Laval is an island city of its own, ringed by the Rivière des Prairies and the Rivière des Mille Îles, with big parks, a space science centre and a busy arena all within a short drive of each other. Winter here is made for bundled-up outings: skating on a frozen lake, gliding down snow slides, then thawing out over art or a hockey game. These Laval date ideas mix outdoor fun with indoor warm-ups from late fall through the snowy months. Many of the official pages linked below are in French only, so a translation tool can help.

Frozen Lake Fun at the Centre de la Nature

Centre de la Nature: This year-round city park at 901 avenue du Parc holds gardens, several ponds, a farm, a greenhouse and even an observatory. Come for a slow walk on a crisp fall afternoon and duck into the greenhouse when your fingers get cold. Parking on site is paid.
Winter activities at the Centre de la Nature: Once the cold settles in, the park opens three sliding zones, skating on its large lake, a boarded rink and a groomed cross-country ski trail. Each activity has its own open or closed status on the City's French-language page, since everything depends on snow and ice. Skate a few laps hand in hand, then race each other down the slides.
Marché de Noël de Laval: Over two weekends, December 4 to 6 and 11 to 13, 2026, more than 50 local artisans set up outdoors at the Centre de la Nature, many in the decorated wooden cottages of the Village des Arts. Browse crafts, jewelry, decorations and gourmet treats, and warm up with the free hot chocolate. The City also promises a lineup of free activities around the site. Hours for this year have not been posted yet.

A pond surrounded by trees and tall grasses at the Centre de la Nature in Laval, Quebec, in summer.

Mission Control at the Cosmodome

Cosmodome: Laval's space science centre is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Exhibition admission is $12 per adult before tax, and packages add virtual missions if you want to play astronauts together. On-site extras such as the training simulator depend on availability. Note that it closes on December 24, 25 and 31 and on January 1.

Island Art at the Maison des Arts

Espace muséal Alfred-Pellan: Inside the Maison des Arts at 1395 boulevard de la Concorde Ouest, this contemporary art space is free for everyone, all the time. It is open from noon to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday and stays open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays, which makes it a good start to a weeknight date.
Une île n'est pas l'autre: Until January 3, 2027, this group show marks the gallery's 40th anniversary by exploring what it means to live on an island, real or imagined. Five artists use photography, sculpture, video and installation. Fitting for Laval, it is a good prompt to talk about the places that feel like home to each of you.

The tall red and white rocket outside the Cosmodome in Laval.

Rocket Hockey at Place Bell

Rocket de Laval: The Rocket plays most of its home games at Place Bell on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Circle Wednesday, December 2, 2026, when the Rocket hosts the Toronto Marlies, the reigning Calder Cup champions, for the first time this season, one of six meetings between the two clubs on the schedule. Cheer loudly, share a snack between periods and pick a player to follow all night. The team's schedule announcement is in French.

Quiet Trails Beside the Mille Îles

Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles: Based at 345 boulevard Sainte-Rose, this riverside park lists the Écureuil and Hibou trails for winter walks, and its French-language page shows current trail conditions. The slide and the rink are marked closed, so treat this as a peaceful walking date beside the river.

Snowy slopes and a frozen pond at the Centre de la Nature in Laval in winter.

Sample Date Itineraries

1. Snow day at the park: Check the status page in the morning → skate on the big lake or try the slides at the Centre de la Nature → warm up in the greenhouse before heading home.

2. Market weekend in December: Browse the artisan cottages at the Marché de Noël de Laval with a free hot chocolate → a riverside walk on the Mille Îles trails → a cozy dinner in Laval.

3. Space and art Thursday: An afternoon mission at the Cosmodome before it closes at 5 p.m. → the free Une île n'est pas l'autre exhibition at the Maison des Arts, open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays.

Pro Tips for Memorable Dates

Each winter activity at the Centre de la Nature has its own open or closed status, so check it the same day.
The Cosmodome is closed on December 24, 25 and 31 and on January 1.
The Espace muséal Alfred-Pellan is always free and is closed on Mondays.
Parking at the Centre de la Nature is paid, so plan a little extra time and change.
Many Laval pages are in French only; a browser translation tool makes them easy to read.

Laval gives couples a winter playground without crossing a bridge. Pick a frozen lake, a space mission or a quiet riverside trail, and make the season your own.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Photo credits: Centre de la Nature, Laval by Jean Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Cosmodôme rocket by Laurent Bélanger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; L'hiver au Centre de la Nature, Laval by Richard Mc Neil, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.