Winter can be cold and long and sometimes it feels like it’s never-ending – but instead of looking at the negatives, focus on the positives. Think of things you can do to make the best of your winter season. To help you embrace the winter, here are 28 ways to spend time outdoors with your partner. Most of them are free if you have the gear but some activities like downhill skiing, snow tubing, and visiting holiday lights require additional funds if you can afford it. Some activities are closer to home while others are further away depending on what you choose to do and where you prefer to spend your time outdoors.
Table of Contents
1. Cross-Country Skiing
Cross-country skiing is a great way to exercise. There are many different places to ski including Cooking Lake-Blackfoot and Strathcona Wilderness Centre (east of Edmonton), Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and Bragg Creek (west of Calgary) in Alberta. British Columbia also offers gorgeous ski destinations such as Panorama, and Golden to name a few. Here is information on the benefits of skiing. Depending on the temperature and wind conditions happy and warm cross-country ski will provide reminders of items to bring for an enjoyable outing to prevent you from getting cold. To get excited to try this activity here are 10 Reasons to Love Cross-Country Skiing.
2. Skating
Skating is one of the ways to spend time outdoors. Many skating rinks can be found in cities. Mountain lakes are also an option. 5 Awesome Outdoor Skating Rinks in Alberta include Victoria and Hawrelak Park in Edmonton, Bowness Park in Calgary and two mountain lakes: Lake Louise and Pyramid Lake in Jasper. The mountain lakes are for skating at your own risk, without supervision. Take that into consideration when planning your trips. Lakes offer gorgeous scenery and potentially way fewer people than skating in a city.
3. Walking in Jasper
Kris and I walked in Jasper during a snowstorm. We couldn’t see the mountains but it provided romantic pictures. Regardless of where you are, it’s easy to go for a walk and get some exercise in nature. It doesn’t matter how long you are outside but the key is to get fresh air. If you’re in Jasper, you can stop by Bear’s Paw Bakery for a treat and a warm beverage if you need an incentive during or after your walk to get you moving. They have two locations depending on where you’re walking in Jasper.
4. Downhill Skiing
Downhill skiing is another way to spend time outdoors. This is a more expensive option but a nice way to spend time in the mountains getting exercise if you can afford it. More information can be found on the best downhill ski day in Lake Louise. I like Lake Louise and Marmot in Jasper. I find Sunshine Village too crowded. Beautiful hills we’ve skied in British Columbia include Panorama, Golden and Whistler. Depending on where you live there are many options available.
5. Snowshoeing
Snowshoeing is a wonderful way to walk in the deep snow without falling knee-deep with hiking boots. There are many trails available for snowshoeing. My mom and I went snowshoeing near our accommodations in Golden. Snowshoeing allows you to create your path and go off-trail, which I enjoy. It’s easy to find your way to your initial destination by following your tracks back to the start. By going in the deep snow, chances are you’ll see the trees covered in snow creating a magical experience to take beautiful scenic pictures.
6. Flying Canoe Volant
Flying Canoë Volant is an event that happens every year on the first weekend of February. It’s a winter festival that celebrates French Candian, First Nations and Métis culture. It’s located at la Cité Francophone and throughout Mill Creek Ravine. Slides can be found at La Cité Francophone. Take part in the music and dancing at various locations. You can cook bannock (bread cooked with flour on a stick) over a fire. Tipis with lights are set up for viewing and storytelling. It’s a great event for you and your partner.
The weather tends to be cold during this time of year, so make sure to dress warmly. Merino 250 Top Base Layer 1/4 Zip Long Sleeve and Merino Pant Base Layer are good to keep your body nice and warm.
7. Hiking
Kris and I went hiking with my family up Ha Ling Peak just behind Canmore. Depending on what time of year you go, there can be snow and ice on this hike. Hike with your Olang Parigi 2.0 Spike Boot to provide traction in slippery conditions. They also offer warmth with insulation covering the inside of the boot. This hike is straight up so be sure to be in shape when attempting this trail. There are also many hikes in the region to spend time with your partner. Check out more hikes in my romantic winter Jasper hikes post. Jasper is a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Canmore, maybe longer depending on the winter and road conditions on HWY 93 north. Keep that in mind if you choose to venture in that direction.
8. Sleigh Ride
It’s always nice to go for a sleigh ride with your loved ones. What better place to tour Lake Louise and see the lake while being pulled by a horse in a sleigh and being covered up with a blanket? Sometimes Santa gets a ride and sometimes they’ll take tourists as well. You’ll have to pay a fee to get pulled around. With the beautiful scenery, it’s a nice experience.
9. Snow Tubing
Snow tubing is a lot of fun. You get the joy of going down the hill and being pulled back up by a machine. This luxury comes with a cost of $20 though to ride for two hours but is worth it to exert less energy than tobogganing. For more details regarding tubing at Sunridge, read my family quality time at Christmas post.
10. Cabane à Sucre
La cabane à sucre has been held at Fort Edmonton or Campus Saint-Jean, the University of Alberta’s French campus. The event is free to attend. If you want to taste tire d’érable (maple taffy), it will cost a few bucks The event includes dancing and music.
11. Silver Skate Festival
The Silver Skate Festival is happening at Laurier Park from February 7 to 17th 2025. This event includes skating, snow and fire sculptures, listening to stories and culinary events. You can purchase tickets to their culinary events through their website. It’s an awesome way to spend time with your partner outdoors. If the weather is nice, you can head for a walk around the park too.
12. Snow Angels
If you’re looking for ways to spend time outdoors, making snow angels is a fun way to spend quality time with your partner. They are easy to make; all you need is snow! Compare the snow angels and make it into a competition to see who made the best one.
