Top romantic getaways for Valentine’s Day in Canada.
Romantic getaways for Valentine’s Day isn’t simply reserved for couples! Solo travellers are just as welcome to pamper themselves, enjoy some fine dining, and eat some heavenly chocolates. Check out some lovely Valentine’s Day destinations in Canada where you can enjoy a rejuvenating stay and savour an impeccable meal—with or out without a partner. Because, dear Reader, at the end of day (be it Valentine’s Day or not), the person who should love yourself most—is you.
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Essentials
Language: Official languages are English and French. Canada is highly multicultural, so you’ll hear languages from all over the world.
Currency: Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Voltage: 120V. See my post Essential Items to Pack in your Carry-on for sturdy international adapters to get for your next trip to Canada.
Major Train Stations: Union Station is the major train station in downtown Toronto (do not confuse it with Unionville Station in Markham, or you’ll end up pretty far from downtown Toronto).
Major Airports: Toronto Pearson Airport for international flights and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport for local flights, but they also fly to and from some close US destinations.
Getting There
The Valentine’s Day destinations featured below are mostly located in the city of Toronto, and the Niagara Region, in the province of Ontario. Check out Rome 2 Rio for transportation options from downtown Toronto to places in Niagara. Driving, if it’s an option for you, is probably the most direct way to get to the locations mentioned below.
Toronto Pearson Airport and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport are good options for international flights and flights from within Canada (Billy Bishop also flies into, and out of, some closer US destinations). There’s also the option hop on a train. Ontario has the GO Transit , which is convenient for getting around Toronto and the surrounding area. There’s also the national train system VIA Rail Canada that could get you around Ontario and across the country. Depending on the distance you’re travelling, a road trip to Toronto and Niagara could also be a fun option.
Romantic Getaways for Valentine’s Day: Where to Stay
Bathe in city luxury in Toronto at the Four Seasons
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto
Website: https://www.fourseasons.com/toronto/
Address: 60 Yorkville Ave, Toronto, ON M4W 0A4
The rooms are splendid with cozy sitting areas, wall-to-ceiling windows, and a luxurious mattress that you wish you could own for your own home. The rooms are generally located on high-level floors, giving a marvellous view of the city. The bathroom has 2 sinks so a couple doesn’t have to fight over who gets to brush their teeth first in the morning. Then there’s the generously-sized marble bathtub and spacious walk-in showers to help your recharge and reconnect during your Valentine’s Day getaway.
Seek the Secret Garden of Jordan at the Inn on the Twenty
Inn on the Twenty
Website: https://www.jordanvillage.ca/inn_on_the_twenty.html
Address: 3845 Main St, Jordan Station, ON L0R 1S0
I haven’t had the privilege of staying here yet, but the hotel is conveniently connected to their winery and restaurant, so I wanted to recommend it here as an option. Check out their website for pictures of their gorgeous rooms.
Enjoy old world hospitality in Cambridge at Langdon Hall
Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa
Website: https://www.langdonhall.ca/
Address: 1 Langdon Dr, Cambridge, ON N3H 4R8
The queen of all country house hotels. Tucked away in the picturesque town of Cambridge, Ontario, Langdon Hall is a country house hotel with the atmosphere reminiscent of an old-world hunting lodge. Drive up from the winding road and walk up to the oak doors into a warm and charming lobby. Arriving at Langdon Hall is like visiting family you actually like—and missed. Each room has comfy sitting areas with a wood-burning fireplace providing much needed warmth for the tough February Canadian winters.
Romantic Getaways for Valentine’s Day: What to See, Do, and Eat
Exceptional Fine Dining Experiences for Valentine’s Day
Revel in the finer dining experiences to rejuvenate, recharge, and reconnect either with your partner or with yourself.
Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, Niagara Region, Ontario)
Address: 3953 Jordan Rd, Jordan Station, ON L0R 1S0
Dining menu: https://www.exploretock.com/pearlmorissette
Make sure to book at the Restaurant Pearl Morissette (RPM) website (above) for their flagship tasting menus (not to be confused with the Pearl Morissette Winery which serves its own wine tasting events). RPM is a farm-to-table restaurant whose location is marked only by the sign of the giant red cardinal bird. RPM serves seasonally changing tasting menus where the dishes are made with locally sourced ingredients (or ingredients grown right on the farm).
