Winter Outdoor Activities
If you’re like most people, you spend every possible moment from spring to autumn outdoors. It’s only natural. The days are warmer and longer and after being in an almost hibernated state during those chilly winter months, you want to make the most of the outdoors when it’s warm.
So, what do you like to do over winter? Do you sit around a fire and sip hot beverages? Nice, but not for the entire winter. If you vacation for even a short while over winter, you probably head for some mountain ski resort for some skiing. But why limit your outdoor winter activities to just that?
Winter may be cold, but there are many health benefits to spending time outdoors and if you live in a region with snowfall, then there’s a whole lot of fun to be had too. Here are 10 outdoor activities for the winter that will get you out of the house and taking advantage of this great season.
1. Skiing
Skiing is usually the most obvious activity for people during winter and with good reason. It’s amazingly exhilarating to ski down the slopes on a blanket of white powder. The fact that many skiing hotspots are part of a resort with other activities makes skiing even more enjoyable.
2. Snowboarding
If you like skateboarding, then you’ll love snowboarding. This is an activity for all levels. If you’re a novice, you can snowboard down a mildly inclining slope, but if you’re advanced and a bit of an extreme adventure seeker, start at some of the more treacherous peaks and jump off some of those jutting rocks as you descend. It’s a lot of fun and it can be pretty exciting too.
3. Sledding
For those after an activity that’s a little on the tamer side, sledding is a great way to spend a sunny, winter afternoon. Sleds also come in many different shapes and sizes so this is an activity you can enjoy with kids. All you need to do is grab a sled, find a snow-covered hill and slide down. As long as you don’t mind dragging the sled back up the hill again, you’re in for hours of fun.
4. Snowshoeing
If you love hiking but don’t relish the idea of trudging through knee-deep snow, give snowshoeing a try. We’ve all seen the tennis racket looking shoes that characters in TV shows and cartoons use to making walking through snow a little easier. Today’s snowshoes are much larger than your normal snow boots and their purpose is to cover a larger surface area and redistribute the wearer’s weight so they can walk on the snow, instead of sink into it. Snowshoeing is a fun way to hike and is suitable for all ages and fitness levels.
5. Ice Skating
One of the most graceful winter activities is ice-skating. There is something poetically beautiful watching the professional ice skaters glide over the ice. They make it look so easy. For those of us who are amateurs, we tend to spend a lot of time in a sitting position on the ice, but that too is part of the fun.
If you’re really good at ice skating you can take it one step further and get an ice hockey game going on.
6. Go Camping
Who’d have thought that camping in the middle of winter could be a romantic weekend getaway? Think about it for a moment. You and your significant other, a warm campfire and the cold bringing you very close together to share some body warmth and stay warm while camping in winter. Add a bottle of wine to the mix and you’ve got a great camping trip.
Camping shouldn’t just be limited to the warmer months. Nature takes on a surreal beauty in winter with its snowy, white blanket. If you are a serious camper, you really should include some winter camping.
7. Get Some Construction Happening
No childhood in winter can be complete without making something out of snow. If you have never made a snowman, you really are missing out on the quintessential idea of winter fun. If you find snowmen a little dull, make a snow sculpture in your front yard and impress your neighbors. You can also help the kids construct a snow fort or even make a slide out of snow for a little extra fun.
8. Go Ice Fishing
If you love going fishing, you simply must try your hand at ice fishing. This type of fishing involves dropping a fishing line into a hole in a body of water to catch fish. In some places you may even be able to do some ice fishing in a heated cabin built over the fishing hole. This is something you can do alone or get a few friends together. It’s just like ordinary fishing, but it’s colder.
9. Sit Around A Bonfire
Grab some marshmallows, some mulled wine and a group of friends and build a nice bonfire. While bonfires are more of a summer thing, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy this activity in the middle of winter. You can dance around the fire if you feel the need to get a little warmer, but the combination of mulled wine and good company is often all you need.
10. Snow Tubing
Imagine sliding or flying down a snow-covered hill on a big rubber donut. Snow tubing is a step up from sledding because the snow tube is so much more unpredictable. You just never know if it’s going to go slower or faster and you can easily fit several people on one tube. Careful though. If you hit an uneven surface it can send everyone on the tube flying in different directions. Painful? Maybe, but definitely fun to watch.
There are many more activities you can enjoy during the winter and the main thing to do is get out of the house. The fresh cold air is beneficial to your health and you’ll beat the winter blues by getting out in the sun. If all else fails, engage your friends in a snowball fight. It may not be mature, but it can be a lot of fun regardless of your age.
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