Fall In Love With Winter

Trust us, we know how great it is staying in, watching Netflix, and peeking out the window to view the snow. But, winter can be the most adventurous time of the year! Experience winter like the true Canadian you are and have some winter fun! This winter, I wanted to speed through the snow slopes and give skiing a try. The Batawa Ski Hill in the Bay of Quinte is the destination for me to check out.

Right off the 401 highway is the Best Western hotel that we chose for our accommodations. There’s something nostalgic about hotels. There’s the faint smell of chlorine in the hallways, crisp white sheets, and hotel breakfast are just some of the perks. The amenities offered for the room were a great value and the location was close to nearby restaurants and shopping. We were welcomed to the bay with freezing rain, so being close to everything made travelling around easier. After gearing up for skiing we made our way to Batawa Ski Hill in Quinte West.

Time To Hit The Slopes

Batawa Ski Hill is a winter playground for people and families of any age to enjoy skiing and snowboarding. If you don’t own any gear, no worries. Batawa has a full range of ski and snowboard gear – everything to make you look like a pro!

I was put through a course on the Bambi hill to see how comfortable I was before getting on the hills. My instructor was Judy who had an incredible amount of patience for teaching. I thought it was very sweet of Judy to say that as long as people enjoy skiing then that’s the biggest reward for her teaching. I sure did enjoy! We eventually made it to the top of the hill and took in the view of the resort and scenery. Despite falling a few times (ok, a lot), I had a great time and can’t wait to return!

It’s easy to make it a full day at Batawa Ski Hill due to their chalet and night skiing. Grab yourself a hot lunch and warm up when you need a break. After the sun sets, keep skiing under starry skies. So the next time a snowstorm gets you down, try and remember that more snow means more time to ski at the Batawa Ski Hill!

An Unforgettable Dinner At Capers

In the heart of downtown Belleville lies an exceptional restaurant since 1999 called Capers. This charming restaurant has gone through some recent renovations giving it a rustic modern charm. There is definitely a vibe when you’re dining at Capers. A cosy place with great decor and friendly service. The food was excellent, reasonably priced and was fitting to the atmosphere. Their local wine and craft beer list made choosing what to drink the most difficult task for the evening! I decided to have a glass of Huff Estates Rosé where my partner had the Capers own Lager which is brewed by Dead Elephant.

For starters, we shared an apple and sage sausage board with Guinness braised Brussel sprouts. Apple and sausage naturally go well together. Add in some sage and you have the perfect taste tantalizer.  We also split a roasted brussel sprout salad with crispy bacon, aged cheddar, potato hay and creamy charred shallot vinaigrette. Calling all brussels sprouts haters. Yes, you. You need to try this salad that will change the way you think about baby cabbages. These were basically magic brussels sprouts.  For my main, I had the roasted chicken leg with a side of sweet potato rosti and white country gravy. All around a delicious meal to finish our evening.

A Sweet Surprise At Glazed And Confused

Please note: Glazed and Confused has new owners and is called Sugar Mama’s Bake Shoppe. Same great selection and recipes plus new goodies!

Glazed and Confused is a must-try if you have a sweet tooth. There is a display of doughnuts, cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, plus more! The variety of choices made it hard for us to pick something. Think about all of your favourite chocolate bars made into cupcakes and brownies. Oh, decisions, decisions.

We ended up getting a unicorn milkshake, a cotton candy cupcake, a funfetti cheesecake, and a cookie dough brownie. My advice is to get a knife and share with the ones you love. This way you can try a variety of flavours ;). Because this spot is so close off of the 401, it has become our new favourite detour when we head to Toronto.

Incredible Views At Sager Conservation Area

After feeling a little guilty from our dessert experience, we drove out to Sager Conservation Area to burn some calories with a winter hike. Located near Quinte West, Sager offers an incredible view of the countryside from a 30 ft lookout tower. Get ready to stair climb though! After a 1 km trail, 100 steps up a hill and 50 steps on the tower, you will see beautiful panoramic views of the countryside stretching into the Trent Valley. Be sure to read the on-site information to give you some context into the conservation area. This is the perfect day-time activity to go on if you’re in the mood for a little adventure. I can’t wait to return on May 24 or Canada Day to watch fireworks! Worth the climb any time of year.

Enjoy A Pint At Signal Brewery

Before heading back to Kingston, my partner and I stopped in Corbyville (10 minutes away from Belleville) for lunch at Signal Brewing Company. The historic Corbyville Distillery District that is now Signal, used to be a gristmill and the former home of Wiser Whiskey. Signal Brewing is set on the Moira River and offers some beautiful views from their patio. We treated ourselves to a couple of refreshing pints right by a window seat. For lunch, I had the potato, bacon, and cheddar soup and shared a beet roasted salad and a chicken BLT. Stop into this charming brewery for a bite, pint, live music, and a brewery tour!

Next time you’re looking to plan a getaway, start exploring your backyard!