Guide to Getting Out and Enjoying Winter

5 ideas for what to do and where to go to better enjoy some wintertime vibes.

If you wear warm socks and bundle up, winter is a wonderful time to explore the city. Whether ice skating, warming up around a fire, or finding a special spot in the sun, you can enjoy wintertime vibes.

In our work with Vibemap, we’ve uncovered recommendations for how to get out and have fun even during winter — from self-care and fitness to cozy speakeasies and takeout ramen. Check out the Vibemap Guide to Getting out in Winter for inspiration. One important thing we have learned is that most people enjoy and love places that make them feel comfortable. If you stay dry and always know where the nearest cozy cafe is so that you can buy a hot chocolate, you are more likely to have a magical experience.

Though finding fun things to do in the wintertime poses a unique challenge, it simply means we have to be more intentional about getting out. To help, here are 5 ideas for what to do and where to go to better enjoy some wintertime vibes.

Sunny Spots

Sunny spots are easily the most well-loved places in any city, and in dark, winter months, they can become an essential resource. That’s why places like Mission Dolores Park in San Francisco and the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle are so popular. Getting a good shot of sun is a welcome pick-me-up from the mid-winter blues. Most public parks are a great place to find a patch of winter sun. So, next time you see a bit of blue skies break through the clouds, grab a blanket and a thermos of your favorite warm beverage and head out to the nearest park to find your own little patch of winter sun.

Wind-Protected Places

Wind can make cold climates feel 10- to 20-degrees colder than they really are. To feel comfortable outside during winter months we have to be protected from cold winds. Small plazas, streets and alleys offer wind protection because of their orientation and shapes that break up and block the wind. These types of places are most common in historically pedestrian-oriented parts of cities such as the Ex Convento del Carmen in Guadalajara and the South Park Blocks in Portland. Grab a warm coat and let the wind guide you through the city on a journey to find your own wind-protected hidden gem.

Staying Warm and Dry

In freezing winter conditions, people typically only feel comfortable walking outside for about 1- to 5-minutes depending on how cold it is. Wearing the right clothing and breaking your outings into a series of smaller destinations helps you have fun while getting out when it’s cold. Planning your outing ahead of time and identifying places along your route to stop in and warm up will give you the extra reassurance you need to get out. Museums, cafes, small shops, warming huts, and even covered benches can provide relief from the elements while offering a chance to grab a bite to eat, enjoy a hot chocolate or reflect on some art. Hoyt Arboretum Stanley Park Brewing in Vancouver is a warm place to find nourishment and respite from your adventures in Stanley Park or duck into Green Apple Books on the Park to escape that biting San Francisco wind that can sweep over Golden Gate Park.

Outdoor Winter Activities

Many cities have outdoor spaces that are perfect for summer recreation, but when it comes to the winter months, those spaces go largely unused. Yet cities should be enjoyed year-round. And more cities are embracing outdoor winter activities as a key part of urban life. In cities with snowy winters, walking and running trails transform into cross country or snowshoeing paths. Grassy hills that are great for sunbathing in the summer become sledding hills in the winter. Even if it doesn’t snow where you are, chances are there is an ice skating rink, warm food or maybe even a winter market nearby. Grab a sled and head up to Grouse Mountain, only a 20 minute drive from downtown Vancouver, or get lost in the winter mist at Hoyt Arboretum in Washington Park in Portland.

Nature in Winter

There are few settings as picturesque as a snow covered path through a park or experiences as romantic as sharing an umbrella in the rain. Nature is beautiful 365 days a year. Put on the right clothes, pick out the best ramen spot to end up at, and head out into the wild. Let the healing waters from the Rio Salado-Caliente in the Bosque de la Primavera in Guadalajara rejuvenate your soul or get your winter fitness on walking the entire 3.2 miles around Lake Merritt in downtown Oakland. Enjoying nature in the middle of winter brings a calmness and serenity that is grounding. Wet earth, quiet snow, cold winds. Winter is a time for the earth to go inside itself and being in nature in winter offers us the opportunity to go inside ourselves.