Posted : January 11, 2022
Our blog is chock full of great ideas for fun things to see and do in York Durham and Headwaters. We are always adding new content and updating old posts, but sometimes you might stumble upon something from our vault. If this article has inspired you to hit the road, be sure to double-check that the featured stops in this post are still welcoming visitors.
It’s 2022! Have you made your New Year’s resolution yet? If not, we encourage you to think outside the box. Instead of the same old promises we make ourselves every single year (that we seem to keep making over and over), try something new.
Like what, you might ask? Well, that’s the beauty of this suggestion we at York Durham Headwaters are offering. The resolution itself is to try new things. Lots of new things. Make it your mission to seek out new, creative, adventurous, thrilling, satisfying, mind-expanding and even horizon-expanding things. Doesn’t matter what, just do something new to you. And then do something else new. Make 2022 the year of exploring possibilities.
We bet these ideas are something you haven’t tried yet:
Try Your Hand at Being a Maker
Maybe you’ve never heard of this whole “makers” thing, and maybe you’re an old hand with the most unique maker’s niche anyone has ever heard of. Even if the latter is the case, there are still plenty of crafts, techniques, skills and materials to try and learn. In Newmarket, The Maker’s Mark is an elegant handmade artisan boutique that operates year-round. Meet makers just like you, or just like you will become, to see what they do and why they love it. Then, get creative yourself with a workshop from NewMakeIt, a creative learning space dedicated to helping makers grow. The point is to seek out the new. Something you’ve never done before. Is it stained glass making? Pottery? What about woodworking? It’s that thing you always wanted to try but never have. And you don’t have to pick just one. After all, there are 365 days in a year!
To see what’s in store at The Maker’s Mark and NewMakeIt, visit:
Learn to Snowkite at iKite
If you love skiing and snowboarding, you’re going to fall head-over-heels for snow-kiting… not literally, of course. (We hope.) This activity is done on skis or snowboards, so if you’re familiar with these, snow-kiting is just another way to enjoy an activity you already know. But there is no denying that this is a unique experience, too. Our frozen lakes and large, snowy fields are perfect for snow-kiting, and the qualified instructors at iKite will show you how to enjoy this winter sport safely. iKite operates a regular location on frozen Lake Simcoe near Keswick, and instructors also travel around Southern Ontario to locations like Georgina, Beaverton, among other heavy snowfall areas. If you’re the kind of person who snowboards or skis every snow season and loves the exhilarating rush it brings, then it’s time to try snow-kiting.
To learn more about this thrilling take on snow sports, visit:
A Treetop Eco-Adventure Obstacle Course
It may be winter now, but spring comes quickly here in York Durham Headwaters. So, while you are thinking of all the new things you can do to stay on track with your 2022 New Year’s resolution, keep Treetop Eco-Adventure Park on the top of your list for when the weather turns mild. Enjoy an aerial obstacle course amongst the trees in the beautiful Oak Ridges Moraine which features Tarzan swings, rope ladders, ziplines, and so much more. You’ve never seen the world like this before! It’s a great way to stay fit, get exercise and fresh air, and enjoy the company of friends and family.
For information and to purchase your tickets, visit:
https://treetopeco-adventurepark.com/index.html
Paint with Beeswax and Heat: Encaustic Painting
If you haven’t heard of encaustic art before, bee prepared to bee amazed. No, those aren’t typos—encaustic art is painting with beeswax. The medium you paint with is a mixture of tree resin, beeswax and oil paint, and the whole thing is applied while hot. At The Hive Encaustic Studio, located in the lovely, historic Alton Mill Arts Centre in Caledon, you and your friends and family can participate in an encaustic painting workshop where you get to have fun with a blowtorch. We promise—this is a real thing! And, it’s fun for all ages, too. Not to worry, parents. Kids get hot guns and hair dryers which are more age-appropriate if necessary, and the session is supervised by a trained encaustic artist. At the end of the day, you get your very own encaustic work of art, that you made with your own hands, to take with you and hang in your home to remember your adventure of trying something new in 2022.
To learn more about this fun, unique way of painting, visit:
https://www.thehiveencausticstudio.com/
Story by Katherine Ryalen
Don’t miss the other posts in our New Year, New You series. For more inspiration on how to make 2022 the best it’s ever been, check out these articles:
New Year, New You – Do More Date Nights
