If you love skiing, snowboarding, or sipping hot cocoa in front of a roaring fireplace, these five winter weekend getaways are for you. They are all within a two-hour drive from Brampton, so it won’t take long for you to start enjoying yourself on the slopes or relaxing at a spa surrounded by snow-covered hills.
Hockley Valley: 40 minutes
Hockley Valley Resort is the closest destination to Brampton, located in the Hills of Headwaters. It features 15 ski and snowboard runs for all levels, including both an upper and a lower freestyle terrain park. For kicking back after a long day, there are 104 luxury rooms and suites as well as an 8,000 square foot full-service spa. If you’ve worked up an appetite after all that skiing and spa-ing, try the resort’s renowned café which provides seasonal, farm-to-table meals.
Brimacombe: 1 hour 20 minutes
Brimacombe is unique because it’s a not-for-profit organization led by membership-elected volunteer board members. All income received from members and visitors will go directly back into the operation and growth of the facility. Brimacombe also boasts 22 runs and trails for day skiing, ranging from beginner to expert levels, as well as 11 runs for night skiing. There are also two terrain parks and wide variety of social events available for visitors.
Horseshoe Resort: 1 hour 20 minutes
Horsehoe Resort has everything an outdoor winter enthusiast could want. There are 28 downhill runs appropriate for every level of skier, plus more than 45 km of groomed cross-country ski trails. In addition to the cross-country skiing, guests can go snowshoeing, snow tubing, fat biking, or snowmobiling. There are also a wide variety of spa services available for relaxing. Guests can choose the luxury apartment-style accommodations at Copeland House or The Inn at Horseshoe (which is pet-friendly).
Mount St. Louis Moonstone: 1 hour 30 minute drive
Founded in 1964 by Austrian Alpine skier Joel Huter, Mount St. Louis Moonstone contains 36 different ski slopes, plus 9 chair lifts and three carpets. For those who are new to the sports, there is snow school for both skiers and snowboarders. Mount St. Louis Moonstone is the perfect place for the serious winter sports enthusiast. Its website states: “Skiing and snowboarding is ALL Mount St Louis Moonstone does.”
Blue Mountain: 1 hour 40 minute drive
Blue Mountain is Ontario’s only four-season mountain village resort, and a look at all the amenities it offers explains why this resort is so popular. Woodview mountaintop skating, snowshoeing, and Ridge Runner mountain coaster rides are offered in addition to skiing. Snow school is great for those just learning the slopes, while terrain parks, snowmobile tours, sleigh rides, and winter cave trips are also available for those who want to try something else. Blue Mountain also offers three different spas as well as a wide variety of eateries and shops.