Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

lol, i'm well acquainted with Guelph's fine selection of pubs.

maybe we'll go to detroit for my partner's birthday

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

FWIW, Guelph has one good pub, the Wooly, and Detroit is way more fun than suggested. However, if Michigan's a possibility, look at Mackinaw Island.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

If it was summer time I would suggest Holland/Saugatuck Michigan...lovely beaches, nice towns etc, great sunsets.

Detroit has grit in large quantities that many towns in Ontario are missing. The closest would be Cornwall, Hamilton, Windsor and even those are nothing compared to the urban prairie, de-population and destitute areas of Detroit.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

I don't think there are urban places in Ontario worth visiting unless there's some specific reason, for example, I'd go to Ottawa to see an interesting band but not to see Ottawa. Similarly, there's no obvious case for visiting Hamilton, Toronto, Windsor and certainly not Cornwall. One can make a case for going to Detroit, the Motor City, home of Motown, in a way that one cannot make a case for anywhere in Ontario but it founders, of course, because for the same money you could be in New York City.

I suppose it depends what you want from your weekend, urban locations in Ontario can offer loads of safety, oodles of prudence, but nothing in the way of excitement; great for Canadians but not really my thing.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

If it's urban you want, and you start in Guelph, look at Buffalo. The Elmwood Village area offers no end of well preserved buildings, galleries, coffee shops and pubs. There are spectacular streets with wide centre verges, a hint of DC. And, Buffalo has a decent theatre and all manner of sports teams, find a luxo-spa place downtown and you could have a fine weekend for not very much. A weekend made better by the horror on the faces of your workmates when you tell them where you went!

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

I think the short answer to the OP's question... where in southern Ontario to go for a weekend in mid December, is just forget it.

Don't go anywhere. Find a fine restaurant in Guelph (no recommendations), eat and drink like a King & Queen. Get a cab home and **** your brains out.

HTH

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

My references of Hamilton, Windsor, and Cornwall were that they are the closest nearby examples of grit..some people like that and actually like visiting areas of decrepitude (sp?)....however nothing beats East St Louis, Gary, Camden or Detroit for grit.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

And this place beats the LCBO hands down


http://goo.gl/maps/pbYZA

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

if my PR comes just in time, a trip over the border would be great to "land" on the way back in. You are the 1st person to say something nice about buffalo but maybe it's not all bad.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

perhaps you are right novocastrian. Some of these suggestions are fantastic but not necessarily for mid december.

I'm definitely making a note of them so we can we can explore next year once the weather warms up again. i'll have a chat with the bf and see what he thinks

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

Did you look at Elmhirst's?? Open all year, geared up for winter stuff. Good food, pub, indoor pool. There's usually something on at Lang Pioneer Village in December. Not a bad choice.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

The Toronto Christmas Market is on from 30th November to 16th December daily. At the weekends it starts at 10am until 9pm in The Distillery District. They do put on a really good event, better than some I've seen in Germany and better than the one in Brugge. A lot of entertainment every day and a liquor licence at the weekends. This will be the 3rd year its been running, I think they had 180,000 people visit last year over the 17 days.
What you would do for the rest of the your time in Toronto I'm not sure, hope that helps.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

i did have a look at Elmhirst Resor. my initial impression was that it would be great value for a family but seemed a little pricey for just the 2 of us

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

i went to the german christmas market in kitchener last year which was small but worth a visit. The toronto one definitely might be worth a look and the bf will be happy as the mill street brewery is there.

Re: weekend away in southern ontario
 

It's cheaper midweek but $500 for a couple for 2 nights including meals?

Perhaps you should book a hotel on Hotwire and see where you can get. We've done that and had some good bargains in Toronto and Niagara.