Winter Activities to Escape the Cold

Winter is right around the corner and some places have gotten colder already, which can make doing activities outside not that fun. We've been trying out a lot of things over the last couple of months to stay warm, but also have a good time. 

Here are some things you might like when you travel this time of year or to just do at home when it's cold or rainy or snowing out and you just want to be warm, but also out of the house/hotel:

Go to all the winter markets 

I hit up a bunch of markets lately, because I'm still looking for some gifts and like fun foods and seeing unique handmade stuff of all variety. Here are some we've done:

ScanFair - They bring the magic of a European Christmas market to us here. Any vendor who makes and/or sells Scandinavian goods in Oregon and Washington come to help folks with their holiday shopping lists and decorate their home.

Market for the Strange - a cool alternative market where you can get your picture taken with The Grinch and/or Krampus and find gifts for the goths or other unusual people in your life. 

Portland Night Market - Once a month, a ton of local artists descend on a big warehouse in town and sell their amazing wares: homemade jewelry, jams, clothing, art, and more. Plus you'll find a bunch of food vendors outside to fuel your shopping venture.

Oddities and Curiosities Expo - a traveling expo for those that like things a bit darker, like skulls, bones, taxidermy, ghosts, monsters, and more. We go every year and find all new local artist to follow.

Geek the Halls - a fun market full of fandom gifts, from engraved cutting boards to purses to table lamps. I've bought so much from this market over the years for gifts.

Wytch Daye - Yet another alternative market, for the witchy friends you have on your list. 

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Nights at the museum

We have a science museum that hosts an After Dark event once a month. They often serve alcohol and are for adults. You can enjoy the museum exhibits, eat food, browse vendors, and even see the special exhibits without all the usual crowds (I totally go for that). 

Interactive Art Attractions/Exhibits

I love when I can enjoy art in a completely different way. We just got a new venue in Portland, called Hopscotch. The only other one is in Austin, but it lets you explore art through murals, light installations, lasers and more. 

Last year we spent several hours at the Van Gogh traveling exhibit. I really hope they do this with other artists, because it makes things so much more interesting and also more accessible to people who can't travel to see much of these art pieces.

If you live in a place where there is a Meow Wolf destination, that can be half a day. 

We also have a local artist, Mike Bennett, that does fun walk-through exhibits with a storyline. He started doing large exhibits in his front yard during the pandemic and finally moved into a permanent space that changes throughout the year. Me meet up with friends and do breakfast beforehand, so it's a pretty good outing.

Holiday Pop-Ups

This time of year sees a lot of pop-ups - bars, shops, restaurants, you name it - and it's a chance to get out and experience something different in a space you may already visit frequently. I used my birthday as an opportunity to check out Sippin' On Sixth, which is a tiki pop-up through the end of the year that has tiki drinks, brunch, lunch, dinner, and specialty events. We hit up brunch, when they were doing a Tiki Santa meet. The restaurant was decked out in luau stuffs, but with a Santa theme, and I went home with a fantastic Santa tiki mug. 

Drive-thru holiday lights

The pandemic really brought back seeing things from your car, so check out what's local to you. Our zoo has drive-thru nights now, there are neighborhoods that shut down the streets except for cars admiring their lights, there are raceways that have holiday light events. Bring some cocoa or coffee, crank up the holiday tunes and heater, and enjoy the lights from inside your cozy space. For us it's Portland International Speedway, Zoo Lights at Oregon Zoo, Peacock Lane (above), and Lightopia  

See a show

There are always tons of shows happening around the holidays, so now's the time to get to one or two, whether they're Broadway, off-off-off Broadway, a local band, a ballet, or even a comedy show. You can't beat having a night on the town, even if it's really cheap and really close to your house.

If you're visiting family over the holidays, these can all give you a break from being cooped up inside together, do some bonding activities, or to get away from them altogether for a little bit. 

What are your favorite indoor activities to do when it's cold outside, either at home or on vacation?

Where to Go for Holiday Cheer

Traveling during the holidays is tradition for a lot of people. We tend to stay close to home during November and December, but we are lucky to have our family in town. People often plan to travel for the holidays all year long, for different reasons and occasions. Looking for holiday cheer? Here are the states with the most and least. 

