Exploring the best of Toronto and Southern Ontario.

Happy Saturday, all – and happy Christmas Eve Eve! I know I’ve been saying it for weeks now, but truth be told, these last couple of days before Christmas are really the most wonderful time of the year. The baking, shopping and other holiday to-dos are (hopefully) finished, the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve and Day are in the air, and everyone’s just looking forward to the break. It’s a time to slow down, unwind and savour in the joy of the season.

I’ll be taking a little blogging break over the holidays, but I did promise y’all one last post of 2023, so here it is! Recently Tania and I realized we still had some vacation days – and health benefits – to use up by the end of the year, so last Wednesday, we each took the day off work and headed to the spa at Langdon Hall for some pampering. Before heading to the spa, however, we spent the first half of our “date day” in the charming town of Elora.

Located in Wellington County, about 25-30 kilometres north of Guelph and Kitchener, Elora is one of Ontario’s prettiest towns. With its 19th century architecture, quaint shops and restaurants, and naturally stunning gorge, it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular tourist destination. And with its plethora of festive decorations, it happens to be especially beautiful at Christmastime! If you’re lucky enough to be off work over the holidays and are looking for a fun daytrip destination, I’d highly recommend a visit. And if you need some ideas for things to do while you’re there? You know I’ve got you covered! Without further ado, here are my best recommendations for how to spend a picture-perfect winter day in Elora.

Start the day with breakfast at The Lost & Found Café. Tucked away in the Elora Mews – a quaint courtyard lined with shops and eateries – this cozy coffee shop sells pastries, breakfast and lunch entrees, and (naturally) coffee. Tania ordered her go-to beverage – a flat white – and I enjoyed one of their feature holiday drinks: a peppermint mocha. We also split the apple and brie croissant, which was very good: it’s a grilled croissant sandwich filled with sliced apples, brie and caramelized onions. The café is very small and seating is limited; we were just lucky enough to snag a shared table, but expect that you may have to take your treats to go. If you prefer a sit-down breakfast, check out Café Crêperie just across the street, which serves a variety of sweet and savoury crepes.

After breakfast, take a stroll and admire the pretty Christmas decorations. During the months of November and December, Elora’s businesses go all out with their holiday decor! You’ll find them all over town, but some of my favourite places to spot festive decorations include…

The Elora Mews’ whimsical outdoor Christmas village.

The larger-than-life ornament sculptures and wreath-bedecked windows at the Elora Mill. Don’t forget to take a peek at the Elora Gorge while you’re there! The hotel is famous for their restaurant which has some incredible views of the river.

The ‘Gram-worthy reindeer and sleigh outside The Tartlet (a patisserie by the same folks who run Elora’s beloved Wild Tart restaurant.)

These fabulously festive mannequins outside Drimmie Florist. They remind me of the incredible designs I saw at last year’s Fleurs de Villes NOËL exhibit in Toronto.

After admiring the decorations, why not indulge in some retail therapy? Elora is well-known for its quaint and unique shops. You can view a full directory here, but I thought I’d share a few of my favourites. Make sure you check out…

LemonTree + Co. for elegant, understated home furnishings and decor.

Epiphany Apparel for unique, vintage-inspired clothing and accessories.

Fromagerie Evelyn for gourmet cheeses, cured meats and preserves.

Jammed Lovely for eclectic gifts, cards, art and decor.

Honeychurch Interiors for a sophisticated – yet delightfully quirky – collection of home goods. (Attention DIYers: they’re also a Fusion Mineral Paint retailer!)

A Natural Home for rustic, nature-inspired decor that exudes all the hygge vibes.

Mermaid In Elora for… well, everything else! From mermaid memorabilia to vintage-inspired art prints, artsy silver jewelry to antique pocket watches, you’ll find everything you were(n’t) looking for here. Did I mention they have an entire room dedicated to door knockers??

If all that shopping leaves you hungry…refuel with lunch at The Evelyn. This lovely little French bistro serves elevated takes on classic comfort foods. I ordered the croque monsieur – filled with black forest ham, gruyere, thyme bechamel and pear chutney – and Tania got the grass-fed beef burger topped with Mountainoak truffle gouda, bone marrow onion jam, pancetta and a fried pickle (which I stole half of!) Our mains were accompanied by hefty sides of shoestring fries, and we also split a half liter of the house white: a deliciously crisp Sauvignon Blanc. We couldn’t resist sharing a slice of their poached pear and almond cheesecake for dessert. The food was truly excellent, and I have to give them bonus points for the beautiful interior. From the stained glass windows and tropical wallpaper to the antique gold accents and moody scarlet ceiling, every detail feels luxe.

After lunch, unwind with a cocktail at the Elora Distilling Company. Located in a stunning brick building on Metcalfe Street, this relatively new craft distillery (they opened in 2020) makes their own spirits right on-site using locally sourced ingredients. The main floor houses their shop, where you can purchase bottles of their gin, vodka, liqueur, rye and rum. The packaging is gorgeous, and I especially love the vibrant colours of their Citrus Pink Gin and Amethyst Vodka. Upstairs is The Royal Room, a bar/lounge space where you can order craft cocktails and snacks. As we were there in the morning, the bar wasn’t open yet (nor were we quite ready for a martini at 11am!) but the lovely staff were kind enough to show us around their stunning space. I look forward to returning for a drink next time I’m in Elora, and would also love to sign up for their cocktail-making class and distillery tour.

Well, that’s all folks! I hope you enjoyed these recommendations for things to see and do on a winter daytrip to Elora. I’ll probably do another Elora guide next summer, because there are so many cool things to experience there during the warmer months: from swimming in the Elora Quarry to kayaking down the Grand River to enjoying a meal on one of the town’s many patios. If there’s anything I missed that you think I should add to this list, please let me know!

I’ll be back in the new year with some more local content that I hope inspires you to continue exploring the best Toronto and Southern Ontario have to offer. In the meantime, I wish you and your loved ones a blessed and beautiful holiday. I also want to take this opportunity to thank you for your readership. It truly means so much to me, and I look forward to sharing so much more with you all in 2024.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!