Reservations are definitely required! A prix fixe menu with optional wine pairing is their main act, but they host several other dining events throughout the year (all are generally prix fixe menus).
Here’s the sample tasting menu we had the good fortune of trying in August 2023:
- Grilled East Coast Lobster
- Smoked trout from Lake Huron
- Bison tartare with habanada peppers and horseradish
- Sourdough bread made with red einkorn
- Grilled scallops from Mahone Bay
- Grilled West Coast Honey mussels
- Butter poached halibut
- Grilled Nubian goat
- Roasted Longhorn beef
- Alfred le Fermier cheese from Québec
- Raspberry sorbet
- Pear tart
- Apple hollowed out and filled with lemon verbena and pastry cream and blackcurrant wood oil.
Reservations require prepayment during booking, but no need to choose wine pairing options until you arrive for your reservation.
Inn on the Twenty (Village of Jordan, Niagara Region, Ontario)
Address: 3845 Main St, Jordan Station, ON L0R 1S0
Dining Menu: https://www.vintage-hotels.com/inn-on-the-twenty/inn-on-the-twenty-restaurant-menu/
Sit in at the Inn on the Twenty’s formal dining room and be transported back to the forests of Jurassic Park. Sounds a bit dramatic, I know, but the view of towering trees you get from the floor to ceiling windows, range in age from 400-1000 years old. So, let’s just say you get quite a prehistoric view from the dining room.
While enjoying the view, savour a farm-to-table dining experience. Definitely relish the foie gras while sipping a Cave Spring rosé. Indulge in starters like seared scallops with crispy braised pork belly and finish off with entrées such as the seared halibut with a hazelnut crust. Catch a glimpse of cardinals bathing in the stone baths in front of the prehistoric scene of pure nature and might.
And make sure to pick up a few bottles of Cave Spring wines next door as you’re heading out. Definitely pick up a bottle of Rosé and a bottle of Riesling. Both wines capture the signature limestone aroma of a perfect Niagara summer day.
Langdon Hall (Cambridge, Ontario)
Address: 1 Langdon Dr, Cambridge, ON N3H 4R8
Dining menu: https://www.langdonhall.ca/eat-drink/our-menus/#dinner-menu
Sip on a Tawse chardonnay made exclusively for Langdon Hall to whet the appetite. Relish the sourdough bread available all night long during your dinner (because no bakery can seem to match the home made bread made at Langdon Hall). Ordering their truffle soup during winter and fall is a must. The soup flavours are sharp, harmonious, and earthy; you’ll be glad they give you as much bread as you like to mop up every drop.
To start your sumptuous dinner, order the foie gras parfait where it’s served to you like miniature gems and jewels on a plate of wine jelly and edible followers. Then order the red deer entrée (venison) and let the silky, smooth meat melt sumptuously on your tongue. For dessert, finish with a pistachio ice cream on pistachio sponge cake with white chocolate ganache. Indulge in a bottle of wine from the hotel’s wine cellar of over 1400 bottles from around the world (Cake Bread Cellars wine is one great option). Their talented sommelier will help you find the perfect one (or two!) bottles to pair with dinner.
Café Boulud at the Four Seasons Toronto
Address: 60 Yorkville Ave, Toronto, ON M4W 0A4
Dining Menu: https://www.cafeboulud.com/toronto/menus/#tasting-menu
A chic, luxurious, and modern restaurant with classic French charm. The
subway-like lighting chandeliers, glassed mirror banquettes, and leather seats provide a retro but modern atmosphere which echo the ambience of a Lyonnaise brasserie. Their 5-course tasting menu is highly recommended as they’re perfect taster versions of many of the dishes served on the à la carte menu. Some memorable highlights include the poached prawns, lobster spaghetti, roasted black cod, and homemade chocolates for dessert. Note that the tasting menu is always changing and what you see online might differ in person, but the options are always intriguing and delectable.
Play dress up when visiting this restaurant. It’s the perfect excuse to wear some outfits you save for “special occasions”. Indulge in yourself (and in your companion if you’re bringing one) in the splendours of French cuisine in Toronto.
