Blue Mountain, Collingwood is by far one of my favourite places in the world for so many reasons. As a kid I grew up ski racing and so was in Collingwood 3 – 4 times a week in the winter. It was my second home for more than half of my life. While I no longer go up as much as I used to, I do try to head up a couple times a winter. It’s the perfect weekend getaway from Toronto.
There are so many great reasons to love Collingwood, no matter what the season but I’m partial to winter obviously. The small town seems to come alive with the first snowfalls of the season, right up until it melts. It’s almost a two hour drive from the city but it’s a fairly easy one. I would recommend leaving earlier on a Friday to avoid traffic and either later or earlier on Sunday as well.
Where to Stay
Luxury: Intrawest Blue Mountain Resort
Several years ago Intrawest took over Blue Mountain and completely changed its landscape. For those of you who don’t know, Intrawest is also the company that owned and remodelled Whistler village and Mont Tremblant. Naturally they decided to model Blue Mountain the same way. Intrawest Resort is more expensive than any other hotel in Collingwood but the views and convenience to everything is hard to beat.
Mid-Range: Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Located in the middle of town you’ll be a short drive from the hills. At night you’ll have a great view of the mountains at night. One thing to note is that cabs can be expensive in Collingwood so if you’re looking to have a couple of nights out you might want to factor that price into the equation as well.
Affordable: Collingwood Cottage
Finding cottages to stay at in Collingwood can sometimes be difficult especially if you’re trying to book last minute. If you look far enough in advance though there’s a good chance you’ll find very affordable cottages. These are always a great option because you’ll have all the necessary amenities for a weekend away.
What to do:
Skiing: This one is quite obvious as it’s how the “mountains” (they call them mountains but really if you’re comparing them to real mountains they are basically hills) became popular. Buying tickets on the day can be expensive so make sure to buy them online in advance. The lineups can be really long at the central hills so make sure you take advantage of the landscape and travel as far South or as far North as possible.
Snowshoeing: Even though I spent my entire childhood ski racing, I am definitely partial to snowshoeing. I don’t know what it is about climbing the hill in the woods, along the snowshoe paths that I love so much but I find it so peaceful and relaxing.
Cross Country Skiing: Admittedly, this is probably the only winter sport that I actually haven’t tried (it’s on my bucket list) but I’ve seen some amazing trails at the top of the mountain. One day I definitely plan on taking advantage of this.
Nightlife:
Of course one of the best things about going up to Collingwood and spending the day out in the fresh air, is the Apres. For those of you unfamiliar with Apres is basically getting drunk and eating fantastic appetizers after hitting the slopes all day. While this usually takes place in the clubhouse or someones chalet, the Apres, Apres in Collingwood is hard to beat.
Jozo Weider’s: The unassuming local watering hole of collingwood. Located at the base of hill and near the Collingwood Inn Hotel, you’ll find all the seasoned pros here. In fact, a lot of people Apres here and stay all night. It gets really busy around 930/10pm so if you’re not there in time – good luck getting in. The live music, cheap beers and seeing familiar faces are really hard to beat.
Twist Martini Lounge: Probably the complete opposite of Jozo’s, Twist is a classier joint. It’s a fantastic spot for dinner. The crowd tends to be a little older as there is a minimum age limit of 21 (they may have changed it to 25 by now) but it’s a great spot.
Kaytoo: Generally Kaytoo doesn’t get overly busy at night because it’s a larger venue. If you do end up in a line of some sorts you’ll generally be okay after a max of 30 minutes. It’s not one of my favourite spots but it’s hard to beat the dancefloor or large outdoor patio.
Rusty’s: The most popular spot for out-of-towners, especially those coming from Toronto. Like Jozo’s if you’re not there at a reasonable time then it’s likely you won’t get in. It’s always packed and sometimes hard to move, the drinks are expensive but the DJ’s are always on point and the crowd is always fun. Get prepared for a messy night.
For visitors who aren’t really into skiing or the winter sports the Blue Mountain village is always fun to walk around. It’s small but large enough to spend an afternoon walking in and out of retail shops, grabbing snacks or drinks at the eateries. Every time I’m up there I feel as if something has changed in the Village, there are always new shops opening up. The great thing is a lot of them are local as well and not chains. If gives you the opportunity to feel as if you’re supporting local.
Going into town is an option as well. You’ll certainly find more chain restaurants there but the Main street downtown has great shopping. It’s definitely worth a wander if you get sick of the outdoor life in the village and on the mountains.
