Wintery Mix
Canadian Shield. Niagara Escarpment. Sounds cold, doesn’t it? Yes, Collingwood, Ontario’s natural resources are frosty ones, but they spell winter fun.
Chilly Collingwood is home to Blue Mountain, Ontario’s largest ski resort. Located on Georgian Bay, Blue Mountain features Ontario’s largest vertical slope and a chic ski village, too. No, you’re not in Whistler or Mont Tremblant, though the stylish hotels, boutiques and restaurants might make you think otherwise. Diversions aren’t just limited to skiing, shopping and dining, either. Blue Mountain is also home to some unusual wintery diversions.
True, winter water parks aren’t anything new. Trust Blue Mountain to come up with Plunge! Aquatic Centre, the year-round waterpark that looks more like an Ontario boathouse than a Disney creation. While youngsters adore the outdoor heated waterslide, older visitors luxuriate in oversized hot tubs adjacent to the indoor-outdoor pools. And don’t worry if it’s Christmas Day — Plunge! is open for business.
There’s also a dry diversion for the outdoorsman who is either very brave or utterly nuts — the resort’s Scenic Caves snowshoe trail ventures across Ontario’s longest suspension bridge, dangling over an enormous valley. Fortunately, the 420-foot-long bridge is safely covered in enough metal to protect its passengers and can hold an unlimited number of people. However, because of its flexible construction, the bridge also sways dramatically with the wind. Scary? You bet! The views over Georgian Bay? Unbelievable. Post-trek, a hot -stone massage at Scandinave Spa chases the white knuckles away before a gourmet treat at one of Blue Mountain’s many dining destinations, like the decidedly Canadian “BeaverTails,” a dessert hotspot.
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