Blue Mountain Winter Escape In Collingwood Ontario

A Great Break On A Blue Mountain Winter Escape In Collingwood Ontario

We headed north of Toronto for a Blue Mountain winter escape in Collingwood Ontario.  It was great to escape the city and enjoy some winter fun. We visited Collingwood on summer road trips but it had been awhile since we were there in the cold weather.

Our stay at the Westin Trillium House provided the perfect base to explore the outdoor adventures at The Blue Mountains and to enjoy all the Blue Mountain Village had to offer.  At night, the area was lit with colourful displays.

One day we took a relaxing break at the Scandinave Spa.  A perfect way to round out a perfect winter getaway.

Enjoy A Great Resort

We booked a mid-week stay at the Westin Trillium House at Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario.  While we had no snow in Toronto, we hit snow covered hills about an hour north of the city. We found a tasty spot for a short stop to refuel on our trip north.

The Westin Trillium Resort was located right at the base of the Blue Mountain ski runs.  And was a short walk around the pond to the Blue Mountain Village.  It was the perfect location for a short winter break.

The resort offered lots of cozy inside spaces to enjoy when we came in from the cold. The outdoor pool and hot tub were heated and offered more ways to enjoy the winter atmosphere.

We were delighted with the resort we booked for our winter getaway.

A Room With A View

We were delighted when we got an upgrade to a large suite for our stay.  Always a nice perk with our Marriott Bonvoy Elite status. There was lots of room to spread out.  And a full kitchen gave us options for meals.  The chocolate and wine was a wonderful welcome amenity.

Our room looked out over the resort pools towards the Blue Mountain Village.  It was a wonderful sight day and night.

The Westin Trillium Resort was the perfect base for a Blue Mountain winter escape in Collingwood Ontario.

Head To The Hills For Winter Fun

Skiing at Blue Mountain was a traditional winter activity to do in Ontario.  There were 5 long ski lifts and several shorter ones that covered 43 runs on the Blue Mountain hills.  I do hesitate to call them “mountains” for real skiers!  But Blue Mountain provided a fun winter escape for skiing or snowboarding.  And 30 runs were open at night.  If we wanted a snow experience requiring a little less skill we checked out the snow tubing area. 

We took the car up along Scenic Caves Road and got a look from the top of the ski runs.  And got a panoramic view from the top as well.  The Off-Piste Pavilion at the top was a venue for private events.  It was not in use when we visited but was a good spot for a break with a view.

Beside the Off-Piste Pavilion we found the skating loop.  This 1.1km loop went through the trees and was all lit up at night.  Skate rentals were available too. The Scenic Caves offered 27km of groomed trails for more outdoor winter fun.  Nordic cross country skiing and snowshoeing were both available from here.

A Village Experience Pass was available for even more fun.  We could have learned how to throw an axe.  Or relaxed with a pottery class.  A visit to the Plunge Aquatic Centre provided more indoor winter fun.  We were even tempted to try Pickleball for the first time.

We found so many ways to have fun outdoors on a Blue Mountain winter escape in Collingwood.

Wander In Blue Mountain Village

From our window at the Westin Trillium House we got a view of the Blue Mountain Village.  It was a short walk to the heart of the village.  In the Blue Mountain Village we found a surprising number of shops.  One window delighted us with a model of the town and the ski hills. Sportswear shops were available if we needed more winter gear.  We found specialty stores for many different interests.  And we even discovered a Rocky Mountain Chocolate store! 

Walking around the Mill Pond path, we got our first view of the Blue Mountain Village at night.  We were drawn in by the twinkly colourful lights.

When we wandered in the Blue Mountain Village at night we were delighted with the colourful light display all around town.  This was definitely a winter wonderland.

We enjoyed wandering in the Blue Mountain Village on a Blue Mountain winter escape in Collingwood.

Enjoy The Winter Colour Display For Blumination

The colourful display of lights in the Blue Mountain Village was beautiful.  But when we wandered around the pond, we were captivated by the light and motion displays we found along the Blumination Light Trail. Our path started and ended at the Westin Trillium House with a reminder that Après Ski was a fun part of all winter activity in Ontario.

A musical walk under the Frozen Sky set the tone for the light and sound show we discovered. We stopped by the giant lighted BLUE sign for a stunning look over the pond.  On one side we found the colourful Blue Mountain Village.  And on the other a great view of the Westin Trillium House.  

