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Uncover the Charm of Canada’s Small Towns for Winter Travel

ByNina Clapperton Updated on

When most people think of Canada, they often picture a cold, snowy landscape. That’s because Canada is most famous for its winter activities, from skiing to ice hockey to tobogganing. 

But as a native Canadian, I can tell you that the country isn’t just about winter sports – Canada is full of small, charming towns that are really fun in the winter. It’s like a Hallmark Christmas movie with busy little streets, twinkling lights, and snow-covered mountains in the background. 

My favorite of Canada’s small towns is Perth. It’s certainly a lesser-known winter destination in Canada, but I recently took a 3-day weekend trip there just to get out of the city, and I loved it! 

Here are 5 of Canada’s most charming small towns to visit in winter!

nina hiking perth

1. Perth, Ontario 

Perth in Ontario is probably my favorite winter destination in Canada. It’s perfect for a quick getaway from the city, just one hour from Ottawa and 3-4 hours from Toronto and Montreal.

The town is full of old-world charm, with well-maintained heritage buildings, decorations, and Christmas lights in the winter. It gives off a warm holiday feeling, which I genuinely look forward to in a small town. 

An ideal winter day in Perth begins with a snowshoeing session at Perth Wildlife Reserve in the morning and ends with grabbing hot cocoa or cider from one of the local cafes. 

You can also take in the quirky sights, shop for the holidays in the boutiques, skate on the Stewart Park outdoor rink, and more adventurous travelers like to swap out snowshoeing with cross-country skiing to Murphey’s Point.

Still, the highlight of the winter season in Perth is always the February Frost & Fire Winter Festival, a vibrant celebration of local vendors and awesome winter activities. 

I recently spent the weekend taking in the peacefulness of winter in Perth. It was insanely cold (tbf), but the small town’s snow-dusted streets and holiday decorations are a big part of why I fell back in love with Ontario. 

I can’t wait to bring my golden retriever, Theo, back to Perth so he can experience the winter wonderland for himself!

Aurora Lights at Yellow Knife

2. Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Yellowknife is the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and the only city in the Northwest Territories. 

Just 400km (250 miles) south of the Arctic Circle, Yellowknife is the best place in the world to view the Northern Lights (a.k.a Aurora Borealis), visible mid-November to early April and well worth the long journey north. 

However, you need a bit of luck with the weather since the clouds often block the lights. The city has tiny lighthouses that alert when an active aurora is in the evening forecast. 

I got super lucky once and saw them from the plane, but I haven’t yet been able to catch them from land. 

Outside of the dancing lights, Yellowknife has 3 toboggan hills, 6 outdoor ice rinks, and a small snowboard park at Bristol Pit!

The city also hosts several events throughout the winter, including The SnowKing Winter Festival, which brings together locals and visitors for a day of constructing a massive snow castle on the Great Slave Lake!

The cars on the road are covered with snow during winter.

3. Port Hardy, British Columbia

The small town of Port Hardy sits on the northern tip of Vancouver. Temps here rarely fall below 0ºC (32ºF), making it a great destination for those who want to enjoy the winter climate but don’t relish the extreme cold (ahem, that would be me).  

Even in the winter, people enjoy hiking through the forest’s many trails or searching for sea glass along the beach. 

You can also go ice skating during open ice hours at Don Cruickshank Memorial Arena, then join a local crowd and cheer on men’s, women’s, and youth hockey teams as they take to the ice each afternoon!

There are also loads of unique reasons to visit Port Hardy in winter.

For example, It’s also one of the best places in Canada for storm watching, and people don’t stop enjoying the ocean just because it gets colder. 

People come to Port Hardy from all over British Columbia for winter sport fishing, winter surfing, and the most diverse cold-water diving in the world. Divers often see wolf eels, orcas, and even the giant Pacific octopus!

A polar bear laying on the ice.

4. Churchill, Manitoba 

Churchill, Manitoba, is the Polar Bear Capital of the World.

Visitors can join a guided tour or take a tundra buggy (basically a tall, armored bus) to observe polar bears up close and even have a chance to witness the magical Northern Lights!

Another cool winter adventure to try is dog sledding, where teams of huskies pull you across the ice fields and snow-covered landscape. 

It might look easy, but dog sledding required way more athleticism than I expected. It also didn’t help that the dogs kept giving me judgemental looks each time I tripped over my feet and slowed them down!

If that sounds intimidating, you can opt for a more relaxed snowshoeing day trip through Wapusk National Park.  

So many tourists have never heard of Churchill, Manitoba, but if you can visit this small town in winter, you’ll have an unforgettable experience.

The coast at Tofino during sunrise.

5. Tofino, British Columbia

Tofino is another one of Canada’s hidden treasures for winter travel and well worth a visit.

