‘Tis the Season: Fun Winter Activities in the Midwest

The Midwest is known for its beautiful prairie lands, the Great Lakes, and rugged backcountry roads, so hikers and nature lovers visit the region throughout the year. As the temperature drops and the days get shorter, the region transforms into a winter wonderland with open fields and frosted slopes ripe with snowbound adventure.

Here are some of our favorite fun winter activities in the Midwest:

Cincinnati

Don’t let the cold weather put a damper on your winter holidays. There are always fun things to do in Cincinnati no matter the weather.

Join the WinterFest at Kings Island

Kings Island is the premier entertainment destination in the Midwest for millions of families. They offer the best rides, live entertainment, food, and Cincinnati events, all in a magical amusement park setting. Visit them on select nights through December 31, 2022 for WinterFest—an unforgettable holiday experience where Kings Island transforms into 11 enchanting winter wonderlands.

Go Ice Skating and Ride Bumper Cars at Fountain Square

Fountain Square is a nice place to stroll around with lots of shops, cafes, and restaurants. It is beautiful and lively in the daytime and even more lively at night. For hours of endless fun, ride their bumper cars or skate in their ice rink with friends and family.

Visit the Cincinnati Museum Center and Holiday Junction

The Cincinnati Museum Center is a beautiful museum inside and out. It’s a place your friends and family will absolutely love! There is so much to see, learn, and experience. Tons of unique exhibits are on display and there is so much space to walk around even on a busy day.

Take a Gander at the World’s Largest Indoor Train Display

The EnterTRAINment Junction is home to the largest indoor train display in the world. They have amazing and extensive model train exhibits and a kids’ play area. Whether you’re a train enthusiast, a history buff, or someone looking for a fun experience, this is the place for you.

Enjoy Cold-Weather Activities at Perfect North Slopes

Perfect North Slopes is a great place for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing! From the moment you get your ticket to when you leave, this is a great place to be. Employees are happy and helpful and the staff on the slopes are very willing to offer tips. The food area has nice options with fair prices and the rentals are priced well and in good condition. All the runs are well-maintained and a ton of fun.

Cleveland

Winters in Cleveland can be very cold—making it a great time to stay in and bond with your family. But on days when the temperature is just right, there are many things to do outside to curb your cabin fever. Here are our favorite fun winter activities close to home:

Skiing and Snow Tubing at Boston Mills Brandywine

Leave your cabin fever behind as you ski close to home. Boston Mills Brandywine is a ski and snow tubing resort perfect for your winter activities. Fun for the whole family and friends. They offer lessons to first-time skiers and the instructors are friendly and cool. Visit them this season to experience two all-new lifts, a full schedule of events, night skiing, and the re-opening of Polar Blast Snow Tubing!

Tobogganing in Cleveland Metroparks

Strongsville Toboggan is an amazing, clean park with fireplaces to keep you warm and a snack shop to keep your stomach full. If you like roller coasters you will love their toboggans. Take note that reservations are required to visit.

Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet

Looking for some holiday cheer? Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is the perfect place for you! The estate and grounds are decorated with over one million lights, making it a wonderful place to take a brisk winter stroll with sights you can’t help but take a photo of.

Appreciate Culture at the Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art is a world-class museum with no admission fee. Great masterpieces are always on exhibit. If the cold weather is getting to you during your visit, they have an excellent cafe with low prices. The staff is very friendly, often offering suggestions and answering questions.

Kansas City

Winters in Kansas City are jam-packed, featuring six weeks of seasonal celebrations and festive events. Enjoy dozens of luminous light shows and several months of ice skating and big-hill sledding.

GloWild at the KC Zoo

Experience a lantern festival unlike any other at the KC Zoo. GloWild is an immersive and breathtaking nighttime event, featuring massive handmade steel and silk works of art depicting animals, local landmarks, botanicals, and Asian cultural creations. GloWild will be the largest event of its kind in the Midwest!

Ice Skating at the Crown Center Ice Terrace

The Crown Center Ice Terrace is always a great place to spin, skate, and stride on the ice. The rink and rental skates are always well-maintained and the staff is friendly and efficient. Good experience and no stress around the holidays!

Experience Winter Magic

Ready to join Kansas City’s drive-through Christmas party? Head to Cliff Drive to experience Winter Magic as you enjoy your favorite dancing KC holiday light show displays and throw a holiday party in your car.

Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens

Escape from the hectic schedule of a busy holiday and take a breath of fresh air. Visit Kansas City’s botanical garden as it transforms into a winter wonderland. Stroll a lighted outdoor path and take some Instagram-worthy photos with friends and family.

Minneapolis-Saint Paul

The winter months in the Twin Cities are ripe with snowbound fun for residents and visitors alike. You can go ice skating, ice fishing, snow sledding, skiing, and more. Aside from that, there are many events, festivals with live music, and hockey games to attend. Here are our recommendations:

Attend the GLOW Holiday Festival

GLOW is an interactive holiday light festival in St. Paul. The event started out as a drive-thru experience where families drove their own cars through the attractions. This year, the festival will be a walk-thru experience. Stroll around, admire the million-holiday light attractions, and share some holiday cheer with your loved ones.

