Things to do over the holidays in Burlington, ON

It’s a wonderful time of year: there’s a chill in the air, Christmas music playing at every turn, and we are all reminded of just how lucky we are to spend the holidays with our loved ones, even if it does result in a Griswald-esque season of frenzy. This being said, when Johnny Mathis wrote ‘It’s Beginning to Look A Lot like Christmas’, the wisdom of the lyric “and Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again” has stood the test of time. It can be so difficult to find a way to keep the little ones entertained over the holiday season! Luckily, we’re happy to provide you with a list of recommended activities that are sure to keep the kids healthy, festive and MUCH too tired to stay up past their bedtime, no matter how many reindeer they hear on the roof.

This season Burlington is bustling with fun and physical activities that are perfect for the whole family: visit Rotary Centennial Pond at Discovery Landing or your local arena for free skating sponsored by Tim Hortons, or take a trip to Glen Eden to hit the slopes! And don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for special gym & ice holiday rates, courtesy of the Parks & Recreation ‘Winter Break in the City’ program!

Another great location for spending a day outdoors is Bronte Creek Provincial Park where you can not only avoid the Mayan apocalypse, but also enjoy skating on their giant outdoor rink (skate rentals available), and if mother nature cooperates you can toboggan, enjoy the ski trails or Snowshoe.  The playbarn is always open and a great distraction for kids of all ages.  Don’t forget that their Homestead Christmas runs until December 23^rd.

Time-travelling not your thing? Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens for a more contemporary celebration! Check out the RBG’s Christmas train set, stay for storytime and then head outside for a winter hike. You can even steal a little bit of time for yourself (and maybe a ‘holiday-sized’ brandy-and-eggnog) after dropping the kids off at one of the garden’s Winter Discovery Day Camps on January 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th!  And surely after all the time you will have had to relax, you’ll have all the energy in the world to take the family to Crawford Lake for a snowshoeing or cross country skiing expedition, Hilton Falls on December 22^nd for Christmas on the Trails  or a hike at Mountsberg where you can learn about majestic birds of prey. Or—if you like the idea of a wintry escape with animal friends but prefer fur to feathers—don’t miss your chance to take a horse-drawn wagon ride through Mountsberg’s beautiful landscapes, followed my marshmallow roasting over an open fire starting January 12th. Bring your blanket and your camera, this is sure to be a beautiful family memory!

We know what you’re thinking: that all sounds amazing but what if the weather is bad? I can only keep the kids occupied with paper cutout snowflakes for so long!  Fear not, fellow Burlingtonian! Buy your tickets now for Aladdin at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre! This pantomime is geared towards kids but fun for all ages: be a part of the show with this interactive theatrical experience.

And while many of us will be heading back to work after the holidays, school aged children are off for another week which means trying to find fun activities to fill their days.  The Museums of Burlington are a great way to spend the day exploring the history of Burlington and two of it’s famous residents – Joseph Brant & the Irelands. If you kids are more interested in the arts consider a visit to the Burlington Art Centre which is home to the world’s largest collection of contemporary ceramics.  Plus they have recently opened the Creative Hub - the BAC Creative Hub located just off the Brock Lobby. Drop in and get creative.  Desks and chairs, art supplies, activity sheets and art books to inspire, and display space for artwork are all available. Free. Open to all ages during BAC hours.  On January 6^th from 2-3pm you can participate in a free Guided tour led by a trained docent.  Plus there is a very cool exhibition in the Lee-Chin Family Gallery - Zoom: New Works by Reinhard Reitzenstein. The artist has a large visual representation of the Higgs boson particle (referred to in the media as the God particle) and electrons suspended from the ceiling, as well as photographs of oceans, landscapes and close ups of moss-wrapped stones dripping with moisture on the walls - from vastness to sub-atomic events.  Both the museums and the art centre are closed the week of Dec. 24-Jan. 1 and open regular hours starting January 2^nd.

Of course, we would be remiss if we did not also relay the many choices for a family friendly New Years Eve. Visit the New Years Eve Hoopla at Conservation Halton for activities for the whole family including a wagon ride, puppet show, and a scavenger hunt, or enjoy the celebration at Central Park, where you and the family can look forward to free skating, a Mad Science activity station, games, and two fireworks displays.  You can also head to Bronte Creek Provincial Park who will be celebrating New Year’s Eve with some howl'n going on! The Park Naturalist will be leading evening hikes where visitors will learn to howl like coyotes and then gather round the bonfire for the Countdown for Kids!

If your little ones are getting to be not-so-little and have reached the dreaded “I can’t be seen with you in public!” age, send them off for a New Year’s Eve party of their own at Velocity, where kids between the ages of 8 and 14 can celebrate with a live DJ and free pizza in a safe, supervised environment. Finally, if after all this the kids have any energy left whatsoever, bring them over to Tansley Woods Community Centre on New Years Day from noon to 4pm where the fun continues! FREE swimming, a soccer skills workshop, a Wii games room, crafts and all sorts of entertainment make this party a must!

Remember to check the Burlington Events Calendar for new events, because there is always something new and exciting happening in Burlington! We wish you a fun-filled, safe and festive holiday season, and a happy New Year!

If you are looking for a listing of what is open & closed over the holidays visit our homepage for a downloadable PDF

Wishing you a very Happy New Year from all of us here at Tourism Burlington!

TourBurl Girl Elyse

The Kids are bored, now what?

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Then you realize the kids are off school for 2 weeks and you are out of ideas on what to do with them. We have put together a blog full of activities to keep everyone entertained.  For more detailed information on events (times, cost, etc) please visit the individual websites.  Now, get out there and have fun!

