3 Awesome Canadian Winter Lodges
Newfoundland & Labrador: Fogo Island Inn (pictured)
By Day: Off the north coast of Newfoundland, winter on Fogo Island is both beautiful and dramatic and this modern inn offers various ways to experience it: art classes, guided snowshoe hikes to see caribou herds and the Atlantic coast as well as unique opportunities to interact with and learn from the locals.
By Night:Those willing to splurge will find an architectural marvel with service to match. Like a beached ship, the inn projects five-star shelter over the coast, with floor-to-ceiling ocean views and gourmet food.
Directions: Hop on the 45-minute Fogo Island ferry, a little more than an hour north of Gander, Newfoundland & Labrador.
Beta: from $550 per night, all inclusive; fogoislandinn.ca
Alberta: Mount Engadine Lodge
By Day: With the wildlife and mountains of Kananaskis Country in its backyard, 100 km of cross-country ski trails down the road and numerous snowshoe and backcountry ski destinations, choosing what to do each day may be the hardest part of staying at Engadine.
By Night: Modern, scenic and awesome — all of the lodge’s rooms and suites have a private bathroom. Downstairs is the spacious dining room where the included meals are served: two-course breakfasts, a to-go lunch buffet, afternoon tea and, the main event, locally famous dinners and desserts.
Directions: On Spray Lakes Road, a half-hour from Canmore, 1.5 hours from Calgary.
Beta: from $185 per night including meals; mountengadine.com
Yukon: Tagish Lake Wilderness Lodge
By Day: Just reaching this wilderness lodge south of Whitehorse is an adventure. Snuggled along the roadless eastern shore of Tagish Lake, near the BC-Yukon border, there’s a mandatory hour-long dogsled or ski-plane ride to get in. Once at the lodge, experience snowshoeing and dogsledding across the frozen lake, past islands and into secluded bays. There’s also ice fishing and, of course, the Northern Lights. With no road within 27 km, the skies are dark and the view to the north is unobstructed for excellent aurora viewing.
By Night: With only eight guests on property at a time, the feel is intimate. Stay in one of four private cabins spread around the property or in the main lodge, a beautiful log building where all the meals are served. Speaking of food: think local fare and hearty servings — including their trapper-style to-go lunches served trailside mid-adventure.
Directions: Drive an hour south of Whitehorse to Tagish, then snowmobile or dogsled an hour to the lodge on Tagish Lake. A direct ski-plane flight from Whitehorse is also an option.
Beta: from $1,285 for two nights; tagishwildernesslodge.com
Keep posted — more great lodges posted weekly!
This article originally appeared in our Winter 2013 issue.
