Winter feels like the longest season here in Canada! Rather than stay indoors and wait for it to pass, I love to get outside and have a little fun in the snow! You’ve seen my Instagram feed and you know it’s riddled with photos of me in parkas, toques and snow boots – and that’s because I genuinely love winter! As long as you’ve got the right outwear, anything is possible….and fun!

Here are ten different ways to get out and enjoy the winter weather this year!

Tobagganing

Tobogganing, or “sledding’ as it’s known to some, is something that I loved to do as a kid and still love to do as an adult. There’s a pretty low barrier to entry, too, as all you really need to get down the hill is a piece of cardboard! Plus, crazy carpets are usually sold at your local hardware store for only a few dollars and they’ll get you down the hill in a hurry!

Ice Skating & Pond Hockey

I love to go ice skating. Although in Canada we just call it “skating” and playing pond hockey on the outdoor rink that we refer to as the “ODR” (a ubiquitous term here in the great white north). There is something really magical about strapping on a pair of skates and whirling around the pond, finishing up the day with a cup of hot cocoa. Plenty of local skating facilities have skates you can rent on site if you don’t have your own.

Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding

When most of us think of winter, we think of ski hills. I’m fortunate to live near so many world class ski resorts that I urge you to visit (so worth it, even if you don’t ski or snowboard). Skiing and snowboarding are great ways to get out and enjoy a fresh snowfall or a weekend in the mountains. I grew up in Canada’s prairies and we had little ski hills in large valleys and they were tons of fun, too!

Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing is one of those activities that you might not have to travel far to enjoy. Many cities convert their golf courses into cross-country skiing trails in the winter (check local sites for details) so this doesn’t always mean a trip out to the mountains. This is a fun way to get some great exercise, enjoy the scenery and make the most of the snow!

Snowshoeing

I love snowshoeing and there are so many places that you can do this! This is an old school way of getting around in the snow, but it’s a great workout and a ton of fun. This is also a fun activity to do with the whole family (of all ages).

Winter Walks

Going for a walk in the snow might sound like the musings of a crazy person, but breathing in that crisp, fresh air is like nothing else to me. I love to create fresh tracks and gaze at the frost on the trees. Don’t let the cooler temperatures keep you from getting outside and staying in shape. You’d be surprised how many groomed walking trails there are in the winter months!

Weekend Away at the Cabin

No one loves a weekend away in the mountains as much as I do and some of my favourite spots to do that, especially in the winter time are the Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts. I love staying at both Emerald Lake Lodge and Buffalo Mountain Lodge (Banff) because of their gorgeous properties, fantastic dining and of course, the fireplace in every guest room/cabin! There’s nothing like snuggling up next to a wood-burning fire after a day spent playing in the snow!

Dog Sledding

Dog Sledding is something that I have always wanted to do and hope to get to in the next couple of years. I don’t know if it’s because it feels so heritage Canadiana to me or because it just seems super exciting, I think it’s worth trying at least once just to have the experience.

Snowmobiling

Tons of mountain resorts offer snowmobiling tours and rentals so that you can make the most of this adventure. For those of us who grew up near the rural prairies, you’re used to seeing the tracks in every ditch! This isn’t as accessible of an activity as some of the others I’ve listed in this post, but because it is so popular in Canada and the Northern States, I had to include it!

Additional Resources

Not sure what to wear? Check out these posts:

• A Canadian Girl’s Guide to Winter Outerwear
• Winter Accessories: Warm & Fashionable Hats, Mitts and Scarves

Need more ideas for some fun things to do? Check out this post!

Need the gear but don’t want to invest just yet? Try Ruckify! Ruckify is the world’s largest online rental marketplace where you can rent anything you need locally! It’s a great way to try-before-you-buy or better yet, use for a fraction of the price. You can rent anything from sleds to skis to snowshoes to trekking poles and more! Browse your local Ruckify Marketplace here and use code SPARKLE when signing up to get $35 off your first rental! This code alone could cover the cost of your first rental! 

Have a bunch of gear that you aren’t using this year? Why not rent it out to people in your community! This amazing website makes the sharing economy accessible by providing you with an easy to use platform that you can use to rent out your gear. Instead of it sitting in storage, it could be making you cash! Click here to learn how to post your items on Ruckify.