A Winter Wonderland
There is nothing more enchanting than exploring Winter in Muskoka, Ontario.
It has been on my bucket list for SO long. I’m so happy I had the pleasure of exploring some of the amazing areas in and around Muskoka.
Our Home away from Home.
We loved our stay with The Dudley Inn in Bala. It was located central to all the activities on my list.
They are located in Bala, just minutes from Bala’s downtown. Here you can visit all the little trinket shops of Bala.
The boutique hotel was fresh and modern. I was very happy with how clean and bright the room was. The bathroom and bedroom were functional and homely. I felt at ease here when I need rest between our adventures.
The Dudley Inn would be a great space to bring your family for a Muskoka adventure. The room had plenty of room to spread out. Especially for kid’s to sit and colour at the desk or hang out in the big chairs by the window to enjoy a book.
The hotel has 6 rooms to choose from. You could even invite multiple friends or family’s up and make it an extra fun trip.
It’s located less than an hour from Arrowhead Provincial Park and Huntsville.
It’s also located 30 minutes from Santa’s Village.
A MUST see all-season view.
Located in Huntsville is the Lions Lookout. This spectacular view is a great quick stop on your way out of Huntsville.
It’s just around the corner from the Active Living Centre. We never made it to visit but it looks like a great stop for the littles. It has an outdoor train and tracks.
The drive up to Lions Lookout is a steep incline through rocky walls. It’s beautiful on its own.
There’s a small parking lot at the top of the hill where you can get out and enjoy the sights. There’s even a small gazebo and picnic bench if you want to sit and stay a while.
A wintery view and an enchanted skating trail through a forest…
We chose Arrowhead Provincial Park for our destination of choice based on a lot of recommendations.
Arrowhead is located in Huntsville and we paid for our entrance ahead of time through their website.
In the winter they offer a wide variety of activities fit for the whole family.
You can try snowshoeing, cross country skiing, ice skating and more. Ski and Snowshoe rentals are available.
The one experience I had to try…
I have been wanting to skate Arrowhead’s fairytale skating trail through the forest forever.
This 1.3 km trail takes you through a circle in the forest.
You can schedule your spot for Friday and Saturday’s Fire & Ice nights on their website 5 days in advance.
The trail is beautifully lit up at night. Relax by a fire and enjoy skate rentals and skate aids while supplies last.
Parking is directly across from the trail.
A Lake View
There’s also a beautiful lake opening in front of the waterfall that is worth the very short (2 minute) walk.
A little further up the road
Just further up from Stubb’s Falls Trail is a must visit lookout – Big Bend Lookout.
The photo speaks for itself.
Parking is located right in front of the entrance to the trail.
The trail is very short and flat. It took us about two minutes to walk to the lookout. The lookout is a fenced in platform.
The views of Big Bend are spectacular. I’m a complete sucker for pine trees and they are plentiful here.
There are bathrooms you can use at Arrowhead.
So strange yet so cool
This has always been on my list of places to explore. I just had to fit it in.
The Screaming Heads are located in Burk’s Falls which is about an hour from Huntsville.
The drive may be boring to some but I loved how picturesque the landscape of trees were along the way.
To the right of the exit to the Screaming Heads there is a gas station, food stops and a Tim Hortons.
The Screaming Heads are made by the property owner and free to visit. No reservations or bookings required. Just show up and explore. Parking is on the owners property and there is a small walk around the property to see all of his really cool creations.
Even his house is decked out and very cool.
There are some huts set up selling Screaming Heads t-shirts and such.
There is a portapotty to use on site.
Family fun at this Christmas themed amusement park!
Santa’s Village is an outdoor amusement park kids. It’s theme.. Christmas! You can event visit Santa and his Reindeer.
There are a ton of rides to choose from including a Merry-Go-Round, Rollercoaster, Bumper Boats and so much more.
You can even enjoy a fun hiking trail, a few games and a ropes course.
There is no shortage of fun here.
There are some food options available on site and bathrooms available as well.
So many more suggestions for you to enjoy!
After a super fun weekend away we were ready to head home! There was a lot left to do on my list but we were spent.
Hiking at Algonquin Provincial Park was a huge item I wanted to explore but for the kids sake I’ll have to save that for another trip.
Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh is well known for their popular cranberry filled lake adventure. In the winter they are known for their 1.2km skate trail. The trail is available at night on Saturdays and lit up by 400 tiki torches!
Open annually Dec 27 – March Break (weather permitting!)
Daily: 11 am to 4:00 pm
open 7 days/week (weather permitting)
Light the Night: Torchlight skating every Saturday night from 6 pm – 9 pm (weather permitting)
Skate rentals available while supplies last.
The they also have snowshoeing trails you can enjoy.
Muskoka Brewery is another fun place I would love to visit. Enjoy their taphouse and the local beauty!
The Muskoka Beer Spa looks amazing. I’m not sure why we didn’t do this! But it’s on my list!
Enjoy winter fun and great eats!
Starting in May they offer a spa with hot tubs, pool, saunas, steam room, cabanas, loungers, hammocks, fountains, dump buckets, swings, beer garden and more!
Open for Day Visitors May 1st through October 31st annually.
The Spa offers cabin reservations and amazing eats daily.
The Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre is just over 1.5 hours from The Dudley Inn but if you have time to see and learn about wolves, I highly suggest it.