Things To Do In Winter (Besides Skiing)

Unless you have escaped the cold and gone to a warm country, chances are that you will have a couple of cold, snowy months ahead from now on.

But cold months and snow is only what you make of it – you can go and hibernate in front of the TV for the next couple of months, or you can choose to make the most of it and really enjoy the winter.

If you want to go for the second option, but forgot what winter really offers, here are a few reminders of the awesome things you can do in winter…

Winter Hiking

There is nothing more relaxing and calming than walking among nature in the winter.

The winter landscape is incredible, with forests covered in glimmering snow and the shiny frozen lakes where it feels as though time has stopped for a moment.

The peacefulness and quietness is unlike anywhere else – taking long walks and hikes in winter wonderlands are one of the best things to do in winter, and there is nothing better than to stop over in a warm little place and order a cup of hot chocolate after a couple of hours walking.

Staying In An Igloo

More and more countries are starting to offer igloo accommodation, where you get to sleep in an actual igloo, then there is the famous Ice Hotel in Sweden, which is completely made out of ice and is rebuilt every year.

But if you can’t afford going all the way to Sweden, why not build your own igloo?

Another reason to sleep outside, whether it’s in an igloo or a tent, is the amazing opportunity you get to take photos of the night sky without any light pollution – totally worth it, at least for a few hours.

Playing Golf In The Snow

Yeah, I am serious – you can play golf in winter, in fact there are several resorts open where you can play, and even take some weekend golf breaks - it will be different, that’s for sure – but that’s part of the fun!

While you can book golf breaks and spend a weekend playing golf in the snow, it’s also just a fun thing you can do for a day when you’re in a ski resort.

They set up this golf course in Vulpera, Switzerland when we were there a few winters back and it was really fun to play a few rounds, although sometimes hard to find the ball!

Ice Skating

Is there anything more beautiful than a frozen lake, cleared from snow? Ice skating in the nature is one of the best things I know.

It’s a little scary since you don’t know where the ice is thin, but that’s part of the fun.

Bring picnic and hot chocolate in a thermos, and spend the day by the lake just like in summer.

Sledding

Sledding isn’t  just for kids – it’s for everyone. If you visit Switzerland and Austria you will see that they take sledding very seriously, with championships and all.

In many of the ski resorts in Europe you will actually find slopes specifically made for sledding, and you won’t have to go through all of the hassle walking up the hill, but can take the gondola up.

Here is a video of us sledding down a 6 kilometer long sled run in Bergün in Switzerland back in winter 2010 (Watch right to the end to see Nathan lose his sled!).

What are your favorite things to do outdoors during the winter?

(photo credit: 1 -  2 -  3 - 4)