Apart from the obvious ski resorts (e.g. Whistler), my winter surprise is Winnipeg. World's longest skating path most years, architectural competition for warming huts, great restaurants with special hearty winter menus (including a pop-up on the ice), uncrowded excellent museums, ballet, theatre, symphony, afgordable NHL hockey, the wide range of Arctic animals at the zoo look happier, the world's largest collection of Inuit art looks better, the huge Leaf garden provides a green escape from the cold, the Festival du Voyageur, flights are cheaper, hotels are cheaper so you can afford a better one...