It’s located on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and is known as Canada’s surfing capital, but there’s a lot to do in this small town during winter, too. 

Bundle up for a walk along the beach and watch for whales near the coast – there are fewer in winter, but you may get lucky! Then, warm up with a day trip to Tofino’s hot springs.

Like Port Hardy, Tofino is also a great place for winter storm watching. During powerful storms, the waves coming from the Pacific can reach 12 meters (40 feet)! 

If you visit Tofino in winter, I highly recommend staying at Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino. My dog Theo and I stayed here one summer and had the best time! The lodges are right on Cox Bay Beach, so you can watch the waves from the comfort of your cozy lodge.

The coast at Ladysmith from a view deck with brown railing and green street lamp.

6. Ladysmith, British Columbia 

Traversing south of Tofino, Ladysmith is another beautiful small town on Vancouver Island.

It’s super close to the scenic Cowichan Valley and well-known for its charming downtown and close-knit community. 

Ladysmith won’t be a hidden gem for much longer, though. The Festival of Lights is Ladysmith’s most popular event, quickly becoming Vancouver Island’s largest winter family celebration. 

Each year, from the last Thursday in November until the second Sunday in January, thousands of twinkling Christmas lights decorate the waterfront area, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Visitors can walk or drive down First Avenue to take it all in, with the Light Up Parade kicking off the season in late November!

Lost of people skiing down at Banff National Park with view of the mountains.

7. Banff, Alberta 

Ok, maybe Banff isn’t technically one of Canada’s hidden treasures, but most people don’t think to visit Banff National Park in the winter!

It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world – so much so that I was THIS CLOSE to moving there with my dog after spending just one week exploring it in a campervan. 

Banff is about 90 minutes west of Calgary, and in addition to the staggering Rocky Mountain peaks and frozen lakes, winter also provides access to skiing and snowboarding. 

In fact, you can get access to the “Big 3” resorts on one lift ticket.

Then, in downtown Banff, you can enjoy sparkling lights reflecting off the Bow River and plenty of outdoor activities like ice skating, ice fishing, walking tours, sleigh ride dinners, and winter hikes.

Pro Tip – Stay at one of the Banff hotels with a private hot tub for extra winter coziness.

Final Thoughts

If you can’t beat the cold, embrace it! One of the best ways to enjoy the intense Canadian winter is to visit the lesser-known small towns that make you feel like you’re living in an actual snow globe.

Small towns let you escape the crowds and enjoy winter activities like ice skating, ice fishing, sleigh rides, and winter hikes. 

You can chase the Northern Lights in Yellowknife or take advantage of more bearable temperatures in Port Hardy.

Even still, Perth is my favorite winter getaway, and it’s so easy to get to from Ottawa or Toronto!

Read More About Canada!

Canada Travel Planning Guide

🚑 Should I buy Canada travel insurance?

100% YES! — Canada has “free” healthcare but it’s only for citizens! Foreigners visiting need travel insurance in case anything happens on their visit. I recommend World Nomads – starting at just $5 a day!

💧Can you drink the water in Canada?

Yes — In all major cities in Canada, you can drink the tap water. There are very few, rural areas that you can’t. However, you should never drink river or lake water anywhere in the country! I recommend a Brita Water Bottle for long hikes and backcountry camping to stay safe and hydrated.

🚙💨 Is it safe to rent a car in Canada?

Yes — Renting a car is a necessity in most of Canada! If you want to go on road trips or adventures outside of the major cities, you’ll need to rent a car. (Read more)

📲 Will my phone work in Canada?

Maybe — Some American companies work in Canada, but many will not. If your phone doesn’t work in Canada, I recommend getting a Canadian SIM card so you can get around and stay in contact with loved ones. We don’t have a lot of free WIFI in Canada, so you’ll need your phone for maps.

🏩 What’s the best way to book my Canada accommodations?

My go-to for Canadian hotels is Booking.com. For hostels, I use Hostel World. If you want a home-y feeling, check out VRBO (which is cheaper and safer than Airbnb).

Or get free accommodations with Trusted Housesitters!

✈️ What’s the best site to buy Canada flights?

For finding cheap Canadian flights, I recommend Skyscanner.

🎫 Do I need a visa for Canada?

Likely Not — US, UK, and EU passport holders don’t need Canadian visas. However, some other countries do (check here!). And if you plan to stay for more than 4 weeks (an average tourist visa length), you will need to look into visas to live in Canada.

Nina Clapperton is the founder of Nina Out and About. She has lived in 18 countries in the past 10 years, explored more than 30 countries, and has done most of it solo. A Canadian native, she also shares her favourite things to do in the True North. She helps over 100,000 people per month plan their expat adventures and Canadian trips.