Streaming sensation Heated Rivalry has the collective zeitgeist in a pop culture chokehold, spinning the popular novel into a must-watch HBO Max limited series, whether you’re into hockey or not. If the Canadian setting has captured your attention, here’s where you can visit the Heated Rivalry locations in Ontario.
You’d have to be on a social media blackout to avoid the memes and discussions about Heated Rivalry – a spicy Canadian sports romance TV series based on the book by Nova Scotian author Rachel Reid that’s garnered queer and straight female fans alike.
With explicit physical and emotional intensity, on and off the rink, the global phenomenon charts a decade-long relationship between the Canadian and Ottawa-born character Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russian Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie).
It was shot exclusively in Ontario, from downtown Toronto, Hamilton and Guelph to the lakeside landscape of Muskoka. With a second season already in production, here’s where you can visit the as-seen-on-screen Heated Rivalry locations in Ontario right now.
Heated Rivalry: Toronto, Hamilton and surrounds
Hamilton, on the Niagara Peninsula, provided many Heated Rivalry locations in Ontario for the first six-episode season, which premiered in Australia on HBO Max on 28 November 2025.
Aussie Heated Rivalry fans can check out FirstOntario Concert Hall and LIUNA Station, the Hamilton backdrop for pivotal awards and black-tie event scenes.
There’s also the gym exterior for Shane and Ilya’s first meeting (shot outside McMaster Burridge Gym), and Ciao Bella Hamilton restaurant, where Shane and his parents meet.
Ilya’s running scenes in Moscow (actually Dundurn Castle National Historic Site with heritage buildings and outdoor trails) and Le Tambour Tavern, which portrayed a Montreal pub, showcased more of Hamilton’s versatility as a destination for Heated Rivalry locations in Ontario.
Relay Coffee Roasters was rebranded as “Straw + Berry”, a NYC smoothie shop in the show, Mansion was a Montreal nightclub and the graffiti-covered The Pink Tunnel at Shamrock Park has become a fan favourite for photo opps.
The British-themed Winchester Arms pub in Dundas, not far from downtown Hamilton, was also used as a venue for Heated Rivalry locations in Ontario.
Toronto also stood in for other locations: Joni Restaurant, in the Park Hyatt Hotel Toronto, represented a Las Vegas venue, and Lavelle, a rooftop bar in Toronto’s Entertainment District, stood in for Tampa Bay.
Heated Rivalry: Other Ontario locations
One of the most-talked about episodes is the finale, The Cottage, which was shot at the real-life Barlochan Cottage in Muskoka Lakes in Ontario’s idyllic lakeside Muskoka region two hours north of Toronto.
Meanwhile, the cities of Guelph, 100km west of Toronto, and Vaughn, just north of Toronto, were also featured as Heated Rivalry locations in Ontario.
Guelph, and the Sleeman Centre in particular, were the locations for pivotal rink and locker room scenes, including a University of Guelph student and hockey player who was the stunt double for the Shane Hollander character.
For more info, head to destinationontario.com
KARRYON UNPACKS: Screen tourism aka set-jetting is driving destination discovery, and the Heated Rivalry locations in Ontario show how pop culture can reposition familiar cities as romantic, story-led itineraries with real commercial appeal for travel advisors.
