Revel in the season of snow and ice with this guide to fresh and frosty fun.
Rob Blair
Updated 2023
Shorter days and colder weather mean winter has arrived in The 330. But that doesn’t have to be the end of fun things to do. The holidays bring a month of festive events and activities that lead right into a new year filled with new opportunities to explore our community. Whether you want to brave the frosty fresh air or cozy up indoors, we’ve got some great options for making the most of The 330’s winter wonderland.
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Brent Veverka
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Hit the Slopes at Boston Mills Brandywine Ski Resort
Don’t just endure winter; make the most of it. Boston Mills and Brandywine ski resorts offer lots of ways to celebrate the snow and cold while making friends and having fun.
Whether you’ve never strapped skis to your boots or you’re a seasoned ripper, Boston Mills and Brandywine have you covered with individual and group lessons and 18 downhill trails from bunny to grizzly. Snowboarding freestylers can get their jib on at the four terrain parks that feature rails and boxes to showcase all their steezy tricks.
Get the whole family in on the fun with Polar Blast Tubing, a fast, safe and comfortable alternative to sledding. Tubers taller than 42 inches can experience the thrill of gliding down a snowy mountain, then get back to the top fast on convenient conveyors. Warm up between runs at a cozy bonfire, or stop in the lodge building in the tubing area to fuel up at the snack bar or grab a hot toddy at the full-service bar.
These twin resorts have everything you need to embrace a festive, frozen Ohio winter. So grab your planks and your posse and head to Boston Mills and Brandywine to jump on the powder. | Weather-permitting, opens Dec. 22, bmbw.com
JJ Prekop Jr
Find Snowy Adventure in the Parks
The natural beauty of The 330 offers year-round possibilities for outdoor fun. A coating of snow can make familiar trails seem brand-new, and winter sports are a fresh way to experience the parks.
Cross-Country Skiing
With over 700 acres of meadows, marshes and woods, Quail Hollow provides the perfect setting to take in winter’s beauty on cross-country skis. Rental equipment is available in the lower level of the Manor House. | 13480 Congress Lake Ave., Hartville, Weather-permitting, 330-877-2457, also look for sledding and ice skating options, starkparks.com
Sledding
Home to Wooster’s first official sledding hill, Oak Hill Park lets families create warm memories while enjoying the wintry radiance. The 18,000-square-foot sledding hill has restrooms and a pavilion nearby. | 3000 Oak Hill Road, Wooster, Weather-permitting, 330-263-5200, woosteroh.com
Snowshoeing
Liberty Park Nature Center lends out free snowshoes for use on Bluebird Trail, a half-mile loop of fairly level terrain. | 9999 Liberty Road, Twinsburg, Weather-permitting,330-487-0493, also find ice skating, ice fishing, sledding and cross-country skiing options, summitmetroparks.org
Winter Hikes
Bundle up and join a naturalist to go on a winter hike and look out for winter birds. | Jan. 13 and 27 & Feb. 10 and 24, various parks, also look for more winter programs and sledding options, medinacountyparks.com
Too cold for you? Try some of these equally excellent indoor activities.
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Shine Bright at Akron Zoo
See the Akron Zoo in a new light for the holidays. Find the zoo transformed by synchronized music and over a million lights on display. "It’s a whole new world inside the zoo,” says Carli Molinelli, former events and marketing coordinator.
Keep an eye out for cold-loving animals, like the snow leopards and grizzly bears, along with others if the weather isn’t too extreme. Meet Santa, the Grinch and red panda and penguin mascots on select dates. Enjoy sweet treats at Mrs. C’s Sweets. But leave time to take in all of the impressive lights.
“[It makes] kids’ eyes just go wow,” Molinelli says. | Through Dec. 29, 505 Euclid Ave., Akron, 330-375-2550, akronzoo.org
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Winter Fun at Lock 3
Between the State Street bridge and Canal Park Stadium — it’s a hub of cold-weather fun with Winterblast straight through Presidents’ Day. Stroll by outdoor holiday art displays at Lock 3 and in storefronts on Main Street. Also, see Archie the Snowman and try out fun ice bikes or ice bumper cars. Or head over to the adjacent Towpath Trail to see the canals clothed in snow and ice. Enjoy nine holes of Polar Putt-Putt for only $3 and get a complimentary cup of hot chocolate or add on a skate rental for $1. Rent an igloo to be snug inside the structure but still up-close to the winter wonderland around you. | Between the State Street bridge and Canal Park Stadium, Akron, 330-375-2877, lock3live.com
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Smithberger_Photography Inc.
Live Simply with Lehman’s
After the craziness and expense of a high-tech holiday season, your fantasies may turn to how life would be without electronic devices. Lehman’s Hardware and Appliances in Kidron, Ohio, can help make that fantasy a reality. “We specialize in products that build relationships and are sustainable, understandable, satisfying,” says vice president of marketing Glenda Lehman Ervin, who is also the daughter of founder Jay Lehman.
The immense store is an excellent wintertime destination, with room after room of nostalgic treats and practical goods, such as oil lanterns and cast-iron skillets, that incorporate good old-fashioned sense into a modern-day lifestyle. The short trek down U.S. Route 30 is worth it for a day of leisurely reminiscing. “January, February and March are a good time to browse without all the crowds,” Ervin says. But Lehman’s offers more than just shopping. Also check its events calendar for events like a gingerbread house competition Dec. 13 to 16 and classes like pie baking Jan. 30 and March 12. | 4779 Kidron Road, Dalton, 800-438-5346, lehmans.com
