Don’t let the winter blues keep you down, Orillia and Lake Country boasts activities to lift your spirits and find the energy to make the most out of this time of year. We have a few recommendations to make your winter getaway a great way to kick off the year!
1. Let Winter Become Your Spa
Located in the heart of Orillia & Lake Country’s skiing paradise, Horseshoe Valley, Vetta Nordic Spa highlights the rejuvenating qualities hydrotherapy treatments can provide to both the body and mind, in all seasons of weather.
Authentic Finnish treatments will introduce you to the healing nature of winter’s embrace as you cycle through both outdoor and indoor temperature-controlled pools, saunas, and relaxation zones. Surrounded by the natural beauty of Oro-Medonte, this Nordic spa will have you falling in love with the crispness of the season as you discover it’s healing capabilities.
Quiet and social zones are well marked for those who wish to share the experience or fly solo, and registered massages can be booked in advance to add to your treatment. Be sure to treat your senses at the delicious Finnish-inspired restaurant and bistro during your visit, your taste buds will thank you.
2. Vitamin D and Pretty Things
Bundling up and braving the cold can be a difficult task for those who aren’t exactly used to traversing Ontario’s great outdoors in the wintertime, but luckily enough, Orillia and Lake Country’s terrain can accommodate all levels of the season’s explorers.
On the scenic shores of Lake Couchiching, Orillia’s 9.5 km Millennium Trail is a well-maintained, family-friendly excursion that will have you taking in the sights without venturing too far from civilization. Winding through two of the City’s well-known waterfront parks, a National Historic Site, and within proximity to the region’s arts and culinary hub, Downtown Orillia, the Millennium Trail is the perfect way to soak up some much-needed vitamin D and dopamine at your own pace. Worried about the chill? Plenty of free parking and scrumptious dining options surround the trail, so you can plan your trip, your way.
Looking to add some classic Canadian winter fun to your outing? Head to Hardwood Ski and Bike in Oro-Medonte, where you can explore the business’ well-marked and winding trails with your choice of gear. Fat bikes, snowshoes, and cross-country skis are available for rent onsite, and special events, guided lessons, and groomer rides can be booked upon request.
Extend your getaway at Glen Oro Farm with a winter glamping experience. Enjoy the snowy outdoors snowshoeing or on a horseback trail ride, and then get cozy for an evening by the fire immersed in the wintery landscape.
3. For the Kids at Heart
Maybe you’d rather find your fun indoors until the seasons change. We totally get it, and Orillia & Lake Country serves up a great variety of things to do.
Get your board game on at Cards & Coasters, in the heart of Downtown Orillia. This hidden gem has become a popular hang out spot for friends looking to escape into fantasy fun, classic board games, and the wildest milkshakes you can imagine. Check back regularly for themed trivia nights and events!
Feeling cooped up and cabin fever is setting? Need somewhere to blow off some steam? Orillia’s Axe Men Throwing is a cathartic way to have fun and let out your inner Thor. Get a group of friends together and compete for the ultimate champion. If you want to go full Hulk-mode they even have a Rage Room where you can suit up and safely smash items to bits. How fun is that?
Maybe you’d rather boogie down with some classic roller skating? The Roller Skating Place at ODAS Park, in Severn, is a great spot to step back in time to the days of disco balls and techni-colour lights. Rental skates available, no previous experience necessary!
4. Dining Out Never Tasted So Good
Awaken your palate with interesting restaurants to get you excited about food again. During the winter, local chefs are creating hearty dishes and testing new favourites! Share and discuss worldly tapas with your loved ones at PICNIC, or, book a farm-to-table tasting with curated wine pairings at Provenance Wine Bar. Check out the Hops-to-table experience at Quayle’s Brewery with horse-drawn farm tours and curated six-packs to go. Treat yourself to a scenic fine dining experience at The Ktchn. These are just some of the many memorable dining options throughout our region!
Looking for something a little different? On Saturday, February 10th, Grape & Olive Bistro is hosting Midnight at the Masquerade. Enjoy a three course dinner and while immersed in murder mystery theatre! Book Tickets
5. Music, Theatre, and Laughter
Orillia’s live entertainment scene doesn’t slow down in the winter, with large scale theatre productions, music concerts, and pop-up performances around the city.
Enjoy a musical show for the whole family at The Music Man at St. Paul’s Centre from January 24-28th. This classic musical tells the story of Harold Hill, a con-man who finds himself unexpectedly warmed by the folks of a small town. Featuring large musical numbers that will leave you dancing in your seats and humming for days after. Buy Tickets
They say that laughter heals the soul and at the Orillia Opera House, the show must go on in the murder mystery turned comedy of errors, The Play That Goes Wrong, from February 8-18th. It’s opening night for the Cornley Drama Society’s production of The Murder of Haversham Manor where things go from bad to utterly disastrous. Presented by Mariposa Arts Theatre, this 1920s whodunit has everything you never wanted in a show – an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). Buy Tickets
There are some hot concerts not to be missed as well! As we count down the days until July’s Mariposa Folk Festival, enjoy festival-favourite Lance Anderson with his popular An Evening of Blues & Gospel concert at the Orillia Opera House, Saturday February 3rd. Tickets are going fast!
Downtown Orillia is home to many pop-up concerts to enjoy alongside a meal. Orillia’s British pub, The Hog & Penny, hosts live music and singalongs. Sit down with a cold one at Couchiching Craft Brewing Co. where the weekly entertainment line up is stacked! Lone Wolf Cafe’s After Dark series often features late-night music as well.
Casino Rama Resort’s Entertainment Centre thrives all year long and you can catch world class acts just minutes outside of Orillia throughout the winter. Upcoming acts include Russell Peters Live, Jann Arden, Kim Mitchell with Doug & the Slugs, and more!
Find your joy this season and take in all there is to offer in Orillia & Lake Country for a getaway to remember.
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