If you’re like me and you absolutely love winter walks in the snow, being pampered with amazing cuisine and activities that stretch your culinary muscle, here are a few of my pics for amazing Ontario winter excursions that will make February taste as it never has before.

Oxford County Cheeses Trail: Spend a romantic weekend at The Elm Hurst Inn (with discounted winter rates) and take your time working your way along the cheese trail tasting artisan cheeses in Ontario’s dairy capital. Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese even has a Cheesemaker for the Day event. For a special romantic dinner, be sure to book SixThirtyNine restaurant. www.oxfordfresh.com

Celebrating Ontario’s Terroir. Join some of Ontario’s most celebrated Chefs in the kitchen to cook local and seasonal food every month in the brand new Local Community Food Centre on Erie Street in Stratford. It’s called the GE Café Chefs Series and it runs from January to June. Tickets includes beverages, food, GE Cafe apron and take home recipes. Plan on making a weekend of it, many Stratford hotels offer winter discounts, a culinary school that has inspired fine restaurants from casual to fine dining and you can always take in the Chocolate Trail – oh, yum! www.visitstratford.ca  For the best tranquil, winter walk, drive 15 minutes to St. Marys with their walking trails along and across the Thames River are so peaceful.

Winter Romance: The beauty of the waterfront, quaint downtown and delicious food makes Sarnia and Point Edward two of Ontario’s hidden gems. The Holiday Inn offers a great Date Night Package featuring a 100km dinner in Bridges Bistro featuring some of our local farmers such as Lena’s Lamb, Purdy Fisheries, Bluewater Beef and Franz Turkey Farm. Other hotels offer winter rates. It’s a great place to explore and have fun!  www.hisarnia.ca

 

Where is your favourite place to walk through the snow and enjoy a bit of culinary muscle stretching in this amazing province – let’s start a list!