Family Day Weekend is the perfect time to experience the magic of winter in Huntsville, Lake of Bays and Algonquin Provincial Park. Invigorating temperatures and a snow-covered landscapes provide the perfect setting to get outside and enjoy your family’s favourite winter pastime or experience a winter themed event. Need some ideas? Look no further! Huntsville, Lake of Bays and Algonquin Provincial Park have a wide range of events and activities to keep your family entertained all weekend long!
Family Day Weekend Events
Dorset Snowball
February 15 & 16
Dorset Recreation Centre
The Dorset Snowball offers winter fun for the whole family! The weekend includes great food, and endless indoor and outdoor activities!
Winter in the Wild Festival
Saturday February 16 from 10am-8pm
Algonquin Provincial Park
The Winter in the Wild Festival is a family-friendly event that includes a wide variety of activities such as snowshoeing, winter bird walks, ice-skating, marshmallow roasting, winter camping demonstrations and more! Activities take place at various locations throughout the Highway 60 Corridor of Algonquin Park. All activities during the Festival are free with the purchase of a valid Park Permit, except for food.
Indoor Public Skating
February 16 & 17
Canada Summit Centre
Come and enjoy some fun family skating at the Canada Summit Centre! Taking place on February 16 from 12-2pm and on February 17 from 10:30am-12:30pm.
Baysville Winterfest
Monday February 18 from 8:30am-3pm
Baysville Community Centre
Baysville Winterfest is a one-day Festival offering tons of fun activities for the whole family, including a pancake breakfast, kid’s crafts, skating, a magic show, outdoor games, activities and so much more!
Rotary Family Fun Day
Monday February 18 from 10am-2pm
Huntsville Bowl
The Rotary Club of Huntsville and Huntsville Bowl have teamed up to provide a free family event! Everyone gets one free game of bowling, a hot dog and a drink. The pool tables will be open too! Spaces are limited and you must pre-book your lane – please call 705-382-0991 to reserve your space.
Family Day Skate & Swim
Monday February 18 from 10am-2:30pm
Canada Summit Centre
Come out to the Canada Summit Centre for the Family Day Skate and Swim! Includes the Parent & Tot Skate from 10-11am, the Family Skate from 11am-12pm and the Family Leisure Swim from 1-2:30pm.
Other Activities
Visit a Winter Playground
If you are after the quintessential Muskoka winter adventure, look no further than Huntsville’s Arrowhead Provincial Park. The park’s star attraction is the winter skating trail. Bring your skates or rent them at the park and glide through 1.3 km of snow covered forest. However, Arrowhead has so much more to offer in winter than just the ice trail. The park grooms and maintains more than 30 km of Nordic ski trails for both classic and skate skiing. There are a variety of trails for hiking and snowshoeing including the popular Stubbs Falls trail. There is also a tubing hill large enough to ensure even the biggest kids will have a thrill, with a bonfire pit and warm up hut at the top – the tubes are provided! Looking for something different? Try the sport of skijoring, where skiers are pulled along the trails by dogs. The sport is the perfect way to exercise both you and your dogs while taking in Arrowhead’s winter splendor.
Hit the Slopes
Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area has been a Huntsville winter tradition for more than 40 years. A family favourite destination, the resort has 14 slopes serviced by three quad chair lifts as well as a beginner hill with handle tow. Hidden Valley has an excellent ski school program with lessons for all ages and abilities with their fun and friendly certified snow pros. They offer day and night skiing including the always popular Thrifty Thursday night rates. Check their website for special events and pack up the family for a day or weekend of winter fun.
Discover a Winter Gem
If you are searching for something more “off the beaten path,” the Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve is the destination for you. The reserve is a publicly accessible private year-round wilderness haven boasting 20 private lakes and more than 10,000 acres of unspoiled mixed forest. In the winter there are 25 kilometres of groomed trails for Nordic skiing that are free for public use daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Ski at your own pace around lakes, through the forest and past some of the reserve’s unique natural features. Bring your skis or rent from the Algonquin Outfitters store in Huntsville. There are also several trails open for snowshoeing. Pack a lunch and a hot drink and immerse yourself in a snow-covered paradise.
Cozy Up with a Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride
What could be more romantic than cuddling under warm blankets on a horse drawn sleigh through winter trails lit by torches? Back of Beyond Equine Centre will take couples, families or groups through snow covered forest trails, with the torchlight leading the way. After your tour, enjoy a traditional campfire with beverages and snacks as you relax with loved ones and friends under a display of stars unmatched in more urban surroundings.
This Family Day Weekend, embrace the spirit of Canadian adventure and head outdoors to enjoy the best of the season. Whether you are looking for an endurance challenge, snowy exploration or fun for the whole family, Huntsville, Lake of Bays and Algonquin Provincial Park are packed with unique experiences that will leave you wanting more.