Family Friendly Accommodations

Now that winter weather has officially arrived, it's time to start enjoying it! With parks, conservation areas and family friendly accommodations, Northumberland County offers lots of ways to appreciate the outdoor adventures.

Woodland Bed and Breakfast, in Garden Hill, is a perfect "home away from home" to use as a base camp when going on a family adventure. It's close to conservation areas, Ganaraska Hiking Trail, Ganaraska Forest Centre and the town of Port Hope's shops, restaurants and outdoor skating rink. We had a great time playing shuffleboard, foosball and ping pong in the amazing games room. My husband may have taken a little break from the friendly competitions to check out the sauna, which is a wonderful little retreat. The accommodations also include a furnished kitchen so you can choose to grab some groceries and stay in for dinner or enjoy one of the restaurants in nearby Port Hope. In the morning, hosts Lea and Jack Somers will offer you a deliciously unique breakfast. Finnish pancakes anyone?

Although the games room was a lot of fun, our goal for this adventure was to get outside. There are lots of opportunities around for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and more. We chose a hike on the Ganaraska Hiking Trail, 1km north of Woodland Bed & Breakfast. We found animal tracks to identify, hills to climb (and maybe roll back down!) and some great opportunities for a game of hide and seek. Of course, we also packed a warm drink because there's nothing better than a hot chocolate on the trail! 

We thought we'd also check out what Cobourg offered, so we took a 20 minute drive south and booked into the Best Western that has great rooms for families. The kids were so excited to see that there were three beds which meant no sharing required! This automatically means a good night's sleep for everyone which cannot be underrated after a full day of adventuring. The Best Western also has rooms that are fully accessible so individuals with wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility devices won't have any trouble feeling comfortable in the hotel.

Indoor time at the Best Western means swimming time! The pool has buckets that dump water on strategically placed children as well as a whirlpool section and sprinklers for added fun. There might even be an opportunity to play with new friends! While the kids were in the pool we could choose to enjoy the hot tub, sit in the lounge chairs or take advantage of the fitness room that overlooks the pool. The lounge chairs were pretty comfortable, I have to admit. 

With daytime adventures finished, it was time for an evening skate at Cobourg's outdoor rink that sits between the shops of downtown and the Cobourg Marina. The rink is maintained regularly and there's a heated building so you can lace up skates without freezing your fingers. There are also restrooms in the building, a bonus that's very appreciated when skating with young children. The rink is fully lit and the trees are decorated with coloured lights - what a magical way to end a full day of winter adventure!

by Angela Johnson

*Article written based on experiences prior to COVID-19. Please check with individual businesses for current operating policies.