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Ontario’s North Winter Package – North Bay
North Bay Family Winter Discovery Package
Day 1 – Saturday
1:00 p.m. Arrive in North Bay and check into the Best Western Hotel and Conference Centre, 700 Lakeshore Drive
2:00 - 2:30 p.m. Meet with interpretive guide Dale D’Allaire at the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority for mini snowshoe lesson and overview of activity
2:30 – 3:45 p.m. Snowshoeing with Dale (includes snowshoes)
4:15 – 5:30 p.m. Ice Age Mammals Exhibit @ Discovery North Bay Museum
5:45 – 7:00 p.m. Free Time – Dinner on own
*Note10% discount for package participants at restaurants listed below
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Native Traditions – interactive introduction to Aboriginal culture
(Best Western)
Day 2 – Sunday
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast (at hotel – included in package)
9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Ice Fishing at Waltonian Inn on Lake Nipissing
(includes outdoor campfire lunch)
2:00 p.m. Depart for home
Snowshoeing Activity
Head to the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority trails where you will strap on snowshoes to take a leisurely hike with interpretive guide Dale D’Allaire. During your hiking adventure Dale will teach you about medicinal and edible plants found in the surrounding forest and speak about various animal habitats and their tracks. At the mid-way point, warm up and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate around a camp fire before heading back to base camp. Once there, remove your snowshoes and head to the top of Look Out Tower for incredible views of North Bay. Now that’s a photo op!
Ice Age Mammals Exhibit
Ice Age Mammals is a highly interactive traveling exhibition from the Canadian Museum of Nature. It boasts dozens of Canadian specimens, timelines, audio-visual components and a life size cast of a Mastodon! This exhibition is multi-sensory and will inspire a keen interest in pre-history. The exhibition focuses on ice-age mammals, climate change, extinction, and human impact on climate and species.
Introduction to Aboriginal Culture
Experience the rich Aboriginal culture that exists here in North Bay during an interactive workshop lead by traditional singers, dancers, and prominent community members. The session will allow the participants to hear the traditional songs, and see the traditional dance styles of Aboriginal people, as well as learn about traditional forms of healing. There will also be the opportunity to hear the story of the Dream Catcher, and to make your very own! Traditional Aboriginal items will be on display to touch and take pictures of, such as powwow regalia, traditional medicines, and items associated with the fur trade.
Ice Fishing Excursion
Head to the family owned and operated Waltonian Inn Resort located on the pristine shores of Lake Nipissing where you will travel in an enclosed heated Bombardier to the Waltonian Reef where heated fish huts await you for your fantastic half day ice fishing excursion. See holes being drilled in the ice and learn how to bait your line all the while breathing the fresh northern Ontario air. While waiting for the fish to bite, enjoy a hardy lunch of sausages, chili and s’mores around the fire!
* Restaurant List:
Best Western onsite restaurant
Offering a casual atmosphere, Best Western’s dining room is fully licensed and specializes in delicious Mediterranean cuisine and the Chef's evening specials.
White Owl Bistro, 639 Lakeshore Drive, a few minutes’ walk from the Best Western hotel
If you enjoy a warm and intimate atmosphere, sumptuous cuisine and fine wine enveloped in a beautiful setting, you have found your place.
We offer a wide range of dishes, from fine French cuisine, fresh seasonal fare and traditional bistro delicacies.
In the summer, you can sit on our 1,500 square foot patio and take in the beautiful view of Lake Nipissing.
Greco’s Pizza, 221 Lakeshore Drive, a few minutes’ drive north from the Best Western hotel
Specializes in Italian cuisine such as hearth style pizza and pasta, and Canadian fare foods such as chicken wings, salads, subs and hot sandwiches