Cluny Bistro and Boulangerie (Toronto)
Address: 35 Tank House Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4
Dining menu: https://clunybistro.com/menu/dining
Another fantastic French bistro in Toronto in the famed Distillery District. Wood wine cabinets, bistro-y bar stools, home-y atmosphere; it’s not a stuffy place at all. Instead, it’s an Inviting joint with a great menu of classic French bistro dishes. Order the chicken liver pâté served in a teacup with perfectly buttered sliced toasts on the side. Indulge in the bread basket with homemade focaccia, sourdough, and baguette.
Yes I’m telling you to order lots of bread, but you’re in a French bistro so you cannot miss out on the bread! Missing out on artisanal French bread is like missing out on the San Ginés churros in Madrid or on the Paco Bueno pintxos joint in San Sebastian! You risk MIGHTY disappointment if you refuse to eat the bread at Cluny’s!
Then order the baby spinach and shaved fennel salad to help digest the main entrées to come. Steak frites is a no-brainer if you enjoy a good steak, then sample the grilled branzino for a seafood delight. Both dishes make a great combo if you love meat and fish.
Byblos Downtown (Toronto)
Address: 11 Duncan St. Toronto, ON
Dining menu: https://byblosdowntown.com/
One of the best restaurants serving scrumptious Eastern Mediterranean cuisine in town. All the dishes make your brain light up like fireworks on a hot night. The flavours are zingy, tangy, zesty, and fire-y. In short: unforgettable. Order a side of sweet jewelled rice perfumed with saffron and barberries to go with all your main dishes. Main dish recommendations include the half roasted chicken with fennel and dates, or the halibut with artichoke pistachio chermoula. And it’s obligatory that you try the Turkish manti dumplings to start! You’ll be dreaming of dumplings that evening after you taste these little pockets of sheer wonder. Then have the pear and arugula salad, which is coated in a perfectly balanced preserved lemon vinaigrette with candied almonds and grapes.
Delight in Ontario’s Wine Country
Cave Springs Vineyard
Website: https://www.cavespring.ca/
Address: Vineyard Wine Tasting Room (4043 Cave Spring Road, Beamsville Ontario L0R 1B1) or Winery Tasting Room (5-3836 Main Street, Jordan, ON L0R 1S0)
Notable Mentions: Riesling CSV Chardonnay CSV, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc
The wines ending in CSV are part of Cave Springs proprietary portfolio. Definitely give them a try at their wine tasting venus. Cave Springs has two major wine venues: the Winery Tasting Room in the historic town of Jordan Village and the Vineyard Tasting Room in Beamsville (both located in the Niagara region). Both locations serve wine tasting by flights and by the glass. You can also enjoy some nibbles too while you’re there. The Winery Tasting Room is located right next to the Inn on the Twenty restaurant and hotel, so that could be a good choice if you’re in that area for wine, dinner, and a stay. The Vineyard Tasting Room is located right on their vineyard where you’ll get a beautiful view of the Niagara Escarpment and the city of Toronto from across the lake. It’s highly recommended to taste their proprietary wines such as their Chardonnay CSV which emanates aromas of the Niagara Escarpment limestone.
Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
Address: 3210 Staff Avenue, Jordan, ON L0R 1S0
Website: https://www.sue-annstaff.com/
Notable mentions: 2019 Robert’s Block Riesling, 2018 Louie Pinot Gris, 2018 Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc
Brix, the Swiss Bernese and company mascot, will greet you happily by the door at this winery. You’ll notice his sticker on every Sue-Ann staff wine bottle because he’s just as famous as the wine this century winery produces. The winery has over 125 years of wine making experience and the quality shows in their bottles. The tasting room is in Sue-Ann’s amazing home kitchen (notice the high-tech BBQs and wood-ovens she’s got in her backyard!) and there’s also a lovely outdoor sitting area for tastings, weather permitting. The 2019 Robert’s Block Riesling captures the essence of a Niagara’s summer day and it’s highly recommended you pack a few bottles home. The 2018 Louie Pinot Gris is big and bold; another great option for white wine devotees. Bring home a bottle of the 2018 Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc if you enjoy tenacious, ripe, and intense flavours. It’s one of those bottles you open for celebratory moments.
