One of the most common mistakes families make when planning time away is thinking seasonally too narrowly — waiting for summer to travel, or assuming winter limits their options. The truth is that every season offers its own distinct brand of family adventure, and the families who embrace that reality end up with four times the opportunities for meaningful time together. Here are the best family weekend ideas, season by season.
Spring: Rediscover the World Waking Up
There’s a particular magic to spending a week-end en famille in spring, when the landscape is shaking off the cold and everything feels fresh and full of possibility. It’s the ideal time to get back on the trails after winter, explore nature reserves as the wildlife returns, and visit farms and sugar shacks that celebrate the season. In Estrie, the maple season is a cultural event in its own right — a perfect excuse to head to Bromont or the surrounding countryside for a weekend that combines outdoor time with genuine local flavour.
Summer: Embrace the Long Days and Open Water
Summer weekends practically plan themselves. The combination of warm weather, long evenings, and access to lakes and trails creates the conditions for effortlessly enjoyable family time. A weekend centred around swimming, hiking, and lakeside picnics in a destination like Bromont or Magog delivers everything a summer family getaway should — active, relaxed, and full of sunshine. The key is to start early and let the day unfold without rushing.
Fall: Chase the Colours Before They’re Gone
Autumn is arguably the most underrated season for a family weekend away. The crowds thin out, the temperatures become ideal for outdoor activity, and the landscape transforms into something genuinely breathtaking. A fall weekend in Estrie — hiking through forests ablaze with colour, picking apples at a local orchard, or cycling through the rolling hills around Bromont — has a richness and sensory depth that summer simply can’t match. Don’t wait too long, though. The window is short and worth seizing.
Winter: Lean Into the Season
Rather than retreating indoors and waiting for warmer weather, the best family winters are built around embracing the cold. A winter weekend in Bromont centred around skiing or snowshoeing, followed by a warm dinner in the village, is the kind of experience that redefines how families think about the colder months. Winter landscapes have their own stark beauty, and children who grow up playing in the snow develop a relationship with the outdoors that carries through every season of their lives.
Every Season Is the Right Season
The families who travel year-round are the ones who discover that no season is really off-season — just differently beautiful. Building a rhythm of seasonal weekend getaways gives the whole family something to look forward to throughout the year, and turns the simple act of going away together into one of the most consistent and rewarding traditions a family can have.
About the Author
