Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Looking for some fun stuff to do around the city this month? ‘Tis the season for yummy food, twinkling lights and hanging out with people you like. We asked our agents for their go-to holiday activities...here’s a list of their top 10 (mostly outdoor) faves to inspire your own cold-weather fun.
Image credit: @distilleryto
1. Take a walk through the Distillery Winter Village. Wander the cobblestone streets for a dose of European-inspired holiday charm. Take in the giant tree and Insta-worthy light sculptures, snap a festive selfie at one of the holiday walls, and snack on yummy food from the vendor cabins and the Distillery’s amazing restaurants. If you get chilled, pop into Balzac’s – they have the best hot chocolate!
Love the Distillery? Check out listings and neighbourhood info.
2. Go for a hike. The last couple of years have taught us that walking and hiking aren’t just for the warm weather months. Toronto is full of great trails, from the Humber River Trail to the Leslie Street Spit to the Lower Don, there are lots of walks that’ll have you immersed in nature without having to leave the city. So bundle up, grab your crampons in case it gets icy, and hit the trails. Check out the free AllTrails app for more ideas.
Want to live near great urban hiking trails? Check out listings in Mount Dennis, along the Humber River.
Image credit: @casalomatoronto
3. Take in the lights. Do a self-guided tour of the holiday light spectacle at Casa Loma, gaze in wide-eyed wonder at the Cavalcade of Lights at Nathan Phillips’ Square, or walk through the Winter Lights Exhibition at Ontario Place. If you’re up for a bit of a road trip, the free Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara Falls features 3 million lights sparkling up a storm along the Niagara Parkway, the Dufferin Islands and across Niagara Falls.
Check out listings in Fort York – it’s a short walk away from Ontario Place and the lake.
Image credit: @skyskate.to
4. Hit the rink. The City of Toronto is no longer requiring timed bookings to go skating (yay!) so head to your favourite local rink for a fun, totally wholesome good time. Looking for a slightly more elevated skating experience? Check out SkySkate, a rooftop rink with crazy views of the city skyline. Or skate the Bentway, a unique urban skate path right under the Gardiner Expressway! (Opens December 18.)
The King West neighbourhood that’s home to SkySkate also has amazing dining and nightlife – check out available listings in the area.
5. Gather with friends around a fire. Whether it’s on your condo terrace, at a public fire pit (you can book them through the City or at Ontario Place) or on a restaurant patio, there’s nothing quite as cozy as a blazing fire on a winter night. Don’t forget your blankies!
6. Go green at Evergreen’s Holiday Market. Head down to the Evergreen Brickworks from December 17-22 for sustainable shopping, great food, skating, entertainment and more.
Mount Pleasant West is close to the Evergreen Brickworks, as well as beautiful walking trails. Check out local listings
Image credit: @sweatersandsnowflakes
7. Check out this outdoor winter winebar. Location at the southwest corner of Bathurst and Richmond, the Sweaters ‘n Snowflakes Holiday Popup has a cozy winter forest vibe in the heart of the city. Eat, drink, sit by the fire, paint an ugly sweater cookie and take selfies in the white light tunnel or by the giant 5-foot holiday present. Runs from December 3-26.
Image credit: @stacktmarket
8. Play Crokicurl. Holiday Hills at Stackt Market is a great destination for shopping, live music, holiday-themed workshops, drag and comedy shows, dining...and Crokicurl, a game that combines crokinole and curling and is played on a giant outdoor rink.
9. Celebrate the season at Wonderland’s WinterFest. Skate on Snowflake lake, take in live shows, hit the rides, check out zillions of lights and trees and eat, drink and be (very, very) merry!
Like the idea of living near Wonderland? Check out some of the local listings?
10. Welcome back the light in Kensington Market. Mark 6:30-9:30 on December 21st on your calendar, because that’s the Winter Solstice Festival, a neighbourhood-wide celebration you won’t want to miss. The streets of the market will be closed to traffic and filled with performers, music and good vibes as they celebrate the return of light.
There’s no neighbourhood quite like Kensington...check out area info and properties for sale.
Looking for inspo for some last-minute holiday shopping? Check out this list of great gifts for the new homeowner on your list.