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Last year, New Hampshire ranked #1 for the second year in a row as most spirited, and Wisconsin moved from #16 to #2. For some reason, Oregon ranked 49th, only beating out Alabama and DC. Oddly, we have so many holiday markets and events, so I have no idea why we rank so low, but I guess what matters is how you feel on your own. Maybe we don't Google enough holiday stuff or stream enough Christmas music or tweet about the season. 

Whatever the case, I'm glad that more people have been influenced to spend more time with family because of the pandemic. Family can be important, if you enjoy them, and can do wonders for your mental health and happiness. If yours don't, I hope you have a friend group that is family for you and have celebrations surrounded by the ones you love.

Or maybe you just want to travel to a state that's more Christmassy. In that case, here are 20 cities for you to check out. And here are 30 more for taking a spirited winter getaway. 

Do you agree with your state's ranking? Where will you be spending your holiday season?

6 Packing Light Tips for Winter Trips

Packing even for a beach trip in just a carry-on can be a little tricky if you aren’t used to packing light. Carry-on travel has become more and more popular as baggage fees have become the norm among most airlines. 

Not only does packing light save money, but it also saves time, because travelers don’t have to stand around the baggage carousel waiting for their luggage to (hopefully) make it off the plane. Having minimal baggage can save your back, too. Not sure where to start when planning your winter travel bag? Here are some tips to keep your carry-on light, but still have a large wardrobe.

Mix and Match

When you carry fewer items, you need all your clothing to work together. Throw out the idea of packing a whole outfit for each day and instead look to mix and match everything you bring. Pick a color palette and stick with it, or make sure either all your tops or all your bottoms are a neutral color. If all your tops go with all your bottoms, you’ll find your choices are more than expected.

Scale Down

The only one who will know that you’ve worn the same clothing separates more than once on vacation is you (and your travel companions). It’s unlikely you will see the same people more than once on a trip, and if you do, they probably won’t notice that your outfit is similar to what they saw you in before. The magic numbers for what to bring: Five tops and three bottoms. These, coupled with the outfit you’ve traveled in, net you over three weeks of unique outfit combinations.

Layer, Layer, Layer

Just because it’s cold today, doesn’t mean it will be tomorrow. Plan for days that can vary in temperature by packing layers. You might have an unseasonably warm day in the middle of winter or an unexpected cold snap in fall. Be prepared. Pack a few sweaters, a scarf and a mix of tanks and tees. When it’s warmer out, you can opt for a t-shirt. When it’s really cold, you can add two or more layers together to keep chill out. If you’ve brought a dress, toss a pair of tights into your bag to protect your legs. Don’t forget your favorite jacket, which you should leave out of your carry-on to save space for other necessities. It can double as a pillow on the plane or can be stashed under the seat in front of you.

Choose Two

Shoes are the biggest challenge of everyone’s travel bag, it seems. A pair of flip flops is a staple to any carry-on, as they take up little room and are perfect for quick jaunts to the lobby or to the hotel pool. Other than those, two pair of shoes is all you need. When your destination is projected to be cool, a pair of comfortable boots and another pair of walking shoes are going to be your best bet. Don’t bring anything you haven’t worn before or that you can’t walk in for long periods of time comfortably.

Wear your walking shoes on the plane and leave your dress up shoes at home. You’re not going to want to wear high heels after a day of sightseeing. If you really want to wear a pair of nice shoes out, look for a fun pair of ballet flats or wedge booties that will go with other outfits as well.

Accessorize

If you feel that what you’ve brought is kind of drab and not really exciting for a night out, then accessories will elevate those plain Jane items. A scarf, a belt and some statement jewelry can pack small and make a big impact. Jazz up your little black dress or a simple tank with a funky necklace. Even if you’re specifically planning to go to an upscale restaurant or clubbing, you probably won’t feel like leaving your fancier clothes at home was a bad idea. If you aren’t going to wear something two or more times, it is just taking up valuable real estate in your carry-on.

Do Laundry

There’s no way around it. If you pack light and you’re gone for more than a week, you’re going to have to do laundry. Schedule some downtime (which you should do anyway) to clean your clothes. It doesn’t sound fun, but you can take the time to hit the pool, watch a show or catch a nap. Just need to freshen up a piece? Spray some vodka on it. It deodorizes, and since it doesn’t have its own smell, you won’t reek of booze.

Carry-on packing can be difficult at first, but with some practice you can become a pro and save baggage fees. With fewer bags to deal with, you’ll feel freer as you waltz off the plane and get right onto your vacation while everyone else is still waiting for their suitcases.