Ring in 2012 with any one of the exciting events happening in Burlington this New Year’s. For a family-friendly event, go to Central Park for the City of Burlington’s Family New Year’s Eve. Celebrate from 6pm-10pm and see how the park is transformed into Seussville for the evening! With performances of “Seussical the Musical” by Student Theatre, free skating, crafts and games, and fireworks at 10pm, your family will have a fabulous night! Bronte Creek will keep you partying until midnight with their New Year’s Eve Family Skate and Coyote Howl. Starting at 5pm and continuing through until 12:30am, you and your family can skate, snack, hike, and howl your way into 2012.  At Glen Eden you can enjoy free hot chocolate, a bonfire and music at the tube park and skiing and snowboarding until 8pm.

On January 1st you can continue celebrations with a New Years Day Party from 12–4pm at Tansley Woods Community Centre. This Suessville family fun is a free event with entertainment, free swimming, open gym, and activities. Enjoy a performance of Suessical the Musical and more.

Skating at Rotary Centennial Pond

Lace up your skates this holiday season.  Many local arenas are part of the Tim Hortons Free Skate, check the website for dates, times and locations.  For those that prefer an outdoor rink consider heading to Rotary Centennial Pond on the waterfront for free skating daily from 10am to 10pm.  Be sure to phone ahead and check the ice conditions 905 634 7263.  Bronte Creek Provincial Park is home to a huge outdoor rink that is can be in good condition even with a mild spell. It's a good idea to call ahead to listen to the automated recording of current rink conditions. 905-827-6911. If the recording is a few days old it means the rink conditions have not changed. The rink is open daily 9:00am - 9:30pm. (weather permitting) and on New Years Eve the rink stays open until 12:30am.

Mountsberg

For more outdoor fun, consider Conservation Halton parks.  All the parks have amazing hiking trails and some offer snowshoeing and/or cross-country skiing (weather permitting).  Crawford Lake also has moonlight snowshoe hikes (suitable for ages 8 and up) every Friday and Saturday from 6:30-8:30pm. Each hike begins with basic instruction and some historical background on the sport of snowshoeing. Next, you will strap on a pair of snowshoes, and take a guided trek through the Crawford Lake woodlands. Your guide will point out some of the natural features of the area, and motivate you along the way. At the end of the evening relax by a fire with a steaming hot chocolate. Pre-registration is required and if there is no snow a guided hike is substituted. On Jan. 6 from 6:30-9:00pm participate in a Guided Moonlight Ski at Hilton Falls (suitable for ages 5yrs and up). Enjoy the magic of a winter's evening with hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows over an open fire by the falls after a guided moonlight ski. Pre-registration is recommended and limited ski equipment rental packages are available, be sure to reserve yours early.

 At Mountsberg, you can enjoy a wagon or sleigh ride through the fields and forests of the park. The jingle of the harness and the sound of the horses tromping along the trail will make for an enjoyable trip. Wagon Rides are offered daily along with birds of prey presentations from Dec. 26-Jan. 7 and weekends until Feb. 20.

Glen Eden

No need to head north, Glen Eden is officially opening on Dec. 26 for skiing and snowboarding.  Hit the slopes for a day of fun on one of their 14 runs.  Private lessons can be arranged for first-timers or those wanting some expert training.  The week of Dec. 27-31 there will also be camps running but you need to book early as these fill up quick. 

Doorways to the Holidays

For indoor and outdoor fun look no further than, The Royal Botanical Gardens. The RBG is open 10am-4pm daily with beautiful gardens and lots of great outdoor trails you can spend a day exploring.  Doorways to the holidays featuring cleverly decorated holiday themed doors throughout the Centre is still on display and you can join RBG interpreters for a variety of family activities this holiday season. Go for a walk in the woods with the birds; explore winter traditions and the plants that have influenced them over time; or make a bird-friendly or holiday craft to take home. If you have to work you can always sign the kids up for a week of discovery and adventure at RBG’s discovery camps running Jan. 2-6.

Visiting the BAC

For those of an artistic nature the Burlington Art Centre is a great way to spend a few hours enjoying the exhibits and collections and best of all it’s free!  Currently there are 2 exhibitions to enjoy. “Black + White = Grey” , a collection of works by a number of artists, including Kayo O’Young, Diane Nasr, Jane Hill, and Sadashi Inuzuka, showcases the relationship between ceramics and technology through the use of glazes, colour, and clay and “Gino Lorcini: Significant Forms” offers visitors a unique look at the range of three-dimensional works and wall reliefs by the artist. The BAC will be closed until January 2nd and then open daily. 

If you are feeling crafty, consider Art Glazed Over a paint your own ceramics studio, offering drop in fun or pre-registered workshops for the winter break.  Or you could head to Art Felt  for art based day camps for children 5-12 years the week of Jan. 2-7.   

Joseph Brant Museum

Step back in time and learn about local history at the Museums of Burlington. If you love fashion you will want to visit the exhibit The Gilded Age: In Pursuit of Pleasure - Fashion in Edwardian Times currently housed at Joseph Brant Museum or head to Ireland House at Oakridge Farm and tour the historic house that housed three generations of the Ireland family.  With admission rates under $5.00 per person you can’t find a better deal.  Museums of Burlington are closed until January 2nd when regular museum hours resume.

We have highlighted some of the great things to see and do over the break here in Burlington, be sure to visit our website for more ideas and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for other updates.