7 Snowy Small Towns In Ontario To Visit This Winter That Aren't Blue Mountain Village

Time to plan a winter getaway. ❄️

Woman standing on a snowy street. Right: Store covered in snow.

Woman standing on a snowy street. Right: Store covered in snow.

Lead Writer, Travel

Ontario is full of picturesque small towns that make for a magical winter getaway. Blue Mountain Village is always a popular snowy-weather destination, but if you're looking for somewhere new to explore, these spots are worth checking out.

You can enjoy frosty winter festivals and snowy scenery at these places around the province.

Bracebridge

Address: Bracebridge, ON

Why You Need To Go: Situated in the "heart of Muskoka," this town is a charming winter destination. You can visit the Fire & Ice Festival in January and even ride a tube down the main street.

Website

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Address: Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON

Why You Need To Go: This historic small town is a dreamy place for a getaway, especially for any wine lovers out there. In January, you can attend the Icewine Festival and many wineries host winter events throughout the season.

Website

Gravenhurst

Address: Gravenhurst, ON

Why You Need To Go: If you love the outdoors, then this small town is the perfect spot to visit this winter. There is so much to do such as skating, snowbiking, and cross-country skiing, and you can visit the Winter Carnival in February.

Website

Perth

Address: Perth, ON

Why You Need To Go: From skating at Stewart Park to cozy winter patios, Perth offers so many magical experiences each snowy season. You'll feel like you're visiting a little European village.

Website

Dundas

Address: Dundas, ON

Why You Need To Go: Dundas is a romantic city escape and during the winter months, you can enjoy tons of different activities from frozen waterfall hikes to delicious restaurants.

Website

Almonte

Address: Almonte, ON

Why You Need To Go: This town has been the set of several Christmas films, so you know it's a magical winter destination. You can browse local shops and enjoy delicious cuisine in this winter wonderland.

Website

Stratford

Address: Stratford, ON

Why You Need To Go: While its technically a city, Stratford has charming small-town vibes and is worth a visit this year. There are so many shops to explore and you can even follow the chocolate trail.

Website

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.

  • Lead Writer

    Madeline Forsyth is a Toronto-based Lead Writer for Narcity Media. After earning her B.A. (Hons) at Queen's University, she spent a year travelling much of the world as a flight attendant. Now, she uses her experience in the travel industry and passion for writing to share stories about buzzworthy events and adventures across Canada and the globe. Madeline has been published in PopSugar and has interviewed sports and entertainment personalities for Narcity. She has covered and photographed restaurant openings as well as event launches such as the world premiere of the Dr. Seuss Experience. Some of her favourite things to write about include charming small towns and anything to do with Harry Potter.

A burst of snow will bring up to 20 cm to Ontario this week before the cold snap ends

Temperatures will warm up but still be cold enough for "lingering" snow.

CSIS is hiring for these jobs and you can get paid up to $120,000 a year to be nosy

You'll help investigate threats to national security. 🔍

U of T is the only Canadian school in the top 10 of this new best universities ranking

It beat every Canadian university in all of these subject areas! 📚