Winter Activities in Waterloo

Have fun in the cold weather and try something new!

Winter in Waterloo is cold and snowy, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring! Here are some fun things to do during the winter months.

Take advantage of the outdoors

If you haven’t experienced a Canadian winter yet, you might not know what outdoor activities await you. The good thing is that there are tons of winter activities that can be done outdoors!

If you want to explore the centre of the city, then Uptown Waterloo is the best place to go! Waterloo Public Square (and Uptown Waterloo in general) is a 10-minute light rail transit ride away from the Waterloo campus. This means you have easy access to all the fun events held throughout the year. During the winter months, part of the area is transformed into the largest outdoor skating rink in the area. Grab a pair of skates and take your friends to enjoy one of Canada's favourite pastimes. Plus, you can always treat yourself to a warm drink from one of the local cafés nearby!

Skating isn’t the only thing to do outdoors in Waterloo. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can try skiing or tubing at one of the slopes or hills in the area. Or maybe, you want to try tobogganing, which you can do at a nearby park. If you’re not into thrilling activities, then you can always take in the winter scenery by taking a walk through one of the beautiful nature spots like Laurel Creek. Whatever you decide to do, make sure to dress warmly!

Get involved with holiday festivities

During the winter months, the city of Waterloo holds tons of fun and festive activities for the holiday season.

Something to look forward to is buying gifts for your friends and family, or even something for yourself! There are plenty of holiday markets for you to choose from each year and shopping at a holiday market lets you buy unique and one-of-a-kind gifts while supporting local businesses and creators from the Waterloo region! From Christmas markets to Indigenous art markets, you’re sure to find something you like to celebrate your first winter in Canada.

Want an activity that doesn’t cost money? Check out the Wonders of Winter in Waterloo Park. This is a festive light display with over 100,000 light bulbs. Take some pictures and keep the memory with you forever! You can also check out Winterloo, a free, annual festival with tons of winter themed activities, like making snow sculptures, meeting sled dogs, and art exhibitions.

Making the most of being a Waterloo student

There are plenty of things to do in the city if you’re just visiting for the day. However, there are a few extra things you can do as a University of Waterloo student!

If you don’t want to skate outdoors, you can visit Columbia Ice Field for one of their open skating sessions. As a Waterloo student, the ‘cost’ for this is included in the tuition and fees you pay before the start of the semester. You can also travel all around the region and check out different winter activities by using the public transit system. As a Waterloo student, a transit pass is also included in your fees, so you can travel as much as you want!

If you don’t want to travel too far, then there are a lot of events on campus as well. Different clubs and services on campus will hold fun events during the winter months to help you warm up and relax during exam season. This is a great chance to explore student life on campus and meet new people!

The region of Waterloo has no shortage of events and activities during the winter season. Dress warmly and get ready to enjoy what the city has to offer!