13. Tobogganing
Tobogganing is an easy and free activity if you want to find ways to spend time outdoors with your partner. Go shopping at Canadian Tire or Walmart to buy a sled or an inflatable tube to go zooming down the hill. Next, figure out where there are hills in your city to go tobogganing. Edmonton has many different options.
14. Build a Snowman
Making a snowman is always fun. Make sure to find rocks for buttons, sticks for his arms, and a scarf to keep his neck warm and toasty. A hat to keep his head warm might be a nice addition. If you have a carrot, you can put that as his nose or a stick will do too. Find leaves or rocks for his eyes. You can use many different items from nature to enrich his look.
Tip: If you build a snowman far from where you live, you might want to place the hat and scarf on the snowman, take a picture then remove it. You can also find elements from nature to make your snowman and use those instead of taking a chance and potentially losing your belongings.
15. Playing Hockey
Playing hockey is always fun with the family. We always played two on two with our family of four.
Tip: Change up the partners after someone has won a game to make it fun and a different challenge.
We liked playing at Lake Louise. Often we were able to play a small game the four of us and make it a family event. It’s possible to find more players if you’d like to play pick-up hockey with a bunch of people. What better place to play hockey than surrounded by beautiful scenery at Lake Louise with the mountains behind you?
They also have a skating rink with half an ice castle built to check out for people who are only interested in skating instead of hockey.
16. Ice Maze
The Ice Castle was held at Hawrelak Park a few years back but since the pandemic, they haven’t come back which is unfortunate. It was a fun event to attend. The ice was made into icicles towering above us. They also created a maze through the ice castle for couples to walk through. Slides were available. At night, they’d light up different parts of the castle in different colours to create a neat effect. Walking through this area made for a neat date night. Although this one no longer exists, there are always other places to go.
17. Enjoy a Fire Outside
Looking for ways to spend time outdoors? Why not enjoy a nice fire by a skating oval or have a fire outside and roast some wieners and marshmallows with the family? It was always a nice activity that I enjoyed doing as a child in the winter. A fire is a fantastic way to warm up and have great conversations. If you get too cold, you can go back and skate if you’re beside a skating rink.
Tip: My go-to, if you’re in a park, was to do jumping jacks, which would warm me up in no time or sit closer to the fire if you are able
18. Climbing
For those who are experienced, ice climbing is another way to spend time outdoors in the winter. It’s a great core workout to move your legs and arms consistently to move upward.
Tip: If you’re a beginner and interested in this exercise, go with experienced friends or consider taking a class that provides all the necessary knowledge, equipment and safety tips to get you going.
19. Backcountry Skiing into Hut
Backcountry skiing into a hut is a fun activity to do with your partner if you have all the necessary gear. If you don’t you can always borrow from a friend or rent your equipment. It’s a pleasant way to spend time outdoors while getting quality time in nature away from the city.
20. Picnic
A picnic is a wonderful way to spend time with your partner Have a picnic lunch while taking a break from doing a physical activity like skating or cross-country skiing. You can also plan a picnic in a park to roast marshmallows and eat hot dogs. Bring your MEC Seat cushion for butt protection from the snow.
21. Shovelling
When considering ways to spend time outdoors, think about shovelling. You don’t need to go far – plus if there’s lots of snow on your driveway, it’s a good workout. Canadian Tire sells bright yellow shovels with metal edges to easily pick up the snow.
22. Ice Walk in Maligne Canyon
Walking in Maligne Canyon is a fantastic way to spend time outdoors this winter. My Maligne Canyon Winter Hike post goes into depth regarding all the things to consider when going on this hike. Bringing Kahtoola Microspikes is essential to provide traction and avoid falling on ice. Have a great hike and take lots of pictures!
23. Drinking Hot Chocolate Outside
I love to boil water at home and put it in a thermos to mix into a mug with hot chocolate after a skate or cross-country ski. It’s a nice treat to have a warm drink with a Carrot Apple Loaf snack after a cold day outside. The rest of your drink can be finished on your car ride home.
24. Snowboarding
Snowboarding might be your preferred activity or you might want to try something different. Sunshine, Lake Louise and Marmot offer great places to snowboard. If you don’t want to spend a fortune on trying out this activity, you can also go to Snow Valley or Rabbit Hill in Edmonton as cheaper options.
Tip: Snowboarding can be hard at times at Sunshine Village on flat sections. Make sure to keep up your speed to keep going and not have to take your foot out of the strap to push yourself forward.
25. Walking in Lights
6 Fun Edmonton Events at Christmas include different destinations where you can walk and see Christmas or holiday lights. Zoominesence is a perfect place to walk and see different coloured lights illuminate the outdoor scene.
26. Ice Castle at Lake Louise
The ice castle at Lake Louise is a nice place to walk around and take pictures of the beautiful scenery. You can also explore the castle and take pictures of yourselves with it.
27. Walking in Winter Wonderland
It’s always nice to explore this season by walking in a winter wonderland. There are so many places to see with snow-covered trees.
28. Playing in the Snow
There are always many ways to have fun playing in the snow. You can build forts, make quinzhee (snow shelter), throw the snow in the air or enjoy sitting in it.
Final Thoughts
There are many options for winter fun for you and your partner. Instead of dreading winter, now you can look forward to many different ideas throughout the season. This list is a good start but you can always add to it as well. Share this post with other couples who need inspiration to get outside close to home or in the mountains. Have other couples join you to partake in these activities for a fun-filled weekend together. What are you waiting for? Go have some fun! What will be first on your list of things to do with your partner?
Additional Links
- 9 Extraordinary Winter Wonderland Banff National Park Activities
- The Best Winter Activities Near Me for a Marvelous Season
- Guide to Downhill Ski in Marmot Jasper
- 14 fun Date Ideas for Valentine’s Day
- Spectacular Winter Activities in Chamonix
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