Lakeside activities this winter in Toronto will quickly help you forget the frigid breeze blowing off the water as you take in unforgettable art installations, have a skating rink dance party, or snowshoe through a winter wonderland.

Here are my picks for fun things to do by the lake this winter in Toronto.

Go winter snow kiting

Combine your love to kite flying and and skiing or snow boarding in one big swoosh. The Canadian Kite Surfing Society not only teaches snow kiting lessons, but takes groups out onto the lake at Cherry Beach to put your newfound skills into practice. It's a three-hour lessons and flight.

Nighttime skating parties

Every Saturday until February 18 there's a DJ-helmed skating party at the Harbourfront Centre with musical genres spanning from disco to soca, the Bey Skate to sounds from the around the globe. Don't forget to grab a rink side drink at the Boxcar Social.

Check out some wildly cool art installations

Ice Breakers is a month-long public art exhibition that will showcase five winter-themed installations at different public locations along Queens Quay from Jan. 21 - Feb. 26. The installations each feature unique sculptural designs that offer an element of interactivity that will have you help you warm up as you explore.

Take a snowshoeing hike

Explore one of the city's most interesting and untouched five kilometre stretches with a showshoeing hike. You can drive right up to where the trail begins at the Leslie Street Spit and then head in on your lakeside exploration of this desolate but fascinating piece of land.

Take shelter on the beach

For the third year running, Winter Stations hosts six new lifeguard stands at Balmy, Kew and Ashbridges Bay beaches in Toronto’s east end. From Feb. 20- March 27, check out the life size shelters transformed by artists, designers and architects into wintertime public art, much of which features elements design to help you warm up.