It’s almost that time of the year when you can smell hot chocolate in the air. I love to call this season ‘sweater season’ and of course holiday vibe is going on everywhere. Everybody is cheerful and thinking about meeting near and dear ones, buying gifts for them, wishing prosperity for the upcoming new year. I really love this season. It’s really amazing to see all those happy faces. Every year, me and my wife, we try to go for a 10 days getaway in December to somewhere close to the nature and we try to incorporate some winter activities during this time. We live in a hot climate region where it may snow once in ten years and that becomes the event of the year. But we both love snow, we really do. That’s why whenever we get a chance, we try to do some winter activities and these activities are completely family friendly. Even if you are a beginner, don’t have much experience with the snow, don’t worry. Most of these activities are designed in a way that anybody can do it. In this blog, I am going to focus on five family friendly outdoor activities suitable even for a person who does not have much experience with snow.
1. Dog sledding
If you want to get lost for a while in the snowy forest, dog sledding could be an amazing activity. All you have to do is sit tightly and enjoy the nature. We had the opportunity to do dog sledding in Montana and it was quite fun. I got to know a lot about dog sledding and a lot more history, how people traveled from one place to another from that one experience. It goes beyond the adrenaline rush we desire. There are some other places in Maine, Minnesota, Colorado, Wyoming, Alaska, etc. that offers the dog sledding. But there are a limited number of openings. So, make reservation in advance to ensure your spot.
2. Skiing / Snow boarding
Skiing or Snowboarding is one of those activities which many people consider to be extensive. In reality, these are not. As a beginner you don’t have to go to the expert ski resort. Many ski resorts have beginners guided lesson for skiing. I highly recommend taking the lessons if this is your first time. For our first time, we went to a ski resort in Glenwood springs, Colorado and took the beginner lesson and trust me, this actually helped a lot to get accustomed with the environment. We rented all the gears, jacket, pant, goggles, helmet, gloves everything from the ski rentals. Renting gear lets you try out modern equipment from different brands without a large upfront cost. If you are not comfortable renting or you have decided you really enjoy skiing/snowboarding, you can buy your own gear. Next you need to buy lift ticket. There are different one day or multiple day packages including some family packages in different ski resort. Do some research and try to find a resort that is suitable for you. Buying online and for multiple days sometime will save you some money on the lift tickets. Now, go have some fun and don’t forget to enjoy some hot chocolates afterwards.
3. Snow-mobiling
Snow mobiling is one of those fun activities which you can enjoy in groups or solo for a serene snow ride in the forest. It will you give you the opportunity to explore different terrain, frozen lakes, open field including state and national forest. I must say exploring the snowy forest path is entirely different experience and it will give you the opportunity to explore the places that are not easily accessible during the warmer months.
4. Visiting an Ice castle
Visiting Ice castles is one of the magical activities one could ever have. Suddenly you enter in a world of frozen and everything looks enchanted. There are four cities (New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah) across North America where ice castles are located. All those ice castles are hand build by professional ice artists, each unique in design featuring LED-lit sculptures, ice carves tunnels, fountains, slides, etc. The moment you enter the castle, you will feel that your fairy tale is about to begin. And you will feel that children as well as adults, everybody is enjoying, laughing, taking pictures; in words having the moment of their life. If you are planning to go in these four states, don’t forget to visit the unique castles of ice and enjoy your own fairy tale moment.
5. Go for a hike / stay at a cozy cabin or a tree house
Another awesome activity could be snowshoeing through the snowy forest path. Most of the places have snowshoe rentals if you don’t want to buy or bring your own. For those who love to hike and comfortable going with friend and family can go for a long hike. But for those who don’t, can simply enjoy the beauty of the powdery snow from the cozy environment of a cabin or a tree house. Nothing can beat the enjoyment of roasting the marshmallow in the fire with friends and family.
Remember, holiday season is for enjoyment. No matter what you do and how you do, the aim is to enjoy the snowy weather with your near and dear ones. This holiday season, let’s try something new and let’s bring home some memories to cherish forever.
