The new year is right around the corner and our goal is to start 2025 on a fresh, clean page where anything is possible. 

When we're starting off with a fresh, blank slate, we don't necessarily want to start it with a headache from a late night or maybe one too many celebratory cocktails. Why not ring in the new year with some fun, innovative ways to spend your New Year's Eve or New Year's Day, none of which involve hitting the club or local bar. 

Take a Hike

Get active this New Year’s with a refreshing winter hike. Dress for the weather and get outside to get your blood pumping and find out how fun winter hiking can be. Head out to a spectacular lookout, a gentle hike or some all-day fun.

Check out Blueberry Mountain, one of the 7 natural wonders of Lanark County, or the Cataraqui Trail in Frontenac County for spectacular lookouts. If you are looking for more intense hikes try the Manitou Mountain Trail in Ottawa Valley, or Beetle Lake Trail in Haliburton Highlands. 

Get in the Spirit(s) 

Get in the New Year spirit without even leaving the house. Try outsome fun, innovative cocktails – and the best part is you will get to spend an evening with friends and family crafting these delicious, unique drinks to enjoy all night long! Try your hand in making a frozen hot chocolate martini, campfire mules or a classic hot toddy. 

Head to Dairy Distillery in Almonte for some creamy liqueurs, Top Shelf Distillers in Perth for some classic vodka,gin or exciting flavours of moonshine, or visit O’Kenny Craft Spirits in Pembroke to try their “Rhisky”, 50/50 mixture of rum and whisky, and Valley Spirit Vodka. 

Getaway for a Night or Two 

Ring in the New Year somewhere new with an overnight getaway to your favourite local, or not so local, accommodation. Whether you’re looking to spend your New Years cozied up lakeside, or are looking to hideaway until 2024 arrives, you don’t need to travel far in Ontario’s Highlands.

Check out the adorable cabins at Ogopogo Resort, the secluded oasis that is Black River Retreat, a tiny cabin at Cabinscape, Sir Sam’s Inn and Spa, Ontario’s cottage country adult resort or enjoy a blast from the past by staying at Billie the Bluebird, a 1994 BlueBird school bus turned RV. 

Find Foodie Bliss

If there is one sure way to celebrate the New Year, it is with food. Enter the New Year with a slice of rich chocolate cake, an expertly frothed hot chocolate, good wine, rich beers or perfectly cured meats and cheeses. 

This New Year’s you will want to make sure you visit J & J’s Chocolate Sensations in Renfrew for chocolates hand-dipped with love, Seed to Sausage for some delicious, ethically raised meat, Rhubarb Restaurant in Haliburton Highlands to savour a fine dining meal, Cardinal Café and Shop in Sharbot Lake for delicious homemade food, or The Muse Gallery & Café, a cozy family cafe that showcases local art and creations. 

Let the Games Begin 

Plan a games night for the homebodies who live for a relaxing evening at home with friends or family. Let the competitions begin with puzzles, board games and charades! 

Test your skills with a unique jigsaw puzzle featuring local scenes from The Occurrence in Haliburton, or one of the collection of puzzles and crafts from Mill Street Books in Almonte. 

Storyteller:

Finn Hogue

Finn has a passion for exploring Canada’s wild spaces. A foodie at heart, she is always searching for her next allergen-friendly stop, where she can enjoy a tasty stress-free treat. Her ideal vacation includes her dog Jasper, a VW camper van and time to reconnect with nature.

Date Ideas