Make lasting memories this winter as you explore the great outdoors with your family and friends! From hiking, ice-skating and sledding to snow tubing, skiing or riding down a “winter roller coaster,” you’ll find more winter activities in the region than you ever thought possible! Bundle up and get ready to enjoy snow season in the Midwest!
Ice-skating
Ottawa Park Ice Rink
Whether you you’re looking for a romantic skate date, an afternoon of skating with the family or a place to play hokey, the Ottawa Park Ice Rink is a great place for family fun this winter! The lighted ice-skating rink offers open skating periods, hockey leagues and tournaments. There are also skating classes for beginners and free youth hockey clinics. The indoor Rink Café is a great place to take a break, rent skates, or have your skates sharpened.
2015 Parkside Dr., Toledo, Ohio 43606 419-936-2875
Metroparks Toledo skating
The Ribbon ice skating trail at Glass City Metropark is a 1,000-foot loop trail offering families a one-of-a-kind winter ice skating experience. The Ribbon is connected to a 5,000 square foot skating pond that offers a traditional ice rink experience for beginners. Special events and programs are also offered throughout the winter. Skate rental is available, and reservations are required.
Families are also welcome to skate on the natural ponds and lake at several Metroparks. Ice skating in natural areas is “at your own risk” and is only available when ice is at least six inches thick. Mallard Lake at Oak Openings Preserve offers daytime ice-skating. Lights have been added near the lake at Pearson Park allowing families an option to continue skating once the sun sets!
RELATED: Where to go Ice Skating in Toledo
Toboggan run
Take a ride on the “winter roller coaster” at Pokagon State Park in northeast Indiana, less than 2 hours from the Toledo area. The park’s toboggan run is a quarter mile of dips and valleys with a total vertical drop of 90 feet. The top recorded speed on the 30 second thrill ride is 42 mph! Race down the refrigerated twin tracks for a day of fun adventures – with no snow needed! Only $9 per car to enter the park and toboggans are $20 per hour. The toboggan run is open Saturday and Sunday through February 23 (extended hours during winter break, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and President’s Day)
Pokagon State Park, 450 Lane 100 Lake James, Angola, IN 46703. 260-833-2012
Cross country skiing and snowshoeing
The Metroparks offer miles of natural area to explore on skis this winter. All unpaved trails and open playfields in the Metroparks are suitable for cross-country skiing during daylight hours. Secor Metropark and Oak Openings Preserve also offer cross-country ski trails that are groomed and waiting to be explored (once it snows!) Learn more online!
Snowshoeing is another great way to enjoy the great outdoors this winter! The walking trails and open fields at the Metroparks are available for snowshoeing and “pop up” events are often offered throughout the winter – a great way enjoy a snowshoeing adventure! Sign-up for on the email list to be notified of a pop-up event and the chance to register! Learn more and sign-up online.
Winter Hiking
A winter nature hike is a great opportunity for kids to get an up-close look at the changing of the season. Bundle up and head to Maumee Bay State Park or one of the many Metroparks in the Toledo area to enjoy a peaceful stroll through a winter wonderland! Trails of varying lengths and surfaces are available throughout northwest Ohio.
The Metroparks are also offering several hiking events throughout the winter including Toddler Trails, Winter Woods Mindfulness Night Hike, Full Moon Hike, Family Fun on the Trail and Wintering the Metroparks. To learn more or register for a winter hiking event visit the Metroparks event/ticket page.
Sledding
Gliding down a hill of freshly fallen snow is a favorite winter activity for all ages! Despite the flat terrain of northwest Ohio, there are plenty of perfect sledding hills throughout the region. If you’re looking for a great sledding spot, check out the following hills:
Metroparks Toledo: Some of the most popular spots can be found at Blue Creek, Side Cut, Pearson, and Glass City Metroparks. Learn more online!
Northview High School – 5403 Silica Dr., Sylvania, Ohio
Sylvania Prairie Park – 8601 Brint Rd., Sylvania, Ohio
Ottawa Park – 2532 Upton Ave., Toledo, Ohio
Maumee Bay State Park – 1400 State Park Rd., Oregon parks. Learn more!
Homecoming Park – 715 Lawrence Ave., Wauseon, Ohio
Downhill Skiing, Snowboarding or Tubing
Looking to hit the slopes this winter? Consider a short drive to Mt. Brighton for a cool skiing or snowboarding adventure. While the hills and snow may be man-made, the fun is real at this nearby ski resort. To learn more about hours, lift tickets rentals, and events visit the Mt. Brighton website.
4141 Bauer Rd, Brighton, MI, United States, Michigan (810) 229-9581
If you’re not an avid skier but still up for a downhill adventure, consider a trip to Snow Trails in Mansfield – a premier destination in Ohio for skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. Snow tubing is an amazing winter adventure for all ages, with no experience necessary!
Snow Trails, 3100 Possum Run Road, Mansfield, Ohio 44903 (419) 774-9819
Family Arctic Overnight
If you’d prefer some winter-themed indoor fun, consider making reservations for a Family Arctic Overnight adventure at the Toledo Zoo! Families can sleep in the Artic Encounter building surrounded by the polar bear, seal and sea lion exhibits! This special event also includes an opportunity to meet and greet touchable animals, learn animal care from zookeepers, take a night hike to view nocturnal animals, and enjoy a pizza dinner and light breakfast. The program runs from Friday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m. to Saturday, January 18 at 10 a.m., by reservation only.
