How to Ensure a Memorable Winter Holiday in Ontario's Resort Region

By: Craig Esson


When they take their Ontario winter time resort holiday, vacationers expect to experience crisp clear days in a landscape draped in a fluffy white blanket of fresh fallen snow. They want to be able to skate or fish on glass smooth frozen lakes and they want to ski or snowmobile on an adequate base of snow. Over the last few years, Ontario resort owners have found that they can no longer count on the abundant snowfalls of the past that attracted a steady stream of vacationers and guaranteed resorts a long and profitable winter season. The current trend in Ontario's weather of milder winter time temperatures and reduced snowfall could prove disastrous for Ontario's resort industry. However, by following the guidelines stated below, you will be well on your way to creating a memorable winter getaway in Ontario's resort region regardless of what the weather brings.

If you are insistent upon having a winter getaway filled with outdoor activities that require a great deal of snow, it is imperative to consider what experts predict the weather to be like. The winter of 2006/2007, which the record keepers say was the mildest winter ever, wreaked havoc on Ontario's tourism industry. The unusually mild temperatures and lack of snow adversely affected traditional winter outdoor activities such as snowmobling, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and ice fishing. In areas that experienced especially mild weather, some tourist and winter-based industries were forced to shut down and lay-off employees. Ontario's largest ski resort, Blue Mountain in Collingwood, was forced to lay off some 1,300 workers when it shut down for the first time in its 65-year history due to lack of snow. They reported that over the usually booming Christmas holiday, week room occupancy rates dropped a staggering 40% from the same period last year.

Along those same lines, if you plan on taking part in outdoor recreational activities that rely on the snow, it is important to plan a winter holiday in Ontario's resort region in areas that have traditionally been associated with colder temperatures and more snow. Some Ontario resort areas have been affected more than others by the rise in wintertime temperatures. Due to its geographic location, the Haliburton Highlands, a popular resort region located two and a half hours northeast of Toronto, has always experienced winter temperatures that average a few degrees cooler than other Ontario resort areas. Over the past several years, when tourist regions such as Muskoka and Collingwood had little or no snow, Haliburton had an ample supply. At times, Haliburton was the only place in central Ontario - including the North Bay region - that had appreciable amounts of snow. For this reason, the Haliburton Highlands may be just the place you need to consider when planning your winter holiday travel plans.

Winter visitors to the Haliburton Highlands have a wealth of winter-based tourist attractions and activities to choose from including hundreds of kilometres of groomed snowmobile and cross-country ski trails, alpine skiing, and fabulous ice fishing. However, people who plan a winter getaway in the Haliburton Highland's are not limited to activities based solely on how the weather behaves. Although this region has access to many groomed snowmobile trails, guests of this resort town come from all over the province and the northern states to Haliburton because they know that Haliburton has great trails-these trails are beautiful in the snow and serve as an excellent place to take advantage of cross-country skiing and dog sledding. However, when snow is minimal, the trails still serve as a great place for a day hike and offer spectacular scenery. For many, the Haliburton Highlands , offers everything to people who are looking for a winter getaway in Ontario's resort region.

Fortunately for Ontario's tourism industry, all reports indicate a colder and snowier winter season ahead. According to the Farmers Almanac, the winter of 2007/2008 will be "a colder than normal winter with a greater average complement of precipitation." This is great news for Ontario's many winter resort and tourist operators who have, over the past few years, seen their businesses suffer from lack of snow and higher temperatures. However, one good winter may only be a reprieve for many in Ontario's resort industry that rely on revenues derived from a good winter season. Ontario tourist operators, not fortunate enough to be located in areas that experience temperatures cold enough to sustain winter based activities, will have to reassess their businesses and look for other ways of attracting winter tourists. In the meantime, relying on the advice above will ensure a memorable winter holiday in Ontario's resort region.


Little Hawk Resort & Marina is a Haliburton, Ontario four seasons resort set on five scenic acres on beautiful Little Hawk Lake. The brand new Inn boasts self-contained suites, a pub style restaurant, and eight newly renovated self-catering cottages. For more information or to book your next cottage resort vacation, please visit Little Hawk Resort & Marina> or call Craig Esson at 1-888-545-4295.