Great Places for Cool Winter Fun

No annual fee? That’s nothing. Here’s how to have fun on and off the slopes this season.

From skiing and snowboarding to snowshoeing, tubing and cycling with big tires, American winter sports enthusiasts are spoiled for choice, while those who prefer a less intense approach are often left to the cold. Well, not anymore. We’ve found great ways to enjoy the season without breaking a sweat too much—and all of our options also have the usual options, whether you’re taking a break from the slopes or planning a trip around something a little more unconventional, we’ve got you covered. Either way, you will win this hot chocolate.

1. Colorado

Areas like Aspen and Vail get a lot of love from the skier contingent, but Colorado is not limited to its primo powder. Adventurers can learn a new sport here, such as ice climbing at Ouray Ice Park, while cautious travelers can enjoy activities such as a snowmobile adventure at the Breckenridge Nordic Center, an evening trip where you can enjoy the scenery from the vehicle’s heated glass cabin, with a stop at s’mores and hot chocolate along the way. If you don’t mind the cold, the city of ice castles Dillon is not to be missed. Handcrafted by a team of professional ice artists, the castles feature everything from LED-lit sculptures to ice-carved tunnels, water slides, fountains and icy thrones. Open seasonally, each lock takes about two months to make and uses 5,000 to 12,000 icicles; the finished structure spans an entire acre and weighs over 25 million pounds.

2. United States

With its beautiful national parks and outstanding selection of world-class ski resorts, it’s no wonder that the Beehive State has one of the best sports participation rates in the country. Like-minded visitors have no shortage of opportunities to get involved in the action, and there is also discreet fun. At Sundance Mountain Resort, admire nearly 4,000 feet of scenery from the zip line, go fishing on the Provo River, or sign up for something unique for a night owl session. Under the guidance of a wildlife expert, you will discover live owls and learn about the local flora and fauna, and then go on a snowshoe tour around Mount Timpanogos to call and hunt these wise creatures in the wild.

At the Park City Resort, guests can experience the largest Alpine roller coaster in the state, an exciting ride that winds through snow banks at a speed of up to 30 miles per hour, or hold on to the simple pleasures and warm up under a blanket for a horse-drawn sleigh ride. Experience an après-ski concert on the weekend and a beautiful alpine fireworks on the first Friday of the month.

Visit the New World Distillery in Ogden and try gin, barley-bree and agave spirits in small batches (cherry cake liqueur is especially tempting) and break out of aggression with an axe outlet-but please not in this order. Take a look at the nearby dark sky park with 12 status on a bike, with snowshoes or cross-country skis, or opt for an even more attentive look. Starting in January, stargazers will be able to admire the cosmos at the Compass Rose Lodge, a 15-room boutique hotel that has been upgraded thanks to a 16-inch Ritchey Christian telescope that allows guests to catch a glimpse of Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s moons, not to mention galaxies, nebulae and globular clusters.

3. Alaska

When it comes to traditional winter fun, the 49th tours focus on action galore-think: Willow fatbike tours led by operators such as Snowhook Adventure Guides and Alaska Trail Guides; guided snowmobile tours of the Glacier View region, starting with Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours and the Sheep Mountain Lodge; and biologist-led nature hikes and snowshoes on the outskirts of Fairbanks , led by Leaf Out nature guides, but for our money the Northern Lights are where they are. Explore Denali during the day and book evenings at Tonglen Lake Lodge with unfiltered views of the Northern Lights from the communal terrace, or visit a more private stage courtesy of Borealis Basecamp, where the igloo-style rooms are fitted with light ceilings so you can watch the show from the comfort of your bed. Before heading to the desert, learn how to capture the night sky for posterity with an Aurora Bear photography workshop near Fairbanks, and then head south to toast your “new talents” at Arctic Harvest, a bottle-capped distillery outside the North Pole that offers guided tours, tastings, cocktails and more at their family farm.

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