Romantic Weekend Getaways in Ontario

The Briars at Lake Simcoe

• Tucked into the shoreline of sparkling Lake Simcoe, The Briars provides a delightful venue to cuddle up and enjoy the spectacular "blue-and-white" winters this region is famous for. The same family has run the hotel for a century and a half, keeping it cozily traditional with a healthy dollop of romance.

  In the wintertime, venture out of The Briars for some snowshoeing, cross-country skiing (on groomed trails) and Bambi-style skating on the lake. If you opt to stay indoors, you can splash in the solarium pool, whoop it up in the game room (featuring billiards, ping-pong, darts and foosball) or limber up with a studio yoga class. If you're more of a romantic traditionalist, there are Saturday evening dinner dances to dress up for on the schedule.

  The Briars
  55 Hedge Road
  R.R. 1
  Jackson's Point, Ontario
  Canada, L0E 1L0
  800-465-2376
  briars.ca

The Millcroft Inn & Spa

• The Millcroft Inn & Spa was built in 1881 as a knitting mill, so it's as much of a cherished antique as the lovely European and Canadian pieces that grace its hallowed halls.

  The building's rare architectural beauty is a delightful place to return to after a chilly winter's day tromping across the scenic countryside on snowshoes, cross-country skiing or antique-hunting in the historical hamlets of Caledon, Belfountain and Terra Cotta. Make sure to book a couples' appointment at the Centre for Well-Being, the top-tier spa on the property, before you retreat to enjoy the starlit view from your room.

  Millcroft Inn & Spa
  55 John St.
  Alton, Ontario
  Canada L0N 1A0
  +1-519-941-8111
  millcroft.com

Lakewinds at Niagara-on-the-Lake

• Niagara Falls is a warm-weather romantic classic, but that doesn't make it any less of a destination for the cuddle-crazed in wintertime. The close-by town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is chockful of wineries, historic spots and long drives through any number of winter wonderlands.

  Lakewinds, a Victorian manor with just six rooms, is steps away from the fine dining and top-notch theater of the Old Town district (this town, after all, is home to the famous Shaw Festival). The manor's gardens are bare in the winter, but still evocative in their gothic snowiness. Hop into a horse-drawn carriage for some heart-poundingly old-school romance.

  Lakewinds Country Manor
  328 Queen St.
  Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
  +1-905-468-1888
  lakewinds.ca