Enjoying Our Winter Wonderland

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Hello beautiful people, this week we’ve got for you:

• Great winter attractions you can squeeze in before the season ends

• Tips for keeping warm for winter play

• Winter festivals across the country happening in February and March

Let’s go!

— Jenna Kelly

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Experience Great Moments

Amazing Winter Attractions Across the Country

Canadians definitely have mixed relationship with our winters. But when we love snow and ice, we really showcase it.

While we over halfway through winter now, there’s still time to see some of these amazing (and unique) winter attractions.

What little kid hasn’t wanted to live in a castle? But what about one made of ice? Just like Elsa?

Hotel de Glace in Valcartier, Quebec is open until March 16. With ice slides, sculptures, and a skating trail, there is a ton of frozen fun to be had.

ottawalist

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After only opening for 2 weeks in the last 3 years, The Rideau Canal Skateway in the nation’s Capital is open for the season. But do check on conditions before skating on Canada’s longest skating rink.

Manitoba hosts the Guiness World Record holder of the largest snow maze this year. With the maze, tobogganing, a luge track and sleigh rides there’s so much fun to be had until mid March… as long as the weather stays good!

40 minutes out of Canmore, Alberta you can have the ride of a lifetime with Mad Dog Expeditions. If you ever wanted to know what riding with a dog team is like, this is your call to find out.

@momentsmadeincanada

mdxone

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@mdxone | 📍Sun Peaks Resort, BC | 😍 💕 Love the “more” in sign language!

Tag @momentsmadeincanada to share your family moment.

Tiny Quick Tips

Keep everyone warm during winter travel

Winter definitely brings a unique set of challenges for the whole family, especially when you’re travelling. Few things are more miserable than miserably cold kids. Here a few ideas to help out:

• Bringing enough warm gear. It might take up a lot of space, but keeping everyone warm enough is a major key to happy kid. Insulated boots, wool socks (or even better, alpaca), snow pants & coats, hats and water resistant mittens (not little thin gloves) are all musts for all-day-fun winter play.

• Make sure gear is warm and dry when it’s put on. Being wet is the fastest way to get cold!

• Quick and easy snacks in the car for kids to fuel up on, and a thermos with a warm drink can go a long way. Fruit, veggies and boiled eggs can be another quick option to bring with you. We like keeping fruit-to-gos, nuts, granola bars and energy gels in the glove box, just in case. Have enough for 1 sack for every hour outside.

• Getting blood flowing and warming up quickly can be so important when spending time in the great outdoors. Hands and feet are usually the first thing to get painfully cold (mittens will keep your hands warmer if gloves aren’t needed for dexterity). Clap, rub, stomp and keep on moving!

• Make it difficult for snow and wind to reach your skin and inner layers: tuck gloves into sleeves, boots in to snow pants.

• Keep gloves or mitts on. But if (when) the kids have to take them off (we all know they will at least twice), store them as close to your body as possible…. as long as it’s not wet! Tuck gloves or mittens into your coat until they are ready to use them again. You could even keep an extra pair there in case they get wet.

• Find some great indoor attractions to enjoy and to warm up. Museums, play places and indoor amusement parks, even indoor waterparks can be a great option.

• Bonus: Eating an orange or two might help. A phytonutrient in citrus fruit called hesperitin may help people stay warmer, longer.

Winter fun is great for memory building, but keeping everyone warm makes it a positive experience for everyone!

Kids Corner

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From the Littles

Do your kids have an experience to share? A review? A drawing? Contact us or tag us @momentsmadeincanada

Across Canada

Hidden Gems

• Tubing in the GTA

• Free skating in Vancouver at Robson Square and The Shipyards

• Toronto’s History Museums have free admission for the rest of the year

• Abraham Lake in Alberta between Banff and Jasper is hauntingly beautiful, with it’s trapped bubbles in crystal clear ice

• Temple Gardens’ Geothermal Mineral Pool in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

• The trails at Hunt Lake Manitoba are open year round

• The toboggan slide in Quebec City, Quebec

• A winter walk with llamas at Llamazing Adventures in Cap-Pele, New Brunswick

• Saint Martin’s Sea Caves are open year round, and something special in the winter

• Try out Fat Biking in the Yukon

Upcoming Festivals and Events

Some festivals and special events across the country:

• Victoria, BC: The Pacific Baroque Festival February 18-23, and The Hot Chocolate Festival until February 28

• Vancouver, BC: Lights at Lefarge (free) until February 28th and Love Lights at Capilano Bridge until February 23

• Whistler, BC: Vallea Lumina winter light show runs until April 30th, and the spring show will open again May 17th.

• Calgary, AB: A francophone in Alberta? Love french culture? Festival D’Hiver - Franco Winterfest (free admission) with great activities for the kids and musical entertainment is on February 28 to March 1

• Lac La Biche, AB: Winter Festival of Speed, with car and snow mobile races, games, crafts, skating and more for the kids on February 28 to March 2

• Lethbridge, AB: You can still squeeze a visit to the Nika Yuko Japanese Winter Light festival before February 28

• Saskatoon, SK: Nutrien Wintershines Festival is on until February 22, ice sculpture art, Mario and Princess Peach and other character mascots, scavenger hunts and more. Most events are free, with with some requiring a ticket purchase.

• Prince Albert, SK: the Prince Albert Winter Festival wraps up on February 23

• Melfort, SK: The Provincial Snowmobile Festival is happening this weekend, February 21 and 22

• Fort QuAppelle, SK: Fort Winter Festival in on February 28 to March 2, with fun for the whole family, including fireworks!

• Ness Creek, Big River, SK: Enjoy a paper lantern parade, sleigh rides and a fireworks and laser show at Fire and Ice Lite on March 1

• Winnipeg, MB: Festival du Voyager, a francophone festival has music, fun and games for the whole family until February 23

• Lac de Bonnet, MB: Anyone in your family love fishing? Or just fun out on the ice? Lac de Bonnet Fishing Derby is happening February 22

• Beausejour, MB: The world’s longest running snowmobile race, Canadian Power Toboggan Championships, is on March 1 and 2, with bonfires, games and free photos

• Churchill/Gillam, MB: Hudson Bay Quest sled dog race, April 5

• Brandon, MB: Royal Manitoba Winter Fair March 30 to April 5

• North Bay, ON: Ice Follies ice sculpture and art festival, until Feb 21

• Haliburton, ON: Do fun activities and send in your photos to win prizes with 28 Days of Fun In Drysart et al until February 28

• New Brunswick: Fundy Winterfest is a 6 week, 6 community celebration that ends on March 9, with lots of activities to choose from, like PARka for the Course, Volley-ball, Glow in the Dark Skating Party and more

• Plaster Rock, NB: The World Pond Hockey Tournament is fast and furious, 4 on 4 hockey, for half an hour, 120 teams. February 20 to 23. Attending as a spectator is free

• Moncton, NB: Support the local community and enjoy a delicious cup of cocoa with Chocolat Moncton hot chocolate festival until March 2

• South Shore, NS: February is peak lobster season, and what isn’t to love about that? But Lobster Crawl has more than lobster. With art exhibits, family bingo, science experiments, crafts and more, there is fun for the whole family.

• Gander, NFL: Gander’s SnoBreak has skating, a puzzle competition, and paint night for the kids

Have an event for families that we can share? Let us know!

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Have a great family moment to share? Contact our team or tag us @momentsmadeincanada

So tell us…

What in Canada is on your family travels bucket list?

Next week, we’ll let you know the top answers.

Happy travels, all!

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