Family-friendly winter stays across South Eastern Ontario

Travelling with kids in February requires a different kind of planning. This is not about chasing perfect weather or packing every day with activities. It is about warmth, space and places that are forgiving when winter energy needs somewhere to go.

Across South Eastern Ontario, winter-ready stays make family trips manageable. Some offer hotel amenities; others give families space to settle in without worrying about noise or schedules. All provide a reason to get out and make winter feel shorter.

Hotels that make winter easy

Ramada by Wyndham Trenton is well-suited for families exploring the Bay of Quinte area. This hotel offers straightforward accommodations that work well for short winter stays. An indoor pool on site helps fill downtime, especially with younger kids.

Nearby attractions make it easy to plan short outings without long drives. The National Air Force Museum of Canada is a popular year-round stop, while Batawa Ski Hill, located minutes away, offers downhill skiing and night skiing. The Trenton Greenbelt Conservation Area offers opportunities for winter hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing, with sledding available when conditions permit.

Belleville is a convenient winter base for families travelling through the Bay of Quinte region or seeking an easy overnight. Hotels cater to short stays with indoor pools and layouts well-suited to family travel.

Options such as the Holiday Inn Express Belleville offer predictable comfort during colder months. Nearby, the Glanmore National Historic Site provides an engaging indoor experience for kids who enjoy exploring historic spaces. The Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre offers public swims, skating and indoor recreation.

Delta Hotels by Marriott Kingston Waterfront, Kingston, works well for families who want everything close at hand. Rooms are spacious, and the downtown location makes it easy to head out for short outings without committing to long drives in winter weather. 

Families are a familiar sight here, and the atmosphere is relaxed and accommodating. Kingston offers no shortage of winter-friendly activities. Tobogganing hills can be found near Fort Henry, the Cataraqui Town Centre and Queen’s University. Weather permitting, Springer Market Square offers outdoor skating, as do many other outdoor rinks. Visit the Cataraqui Conservation Area for even more winter fun. 

Hampton Inn by Hilton Brockville is a dependable option for families travelling along the St. Lawrence corridor. The layout and atmosphere are practical rather than formal, which matters when travelling with kids in winter. Family-friendly rooms, an indoor pool and complimentary hot breakfast help simplify mornings. Nearby attractions include the Brockville Museum and the Aquatarium, a science and nature centre focused on the Thousand Islands, featuring live otters and hands-on exhibits. Check out Stingers Paintball, which offers more than just paintball. There’s laser tag, and batting cages and more. Or, how about some virtual golf, the latest indoor craze. 

Best Western Parkway Inn and Conference Centre, Cornwall, is a reliable eastern anchor for families travelling toward the Quebec border. This hotel has spacious rooms and amenities designed for groups, including an indoor pool and weight room. Families can cross-country ski, snowshoe or fat bike along groomed trails at Guindon Park, Summerstown Trails or Gray’s Creek, head to Lamoureux Park for classic hill sledding, or lace up skates for outdoor rinks and scenic skating routes at Lamoureux Park and at Countryside Adventures near Moose Creek, which also offers tubing, bonfires and a small petting zoo. Quieter winter days lend themselves to nature walks at the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary or Cooper Marsh, while an indoor option could include one of these escape rooms. 

A stay at the SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Kemptville offers family-friendly rooms and an indoor pool, making it a reliable option for February travel. Kemptville is for families who want a walkable village with skating on Kemptville Creek. At the Ferguson Forest Centre, the Kemptville Winter Trail gives families an easy way to get outside in winter. The trail includes set tracks for classic cross-country skiing, along with a groomed multi-use route used for walking, skate-skiing and fat-biking. Over at the Municipal Centre, the library hosts storytimes and crafts for younger kids.

Tiny Homes, Inns and Yurts with room to roam

If a yurt is more your style, Groovy Yurts, Alexandria, is a winter-ready experience on a working farm in Stormont Dundas and Glengarry, which offers families something different without being unrealistic for February. Heated interiors and open land make it both comfortable and adventurous.

Families can make a weekend of it with a stay at Hammond Hill, where kids can play on trails and playgrounds, explore the woods on snowshoes or skis, skate or snowmobile in winter, enjoy outdoor games and fire pits while parents relax in the eco-friendly tiny homes or yurts and savour time together in nature. Bring the sleds, as there are some great snowmobile trails throughout Prescott-Russell. 

The endless shorelines of the St. Lawrence River is ideal for a family vacation or a weekend break in the 1000 Islands. There are multiple accommodation options like the Gananoque Inn and Spa, and plenty of local trails to enjoy. Winter walks along the corridor, and short drives to skating rinks, including Gord Brown’s Outdoor Skating Rink or the Lou Jeffries Arena, make this the perfect skate-away. 

Winter in Prince Edward County adds magic to the landscape, inviting bundled-up walks along Sandbanks’ Dunes Trail, forest hikes at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area, or snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on the Millennium Trail during the quiet beauty of the season. If you’re looking to stay in the county, there is a wide range of accommodations to suit every need, like at the Snow Owl Retreat. 

Cool-weather travel with kids does not need to be complicated. These family-friendly stays across South Eastern Ontario offer simple comforts, nearby activities, and just enough change of scenery to make winter feel a little easier.