Many of us tend to rush through the winter season and fast forward to Memorial Day Weekend a.k.a the unofficial opening of summer. We may love the Jersey shore and Delaware beaches but winter can be time to hit the reset button. If we do it right, we can actually feel rejuvenated, slow down life just a little, and embrace the coziness of the
season. Of course there is that crew that can’t wait for frigid temperatures and already nestled in their happy places. Who are these people? For those of us that need a little help or a reminder, The Spot came up with some inspirational ways to embrace winter and (gasp) actually enjoy it.
Sip on Hot Chocolate with your Bestie
Spend a day with your bestie, catch up, and sip on the area’s best hot chocolate. If you’re not a hot chocolate fan, the area’s best coffee shops offer an array of warm winter beverages to your taste. It’s a perfect time and place to get together with your best friends for laughter and a good old fashioned pick me up. Rim’s Cafe in South Philadelphia and Ground Coffee Bar in Collingswood, NJ are top rated places to check out by customers and also known for some of the region’s best hot beverages.
Visit a Natural History Museum
Winter is a great time to explore nature. We love to see a fresh blanket of snow and see some of our friendly creatures right in our backyard. An indoor natural history museum explores the natural world as well provides educational benefits for children and adults alike. The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Wilmington, DE offers the Regional Journey about local and global ecosystems as well as the Paleo Zone for dinosaur lovers. A win win!
One Day Skiing and Sledding
The Poconos and several mountain ski resorts and just about an hour or so outside of Philly! Places like Spring Mountain, PA, Bear Creek Mountain, and Camelback are great places to just go for the day to spend with families or friends. Of course, an overnight stay is most welcome to fully enjoy a resort’s amenities. Don’t worry if the temperatures don’t dip low enough, the resorts have enough snow to make it a full winter experience.
Winter Festivals
Many local towns in the Greater Philadelphia Region host Winter Festivals or “Winterfests”. The local areas make the best shopping, brews, and bites. Winterfests are fantastic opportunities to discover new boutiques or eateries that you may not have previously known. Marvel at an ice sculpture art or two (How do they do it?). If you don’t consider yourself balance challenged, get on the rink for some ice skating fun. We recently visited Haddonfield, NJ and some upcoming Winterfests take place this month in Philadelphia and Kennett Square, PA
Maple Sugaring
Were you ever curious about making your own maple syrup? If you didn’t know you could, well we are here to share! Maple Sugaring events at places like The Howell Living History Farm in Lambertville, NJ will take you on an excursion of tapping maple trees for sap. There are several Saturday sessions this month. After all that hard work, a tasting is available in their farmhouse kitchen. Echo Hill in Flemington, NJ also hosts maple sugaring as well. You do have to sign up as space is limited. Now that sounds like a sweet deal!