Pondview Winery at Bella Terra Vineyards
Website: https://www.pondviewwinery.com/
Address: 925 Line 2 Road, RR 2 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0
Notable Mentions: 2019 Bella Terra Chardonnay, 2020 Bella Terra Viognier, 2020 Meritage, 2019 Cabernet Appassimento
A gem located in what seems like the middle of nowhere in Niagara OTL. Drive down Line 2 Road by following Google Maps and the winery appears out of nowhere on the side of the road. Wine tastings are available by the flights and glass. Their menu has some creative munchies to go with your tastings and is quite varied even if the dishes are limited. Their fermented mushrooms and cheese dish goes great with the tastings, such as the 2019 Bella Terra Chardonnay. This chardonnay exudes aromas of fresh and spicy fruits. Then taste their 2020 viognier and note the tropical scents of exotic fruits and spices. Don’t forget to try their reds as well, such as the 2019 Meritage for a blend of ripe fruits and tobacco notes. And for the grand finale: the 2019 Cabernet Appassimento for grand notes of figs, dates and other luscious aromas. Overall, the 2019 Cabernet Appassimento is impressive.
Tawse Winery
Website: https://www.tawsewinery.ca/
Address: 3955 Cherry Avenue, PO Box 822 Vineland, Ontario L0R 2C0
Notable Mentions: 2020 Quarry Road Chardonnay, 2021 Cherry Avenue Pinot Noir
115 acres of estate vineyards with donkeys helping out to mow the lawn in the spring and summer seasons. This is a beautiful winery with a charming outdoor space to sip great wines, listen to live bands, and nibble on some snacks. Favourites include the 2020 Quarry Road Chardonnay exuding notes of limestone, clay soil, and minerals. Highly recommended to pick up a few bottles of chardonnay from here. A luscious and bold red to pick would be the 2021 Cherry Avenue Pinot Noir.
And chocolates, of course!
Reids Chocolate Shop
Address: 42 Ainslie Street North, Cambridge, ON
Website: https://reidchocolates.com/
Notable Highlights: milk and dark assorted chocolates, chocolate tortoises, cajun crunch nut mix.
A refined and upgraded version of a Willy Wonka candy store. All assorted chocolate boxes are beautifully packaged and many have souvenirs of Cambridge. You might find postcards or illustrated maps of Cambridge that come with your chocolate box purchase. Pick up an assorted chocolate box of milk and dark chocolate with hard and soft centres. The truffle chocolates are super tasty and if you’re a fan of peanut butter then you have to try the peanut butter milk chocolates or “sandwiches”. Salty goodies include a cajun crunch that’s a bag of cheese fries, praline and peanut mix that’s great as a snack by itself or as tapas with beer.
SOMA Chocolatemaker
Address: 32 Tank House Lane, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5A3C4
Website: https://www.somachocolate.com/
Notable Mentions: Mayan chili and spice hot chocolate, sea salt dark chocolate truffles.
Located at the Distillery District inside a corner warehouse, SOMA is THE place for sumptuous, sultry, luscious chocolate. Their chocolate is refined and intense like their Mayan hot chocolate. Head down to the Distillery District in Toronto (which is filled with great restaurants, galleries, and boutique shops) and visit the SOMA there to try the Mayan chili and spice hot chocolate. You’ll also get to see how they make their chocolate behind glass windows. Get their set of mini dark or milk chocolate bars in a package of 5 to give their different flavours a sample. Their gelato is quite good as well and will be a lovely, sweet conclusion to your journey in Toronto for your Valentine’s destinations trip to Canada.
Canada has much to offer in terms of generous hospitality and abundance. Taste Canadian wine with hints of limestone (a signature Niagara scent), or enjoy local chocolates with Mayan exoticness made in house. Canada might not induce the same image of romance like Paris or London, but romantic getaways for Valentine’s Day in Canada abound in (sort of) hidden spots around the country. And above all, all these places can be enjoyed solo or with loved ones. Who says Valentine’s Day must be about couples? Valentine’s Day is about love —and it’s a day to show it to everyone you care about. Besides, treating the people you love (and yourself!) to good food, good wine, and good chocolate is probably the greatest gesture of love one can perform.
