Canada’s March Break is here and there are plenty of ways your Toyota vehicle can help you get the most out of your staycation.
We present our Top 10 list of winter activities, along with some accessories you may want to consider to make winter more enjoyable in your Toyota.
- 1. Skiing
Whether downhill or cross-country, skiing is a great way to get some fresh air as well as an exhilarating workout. If your area has snow, it almost certainly has a skiing facility within an easy drive. Check with local ski retailers: they’ll have the information you need, and many will rent all the necessary equipment.
A Genuine Toyota Roof Rack will help you carry more stuff. For easy clean-up after bringing home snow-packed boots and other clothing, a Genuine Toyota Cargo Liner is ideal for containing melting snow.
- 2. Snowmobiling
Across Canada, outfitters offer short-term snowmobile rentals, either for use on their trails or for transport to your favourite location. The modern snowmobile is a joy to ride, with heated handlebars and compliant suspension for a smooth ride. Be sure to follow all safety instructions, especially the use of certified helmets and emergency kill-switch lanyards.
If you have your own snowmobile, a Toyota Genuine Towing Hitch can haul it to your favourite spot and a Genuine Toyota Cargo Net is a handy way to keep your helmets from bouncing around on the trip there and back.
- 3. Tobogganing
A good toboggan hill can be just as much fun as a ski hill, but it’s often a better workout since you have to walk yourself back to the top. Pack some vacuum bottles filled with hot cocoa inside a cooler — for extra insulation — and you can have a warm-up drink available all day long. As with skis, your Toyota roof rack can also be equipped to carry toboggans.
Since many tobogganing areas lack warming huts, use your Genuine Toyota START+ Long Range Remote Starter to make sure your Toyota is warm and ready to go when the day’s over.
- 4. Ice fishing
Check with your local tackle shops for the best places for ice fishing. At many, you can drive right up to where you want to fish. If you find a local fishing derby, even better, as organizers will usually drill your holes for you. Your tackle shop can recommend the best fishing gear to get the most of your day on the ice. A Toyota emergency kit (which contains such things as a hand warmer, emergency blanket, batteries and flashlight) and first aid kit are always smart investments.
- 5. Snowshoeing
The big value in snowshoeing, like cross-country skiing, is that it’s a quiet activity; when you’re out exploring the woods, you won’t be chasing away wildlife the way you would with a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle. It’s also a great workout – just remember to choose snowshoes based on your size and weight. You can rent or purchase snowshoes. This winter activity can be dehydrating, so make sure to pack plenty of fluids.
- 6. Sugar shacks
If you live in an area with maple trees — some places will tap birch trees, too — look around for a sugar shack, or, as they call them in Québec, les cabanes à sucre. Did you know the ratio of sap to syrup is 40:1? It takes 40 litres of sap to make one litre of syrup. The staff at a cabane à sucre will pour hot syrup onto a platter of snow for you to roll it around a popsicle stick and eat it like a lollipop. If you’re lucky, you might stumble upon a big fire and other activities for the kids, too.
- 7. Winter festivals
Whether it’s Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg or the Family Day Winter Festival in Burnaby, B.C., there’s plenty to see and do at a winter festival. At Festival du Voyageur, you’ll find yourself amongst wood-carving contests, beard-growing contests, traditional French-Canadian cuisine and a solid selection of performers.
- 8. River-trail skating
Ottawa’s Rideau Canal isn’t the only place to go when it comes to river-trail skating: from Edmonton to Calgary to Winnipeg to Huntsville, Ontario, river skating has become one of the hottest tickets in winter. Winnipeg’s annual rivalry with Ottawa for the world’s longest skating trail (hint: Winnipeg usually wins) is always fun. A Genuine Toyota Cargo Liner is a must to keep snow and slush from skates contained.
- 9. Snow fort building
Find a park with some flat land and lots of snow to build a fort. You can form walls or simply pile up a bunch of snow and carve out the inside. For safety, keep the top open.
- 10. Winter golfing
Who says golf is just for summer? Sure, you may not have greens for putting, your outerwear will be a bit bulkier, and you might not even be able to play on an actual course - but who cares? You won’t hit as far or as accurately in winter, and we don’t recommend using a white-coloured ball, but if you make some accommodations to the rules (yes, you can dig your ball out of a drift), you can have nearly as much fun as you would in summer.
Whatever winter activities you get up to this March Break, be sure to record your drive with the Toyota Genuine Dash Camera and preserve your memories for years to come with its built-in Adventure Mode.
