Travel
Ross Sanner on Keeping Active in New England This Winter
Stay active in New England this winter with the following winter friendly activities
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As you’re likely aware if you’ve been on my website before, I’m a huge proponent of the benefits of being active, getting outdoors, and generally enjoying the world around us. However, if you’re from New England, you’re likely aware of how much harder these things are to accomplish during the winter months when the temperature dips and blankets of snow are the norm.
Give Skiing a Shot
The New England area has a massive array of some of the best ski slopes in the country, making it a perfect activity to keep you (and the family) active and outdoors during the colder months.
If you’re sold on the idea of taking a ski trip but aren’t sure what resort is your best bet, try OnTheSnow.com's list of the best ski resorts in the area. OnTheSnow also breaks each resort down by average rating, number of total runs, and the prevalence of each of beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert runs.
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Winter Camping
While summer camping conjures images of toasty campfires, short sleeve shirts, and maybe a swim in a lake, winter camping decidedly does not. Available only between December and March and only in certain campsites, winter camping requires a bit of a hike to get to the available cabins and campsites, keeping you active and warm.
Winter camping certainly isn’t for everyone, but if you can bear the cold and the hike, it’s more than worth the trip.
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Cross Country Skiing
If hurtling down a tall hill at high speeds isn’t your cup of hot tea on a cold winter day, perhaps skiing’s slower, safer, more deliberate cousin cross country skiing is more up your alley. Vermont is rife with great cross country skiing spots that will allow you to get a nice day’s worth of exercise and exposure to the great outdoors without the danger of injury that skiing may bring.
Appreciate Some of America’s Most Aesthetic Winter Towns
Grafton, Vermont; Bethel, Maine; and Old Wethersfield, Connecticut all made Travel and Leisure’s list of the prettiest winter towns in America. Each features some incredible sights and sounds around the towns that range from tiny (Grafton, population 500) to small (Old Wethersfield, population around 26,000). Activities in the area feature many of the above winter sports and some general sightseeing and small-town appreciation with shops, eateries and beautiful scenery.
Appreciating the outdoors becomes substantially tougher during the blistering cold of a New England winter weekend, but if you can stand the cold and get you and the family out of the house, you certainly won’t regret it.