Winter Bucket List

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Oh my goodness… It is December! How did that happen? I love winter and not just because it is Christmas time. I love winter because it is a time to stay warm and cozy, sit by the fire, and enjoy some hot cocoa or tea. This is also M’s first winter so we want to make sure we make the most of it.

I was at book club with my girlfriends last night and when I got home, my husband shared that he is sad he doesn’t get to do many fun things with M. Since my husband works out of the house he gets to see M for 45 minutes in the morning and about 1.5 – 2 hours at night. On the weekends we’re usually running errands or doing chores around the house. These aren’t really bonding times for my husband and M.

So, I decided I was going to start working on our winter bucket list and really put forth an effort to minimize the chores and errands we need to run on the weekends. I am making it my goal to plan one day of the weekend to do fun family activities. I wanted to share our winter bucket list (you can also see our fall bucket list) and share a few local activities that are happening in the Central Oregon area. If you aren’t from around here, try looking up activities at your local parks and rec, public library, visitors center, museums, etc. their websites usually have a local activities section. Some activities might cost but others might be free depending on your budget.

Our Winter Bucket List:

• Go Snowshoeing: This has been a winter tradition since my husband and I got together. We seriously love it so much, it is an amazing workout and the dogs have such a good time. When people tell me there isn’t anything to do in the winter I always say, “have you tried snowshoeing?”
  • Edison Sno Park: This is our favorite snowshoeing trail. It is so fun because it isn’t too challenging. It is about 3.5 miles and it leads you to this really rustic shelter. You will typically find a fire in the big barrel stove that has been left from the previous visitors, but if you don’t the forest service provides wood for you to start a fire. It is absolutely beautiful and it is so close to our house that this is definitely our go to.
  • Trillium Lake Loop: I have always wanted to visit Trillium Lake. As a native Oregonian, I am sad to say I’ve never visited this lake, in any season. In fact, this hike was on my fall bucket list too. This snowshoe trail is a 5-mile loop, which is perfect for us. Part of the draw for me is the amazing view you get of Mount Hood. It would make an amazing weekend adventure.
  • Crater Lake: There are tons of snowshoeing trails around Crater Lake and if you look up pictures it looks AMAZING! Plus I’ve only been to Crater Lake once, as a child. So it would be super fun to go again. There are about 33 miles of snowshoe-able trails and most people who do the whole trail do it in 5-7 days. I love snowshoeing, but I do not see my family being those people.  Luckily there are some great day trips too. These day trips range from about 2 miles to about 12 miles. Way more doable.
  • Diamond Lake: Last year my sister, her family, my husband, and I tried to go snowshoeing here. Our goal was to snowshoe from the lodge to the pizza place which is about 5ish miles. When we got there we learned that the pizza place is closed until Christmas. So we just walked around a little bit. But since there was no destination in mind we didn’t stick at it for very long. I would like to try it again this year. Or it might be fun to go ice fishing on the lake. My husband would LOVE that. Actually, there are a lot of things that might be fun to do at Dimond Lake, here is a list of all the winter recreation activities they have to offer.

• Go Sledding: Last year we went snowmobiling on Christmas day, which was so fun. We decided on that day we would make it an important part of Christmas to go and do an experience and spend less on gifts. This year we have M and snowmobiling wouldn’t be a good idea with a 6-month-old. I think this year we might go sledding instead. There are a lot of places to go around here, just out in the backyard for the cost of a sno park pass (around $4). But there are also a few places that might make it more of an experience.
  • Mount Bachelor: Our local mountain has a great tubing park. You sit on your tube and get pulled up the mountain to the top of the sledding hill. Then you get to sled down about 800 feet. It is $10 per person, but unfortunately, M wouldn’t be able to ride, even with an adult because children must be 42 inches or taller.
  • Diamond Lake: There is a pretty awesome tubing park here also. You can do day or night tubing. However, this is another thing M cannot participate in. They do not let you ride 2 to a tube. And they do not let expectant mothers or children under the age of 3 tube in case of injury.
  • Mount Hood: There are tons of different places to go sledding/tubing on Mount Hood. The prices range anywhere from free to $25. I found a great list at the Oregonian.
• Take a Photo with Santa: Since this is M’s first Christmas I feel it only right that we do some “typical” Christmas things and take some photos with Santa.
  • The Old Mill District: They are doing pictures with Santa on the weekends. Photos are $10 for a 5×7 or $15 for a jpeg.
  • The Cascade Village Shopping Center: Photos with Santa are $12 for 5×7 or $20 digital.

• Christmas Lights (and Scavenger Hunt): There are a few neighborhoods in Central Oregon that go all out for Christmas. My husband and I usually drive around at night with hot chocolate and do a scavenger hunt.
  • This year there is a cool water Christmas lights parade on canoes and kayaks put on by Tumalo Creek. From 4:00 – 8:00 pm.
• Ice Skating: I am terrible at ice skating, but my husband is amazing! Seriously… He says it is because when he lived in California he did a lot of rollerblading. But whatever the reason, he really loves showing me up every year. Here is a list of local skating rinks.
  • Sunriver Ice Skating
  • Inn at the 7th Mountain: They even have special event skate days. The one I think would be pretty fun is Skate with Santa December 22-24th.
  • The Pavillion: They are doing an event for the winter solstice which sounds really fun. The Winter Solstice Celebration.
• Christmas Stories: M and I usually go to the library on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for story time. But I recently found out that our local Barns and Noble does story time every Saturday at 11 am. Which is kind of nice since my husband doesn’t get to go to the library with us because of work. Plus for the month of December, they are reading Christmas books. Last week they did How the Grinch Stole Christmas and here is the list of other Christmas stories they will be doing this month. I am working on our Christmas Book Recommendations too.

Wow, that is a lot to accomplish this holiday and winter season. But I am really looking forward to it. I love winter… Of course, I am usually over winter around February, so hopefully, we will be able to scratch a lot of these activities off the bucket list this winter. Wish us luck…

What is on your bucket list this winter?