Toronto Date Ideas for January Amid the Modified Step 2 Restrictions

festival of lights

So indoor dining, and gyms, and indoor gatherings, and events are canceled for the time being, that doesn’t mean your January has to be date-less! These January date ideas will make you forget about the weather and gloom.

Whether you’re a seasoned Canadian or new to the winter months, you’ll want to bundle up for these festivals and events that you and your date can experience, even with the new round of restrictions in place.

Do you brave the elements, or prefer staying comfy and warm? There’s options for both so you can light up your January and get out of the house for date night too!

For a limited time

These events won’t be on for long, get your last minute tickets in and enjoy them this week!

Snow Magic by Drive Thru Fun Co. at Ontario Place

Happening until January 16th, 2022.

This drive-thru art exhibit is inspired by fire, ice, and light. Snow Magic is operating at 100% capacity as they’re a COVID-compliant drive thru event that you can enjoy from the safety and warmth of your car. They offer a fully-contactless experience if you choose to keep your windows up.

Wander (drive) through this immersive wonderland filled with legendary creatures, crystal caverns and mysterious sights. This trail is interactive and you can play the game on your phone as you drive through!

Buy tickets online.

Journey into Enchantment at Mount Joy GO & Meadowvale GO

Happening until January 16th, 2022.

Join Journey into Enchantment in Markham and/or Mississauga for the enchantment of over 2 million unique light decorations, 3D interactive displays, and musical lights from the comfort of your vehicle. They’ve extended their COVID-friendly event into the month so you can grab a hot drink or some snacks and enjoy this bright trail.

Choose your location and buy tickets online.

All month long

Have a busy month? These events are on throughout the winter for you to plan and explore the city through a whole new perspective.

Festival of Cool at the Harbourfront Centre

Happening January 19th – February 13th, 2022.

Festival of Cool kicks off Harbourfront Centre’s year-long cultural initiative, Nordic Bridges with spectacle and celebration.

We’re welcoming our audiences back for illuminating outdoor winter experiences, starting with Nordic Lights. Take a trip on the Bifrost, the dazzling rainbow bridge of Norse myth that connects us with the realm of the gods to our world of light and art.

No tickets needed, learn more here.

Winter Festival of Lights at Niagara Falls

Happening until February 21st, 2022.

Enjoy Canada’s largest illumination festival and capture the magic of the winter! The Ontario Power Generation Winter Festival of Lights was founded 39 years ago in 1982.

lluminations include more than 50 larger than life displays with Canadian wildlife displays, trees wrapped in lights along the Niagara Parkway, the light show on the Toronto Power Generating Station, the two-storey tall Zimmerman Fountain, a Gingerbread house, light tunnel, and more!

No tickets needed.

Sky Skate Toronto at The Porch

Happening tentatively until March 21st, 2022.

Toronto’s skating rink with the best view of the CN Tower is back and staying open! This experience can have you and your date skating on their rink, enjoying food and drinks on their outdoor heated rooftop, and snapping the perfect pics for your winter Insta posts!

Reserve your spot here.

Winterlit at Mountsberg Conservation Area, Campbellville

Happening until February 21st, 2022.

Make your next winter date a magical walk in the woods, how romantic! The wooded trails at Mountsberg Consercation area are always beautiful in the wintertime but now they’ve made them even more magical than ever! The Winterlit Trail features a unique and stunning lighting experience with inspirational art installations along the trail.

Also at Mountsberg, the Illuminated Sugarbush Trail has soft overhead lighting to allow for a beautiful evening stroll through the sugarbush. This experience will include soundtracks from local musicians while you enjoy the beauty of Mountsberg in winter, safely.

The Winterlit experience will be offered Thursday to Sunday evenings, buy tickets before heading over.

Niagara’s wine country

Wineries are the best place to patio-hop! Just an hour and a bit from Toronto, there’s a ton of cute and romantic wineries with warm outdoor set-ups that include sipping wine and snacking with your date. The restrictions haven’t put a damper on these winery’s plans.

Queenston Mile Vineyard

This ultra-contemporary and aesthetic winery is now offering their new Winter Mile Experience that includes a toasty afternoon roasting marshmallows by the fire pit while sipping on award-winning local wine.

Reserve a Muskoka chair for $25/person.

Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery & Distillery

Skating and whisky and patios, oh my! This winery is an outdoor winter wonderland, so these restrictions have nothing on them.

Bring your own skates and have an ice skating date, then warm up on the Whisky Bar Patio while enjoying some bevvies, and eats from their winter menu.

Access to skating + the reservation at Whisky Bar Patio is $10/person. Skate rentals are also available for $10. Skate and helmet rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Reserve online here.

Fielding Estate Winery

Have your date in a wine dome. Fielding Winery is situated on a gorgeous hill in Niagara’s Twenty Valley wine region and you have to take advantage of the views!

Sip wine, cider, and flights with your date in this heated dome and order some of the most delicious charcuterie we’ve had in wine country.

Reserve the dome online.

There’s more where that came from! Check out more date ideas, gift ideas, and unique things to discover all over Canada.

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