Enjoy Great Meals and Shopping at Holidazzle

Holidazzle has tremendous local small businesses bringing tremendous foods, beverages, and shopping to Loring Park. Various local businesses will be participating in this year’s Holidazzle. Don’t miss out on the fun!

Join the Annual 12 Bars of Christmas Crawl

Enjoy some holiday cheer and revelry as you visit a dozen pubs and bars across the Twin Cities. It’s the most wonderful crawl of the year!

Inline Skating at US Bank Stadium

Join U.S. Bank Stadium’s Winter Warm-Up, where inline skating and indoor running enthusiasts take the center stage.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh winters are snowy, chilly, and full of fun! With dozens of festivals, endless hours of ice skating, and plenty of slopes to choose from, you will never run out of ways to have some winter fun in Pittsburgh.

Skiing and Tubing in Boyce Park

Boyce Park is a wonderful place for a stroll. It’s a great park with a ski area that is perfect for first-time skiers who want to learn the ropes.

Attend the Pittsburgh Restaurant Week

Pittsburgh Restaurant Week features dining specials highlighting the wide-ranging dining options that Pittsburgh has to offer. It’s a recurring event that brings individuals from surrounding boroughs or suburbs to the city to walk the streets and enjoy a meal at a special discounted price.

Join the Winter Solstice Celebration

On the longest night of the year, light a candle to honor the legacy and memories of loved ones who are no longer with us. Join friends, family, and neighbors at sunset to walk along the path of 100 luminaries and enjoy music and an outdoor fire circle along with the burning of a Yule log to celebrate the longer days ahead.

Visit the Holiday Lights Mini Golf

Fun Fore All’s Holiday Lights Mini Golf is one of KDKA’s best holiday displays. Experience a variety of themed festive lights including Country & Western, penguins, the Taj Mahal, under the sea, and a Victorian Christmas. There is also a walk-through light tunnel, a twenty-foot Christmas tree, and a holiday musical show that plays several times an hour.

Join the Pittsburgh Santa Crawl

The Pittsburgh Santa Crawl is a winter/Holiday season-themed bar crawl. Quench your thirst on exclusive drink deals and explore South Side. Join thousands of participants and celebrate the holiday season one bar at a time.

Enjoy the Holidays at the Heinz History Center

There is so much to see and do at the Smithsonian’s home in Pittsburgh this holiday season! The History Center’s Great Hall transforms into a winter wonderland that showcases our region’s holiday traditions and memorable objects from Kaufmann’s Santaland.

Ice Skating at Schenley Park

Schenley Park has a large ice skating rink, spacious enough for many people with different experience levels from complete beginners trying to stand on ice to professionals doing pirouettes and jumps. The prices are quite affordable and they have skate rentals and also some special discounts for college students and families on certain days.

The UPMC Rink at the PPG Place

Visit a skating park right in Downtown Pittsburgh that faces probably one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, PPG Place. It’s an absolute joy to skate here! If you aren’t looking to skate, there are other things to do such as shopping at the Market Square, which is just right around the corner. You can even walk into PPG Place just to check it out. Definitely worth going during the Holidays!

St. Louis

From ice skating, skiing, and sledding to visiting your favorite attractions, shops, and restaurants, St. Louis has all the fun winter activities you can ever wish for. Make a weekend of it and enjoy everything St. Louis has to offer.

Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Celebrate the season with nearly two million dazzling lights at the Garden Glow. Enjoy fun new experiences, festive drinks, s’mores, and great photo opportunities.

Brewery Lights at the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery

The 37th annual Brewery Lights at the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery runs from Nov. 17 to Dec. 30. Enjoy the remarkable holiday experience by strolling down Pestalozzi Street with your loved ones, gather inside a VIP igloo with friends, or explore the new ice maze with your kids. There will also be firepits, a 10-minute light show at specific times throughout the night, a festive parade, and a complimentary 16-ounce beer for those 21 and older.

Wild Lights at the St. Louis Zoo

‘Tis the season to escape to a wonderland. Visit the St. Louis Zoo to experience the Wild Lights—a dazzling holiday event featuring brand-new light displays and themed areas. If the winter air becomes too chilly, the park offers winter-themed treats to warm up your belly. Say hello to the animals at the Penguin & Puffin Coast and the Insectarium and share the holiday cheer with your loved ones.

Take a Stroll at the Candy Cane Lane

Candy Cane Lane in South St. Louis is brimming with holiday cheer this time of the year. It’s a very festive display that was set-up to raise funds to support local charities. Embrace the true meaning of this season and give a lending hand to those in need.

All Aboard the Sleigh Shed

The Sleigh Shed is St. Louis’ newest pop-up cocktail experience. Visit the Train Shed restaurant, which is transformed into a glittering holiday destination, decorated from top to bottom with the bling and baubles of the season. Enjoy creative cocktails and delicious holiday appetizers.

Experience the Annual Way of Lights

Visit the National Shrine of Our Lady of Snows as its grounds are illuminated by the Annual Way of Lights Christmas display.

Hidden Valley Ski

Always a good time spending a day at the Hidden Valley Ski resort just outside of St. Louis, Missouri. It features a beginner hill where you can get your skiing skills down at a low altitude before dropping in at 10-12k ft.

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