20 Random Outdoor Winter Activities For Adults

Winter is supposed to be the time for us to stay inside, warm and cozy by the fireplace. Thereโ€™s nothing better on a cold winterโ€™s day than staying inside all day with a good book and warm drink, but that may not be the best use of your time. Getting active and going outside are vital for our health, even in winter. Here are 20 random outdoor winter activities to help you stay active all winter long.

20 random outdoor winter activities for adults

1. Sledding

Sledding isnโ€™t just for kids, adults can (and should) have just as much fun with it. Plus, itโ€™s an easy, fairly low key way to get outside and have some fun if thereโ€™s snow.

2. Hiking or snowshoe hiking

If you love to hike, thereโ€™s no reason to limit your hiking to warm weather. If thereโ€™s snow on the ground, strap on a pair of snowshoes just like these and go see what your favorite trails are like when theyโ€™re covered in snow- itโ€™s a totally different experience.

Otherwise, I recommend some good winter hiking boots and some of these merino wool socks from Danish Endurance to keep your feet warm in the winter.

3. Skiing

Skiing is a wintertime classic for a reason: itโ€™s exciting, challenging, and anyone can learn to do it. Itโ€™s not just fun, itโ€™s also a great core and leg exercise that can really help to keep you in shape all winter long.

4. Snowboarding

Considered by some to be more exciting than skiing, snowboarding is another winter activity that provides a great balance of fun and exercise. You can go snowboarding any place you can ski, and the skills you need for both are pretty similar.

5. Camping

Thereโ€™s a serenity to the landscape in winter that you canโ€™t experience any other time of year. Taking a winter camping trip can be a great way to de-stress and enjoy the great outdoors, and you can enjoy some of the most popular camping destinations without the crowds they see in the summer months.

6. Ice skating

What better way to enjoy the winter than skating on a frozen pond or in an outdoor ice rink? Ice skating is always a fun way to get yourself off the couch, and if you donโ€™t know how to ice-skate, itโ€™s never too late to learn.

7. Ice fishing

It may not be especially active, but ice fishing is nonetheless a great way to enjoy the outdoors in winter. Plus, you might just catch dinner while youโ€™re out on the ice.

8. Snow tubing

Think of this as extreme sledding- youโ€™re still sliding down a snow covered hillside or mountainside, but the tube is a lot less predictable than a sled. Youโ€™ll spin around, take unexpected turns, and you can fit more than one person on the tube. Hereโ€™s an example of a popular snow tube on Amazon.

9. Make a bonfire

Sitting around a warm fire on a cold night is one of lifeโ€™s great pleasures, especially when youโ€™re joined by friends and family. Light a big bonfire and invite your friends over, maybe even roast some marshmallows and make sโ€™mores.

10. Build a snowman

Yes, adults can build snowmen, and itโ€™s every bit as much fun as it was when you were a kid. Doing something โ€œchildishโ€ can really help relieve stress and building a snowman gets you in the spirit to get outside and enjoy the snow even more.

11. Cross-country skiing

Sometimes called Nordic skiing, this sport doesnโ€™t have much in common with the downhill skiing weโ€™re more familiar with. Itโ€™s much closer to hiking, but you go faster because youโ€™re on skis, which makes it a bit more of a thrill than hiking.

12. Going ice climbing

Climbing up frozen waterfalls with ice axes and crampons is a real winter sport, and itโ€™s growing in popularity. There are probably professional services in your area offering guided climbs that are perfectly safe, and youโ€™ll get to see some stunning winter scenery.

13. Go dog sledding

You can book a one-day sledding trip or a multi-day excursion in some places, but either way, this is such a unique experience that you just canโ€™t pass it up. Itโ€™s one of the coolest ways to travel through the back country in the winter, and the dogs enjoy it just as much as you do.

14. Ice hockey

The ultimate winter team sport, ice hockey is a perfect way to stay active this winter, especially if youโ€™re the competitive sort. Donโ€™t worry if youโ€™ve never played before, if you can already ice-skate youโ€™ve got the most important skill mastered.

15. Fat biking

Fat bikes have big, thick (โ€œfatโ€) tires that let them handle terrain and conditions most bikes canโ€™t. Theyโ€™re ideal for cycling through snow in the winter, and lots of mountain bike enthusiasts have really taken to the sport of fat biking as a means of enjoying their favorite activity all year long.

16. Take a walk

Sometimes you just need a good walk. The quiet and solitude are refreshing in their own right, but thereโ€™s something about the snow, ice, and the still, quiet winter air that amplifies the effect. Just bundle up first!

17. Polar bear plunge

Hereโ€™s another random winter activity for adults, and this one is not for the faint of heart, but itโ€™s appealing for some types of people. The polar bear plunge involves diving into a freezing cold body of water in the middle of winter, usually as a stunt to help raise money for charity, but sometimes just for fun.

18. Go look at Christmas lights

It seems like every city has at least one neighborhood where every house goes way overboard on the holiday decorations. Taking a stroll through them and admiring the lights and other decorations is always a pleasant way to spend the evening. Other places in your town may be known for going all out with Christmas decorations each year. One house in my state makes a little Christmas village on their property each year and charge people to drive through it.

19. Snowmobiling

Pretty much the snow version of dirt biking; renting snowmobiles is a fun way to spend a day outside doing something crazy and mildly dangerous. Most snow mobile rental places offer hands-on instructions in the use of a snowmobile for those who havenโ€™t used one before.

20. Play with your dog in the snow

Do you have a dog? He or she might be glad for a little change in scenery. Take your dog outside, throw the ball around, chase them around a bit, and let them enjoy the snow.

Written by OutdoorMotives

At outdoormotives.com we talk about all types of outdoor activities. We answer common questions and recommend the best products to help you enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.

Previous

Top 9 Best Polarized Sunglasses For Boating

Gifts For Campers and Hikers (20 Awesome Ideas)

Next