(
We noticed this was the case in some of the conservation areas not too far from Toronto. Better to be safe than sorry! Fingers crossed we get some excellent snow and no ice in January!