3 Winter Experiences You’ll Want to Post On Instagram This Winter
With so many people whose primary experience of winter is either from behind the wheel or at the handle-end of a shovel, it’s no wonder the season sometimes gets a bad rap. This year, join us in Muskoka and find out just how amazing winter can be when you do it right. The truth is, there’s so much fun to be had in the snowy season, and finding it is as easy as looking.
Winter delivers a beauty that is uniquely magical, meaning your photos and videos are sure to have your friends and followers ‘evergreen’ with envy! Here are some somewhat-off-the-beaten-path ways to throw your arms around winter this year!
Ice Fishing
A great Canadian winter pastime, ice fishing is tremendously popular in Muskoka, and is growing scores of new devotees every year. With thousands of lakes across the region, it’s little wonder that Muskoka is a prized destination among ice fishing anglers, whose huts are a familiar site on the lakes from deep freeze until spring thaw. The perfect pursuit for both the solitary angler looking for some quiet time and also the group of old friends who make it an annual event, ice fishing offers everyone the same unbeatable prize: the chance to unplug and take a breather (and catch some fish, too!).
For those new to the sport, the help of an expert guide is a great way to get familiar with the ins and outs your first time. Any one of Muskoka’s many ice fishing operators can help you secure a valid fishing licence, rent or register an ice hut, and understand any limitations around catching on specific lakes. Or, if you prefer to just show up and leave the details to others, Muskoka Stay n’ Play Tours offers guided ice fishing tours complete with gear, heated hut, and bait. What’s more, if you catch a fish, they’ll even prepare it out on the ice for your lunch! Muskoka Shores Cottages on Three Mile Lake also has ice huts available for daily rentals, as well as an overnight ice fishing package complete with a barbequed lunch on the ice, cottage accommodation, and ice hut rental.
Dog Sledding
Perhaps the quintessential Canadian experience, dog sledding offers one of winter’s most thrilling and nostalgic recreational adventures. Evoking the resourcefulness of the Inuit and other Indigenous Peoples of the North, and the stark beauty of Arctic Canada, this unique adventure can be experienced right here in Muskoka. Mush through the wilderness behind your team of dogs at North Ridge Ranch in Huntsville, where half-day and one-hour tours can be booked throughout the winter season.
Sleigh Rides
Be honest. Can you imagine anything more magical than a horse-drawn sleigh ride through a winter wonderland? Bundle up with your sweetie, or bring the whole family for this holiday-card perfect winter activity. You’ll feel you’ve travelled back in time as your horse and driver confidently guide your sleigh across the silent landscape, through forests heavy with snow and over gentle hills. A delightful experience for young and old alike, a winter sleigh ride is a memory you are sure to treasure.
Back of Beyond Equine Centre in Huntsville offers private daytime winter sleigh rides and romantic evening sleigh rides, both ending at a crackling campfire, where guests can warm up with a hot drink and roast some marshmallows. Twin Maples Farm in Severn Bridge also offers winter wagon and carriage rides around the farm every winter and throughout the year. Visit one of these fine establishments for an unforgettable way to savour the holidays and get some beautiful photos to share!