Colourful Fun On A Blue Mountain Winter Escape In Collingwood

On one end of the Blue Mountain Village we stopped and watched the colourful balls as they lit up the trees.   And in another spot we got a musical show to a display of colourful balls arrayed in the snow.  In another spot we found colourful icicles dancing in colour.

Totally delighted we finished the path back towards our hotel.  And stopped when we saw other fun sights along the path.  The Aurora Borealis display reminded us of the colourful natural display of colour we had not yet experienced in nature.

We walked around the Blumination Light Trail several times on our Blue Mountain winter escape in Collingwood.  And each time it made us smile.

Booking A Spa Day At The Scandinave Spa

On many trips north in Ontario we have considered a visit to the Scandinave Spa.  Our mid-week stay at the Westin Trillium House was a perfect time to visit the spa and not have to drive back to Toronto.

The Scandinave Spa offered a complete Thermal Journey to move through a series of outdoor hot and cold experiences.  There was a small discount for a Wednesday visit.  But we wanted to add in massages for both of us on our visit and it meant we could only visit on Thursday.

Our massages were booked for the opening time at 9am but we were allowed in at 8:30.  The nature spa was meant to be a quiet escape for a digital detox.  Inside the spa area silence was expected and we had to store our cell phones in the provided lockers.  

Because we arrived so early, we got a chance to capture an empty view of the outdoor spa area before we went inside.  It sure made us excited to head in for our relaxing day on a Blue Mountain winter escape.

Relaxing Escape On A Blue Mountain Winter Escape In Collingwood

After signing in, we got a thick fluffy robe and towels.  We each got a plastic wrist band that had an electronic chip to open and lock a locker in the change room.

After changing into our robe we moved to the massage area.  We were amazed at how busy it was first thing in the morning.

After the deep tissue massage we showered again and then headed outdoors to move through the Thermal Journey.  The recommended approach was 10-15 minutes for hot, 5-20 seconds of cold and then 1–15 minutes of relaxation.  We started with the hot jacuzzi tub with the waterfall that pounded down on our shoulders.  A quick dip in the ice cold pool was followed by a blissful 15 minutes in the eucalyptus steam sauna. 

As we moved further into the spa complex we found more hot jacuzzi tubs and another ice cold plunge pool.  A large dry sauna completed our thermal journey.

We found several different spots to relax between water treatments.  Outdoor chairs on the grass or in front of a fire pit sat with forest and mountain views.  Indoor spaces offered great padded zero gravity chairs.  All great ways to chill out as we moved lazily from spot to spot.

We enjoyed a wonderful and relaxing half day at the Scandinave Spa on a Blue Mountain winter escape.  As we got ready to leave, the spa seemed to get very busy and despite the silence mandate the retreat seemed a little less peaceful and inviting.  If we returned for another visit, we would plan our massages for late morning and enjoy several hours before our massage in the early opening hours when it is far quieter.

Eat Your Way Around Town

A free breakfast was always a great treat with our Marriott Bonvoy elite status.  And the breakfasts at the Oliver and Bonacini O&B Cafe Grill was a filling way to start our day.  When we returned to the hotel late in the day, this hotel restaurant offered great food and options too.

We found so many other great options for food and drink when we wandered in the Blue Mountain Village.  There was enough variety to keep everyone well fed.  We loved some of the speciality shops like Cheezed which offered gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.  And Canadian specialties like Beavertails and poutine too.

No visit to Collingwood was complete without checking out some of the local craft beer spots.  Stops at Side Launch Brewery and Collingwood Brewery provided David with some tasty new dark stout style beers to try.

We loved to check out the local bakeries on our travels around Ontario.  So we made sure to stop at Paula’s Pantry and Heavenly Cafe for a sweet treat or two.

We burned lots of calories on our adventurous Blue Mountain winter escape.  So it was great when we found tasty food and drink stops.

Get Away On A Blue Mountain Winter Escape In Collingwood Ontario

There are so many ways to enjoy the winter in Ontario in Canada.  While we often headed out for day trips, it was wonderful to plan a few days for a Blue Mountain winter escape in Collingwood.  

We enjoyed the lovely Westin Trillium House at the base of the Blue Mountain ski area and wandered into the colourful Blue Mountain Village. A day at the Scandinave Spa provided a relaxing and serene break on our stay.

A great winter getaway was the perfect break from Toronto for a few days.

Have you done a Blue Mountain winter escape in Collingwood Ontario?  What was your favourite activity?

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