I decided to drop out this weekend and headed to the Kawarthas for a little R&R at a resort I've been hearing lots about - Viamede. I arrived this afternoon and already I've skated on the frozen lake, tried my hand at ice fishing in a tee pee and now am sitting in front of a roaring fireplace with a glass of white wine. Winter doesn't get any better than this!

I'll have a lot more on my stay at Viamede Resort in the April issue of TraveLife magazine but suffice to say, this resort is the perfect weekend getaway to Torontonians - it's less than a 2 hour drive from downtown TO along well kept highways.

TripAdvisor rates this resort 4 stars!

Viamede is one of the great values - far cheaper than Blue Mountain or Muskoka resorts - and every bit as nice. A night's stay at Viamede in a room or cottage at this time of year is about $360 and that includes breakfast - the gorgeous views of the surrounding brilliance is free. There's also specials so check the resort's website - http.www.viamede.com/ - for last minute deals.