10 Fun Winter Hobbies To Try This Year

By Jeff Bogle

Jan 20, 2022

Instead of hibernating, try new winter time hobbies to pass the time and expand your horizons. Here are 10 fun winter hobby ideas for you to try!

Your nature instinct, much like a bear’s, may be to hide away during the chillier months, make soup, and binge TV shows, but there’s another track you can take, one involving fun winter hobbies. Here are 10 new winter hobby ideas to try but don’t worry, not all of them involve venturing out into the cold!

1. Ice Fishing

Make this the winter you finally try ice fishing! One of the biggest benefits of this winter hobby idea for beginners is the ability to enjoy time outdoors with your family during the chilly winter months. With help, it’s easy to get started making memories, catching and releasing fish, and adding to your cherished family winter time hobbies!

2. Fat Tire Biking

One of the cooler new trends in outdoor recreation are fat bike tires that can more easily transport you over sandy beaches in summer and snowy terrain during the winter. If you are looking for fun winter hobbies that will keep you active and slim, give fat tire biking a try!

3. Winter Photography

Some winter hobbies are great for groups, while others, like winter photography, are probably best enjoyed solo. If you need to find something creative to do during the grey months, heading out for walks to photograph the birds, snowfall on tree branches, and wildlife in the stillness of nature is one of the best hobbies in winter. Bonus points if you decide to experiment shooting in black and white during the wintertime!

4. Winter Camping

If you take the time to prepare safely and dress warmly, camping in the snow during winter can be a remarkable experi-ence. For one things, you won’t have to worry about insects, and there shouldn’t be any crowds disturbing your peaceful camping setup. Get ready for the most serene, stunning camping experience of your life when you add winter camping to your growing list of favorite hobbies in winter.

5. Stargarzing

Among winter time hobbies, few benefit more from the change in weather and earlier sunsets than stargazing. Because there is much more darkness, for much longer, adding astronomy to your fun winter hobbies list is a great and easy idea. Plus, the stars and constellations in the visible part of the night sky during winter could provide you with some views that are breathtaking.

6. Winter Fly Fishing

Winter fishing means icy cold water, fish that are usually not too aggressive and, with a few exceptions, deep and slow angling efforts. If you love to fish already, don’t want to put your fishing equipment away for the season, and want to try fun new winter hobbies, winter fly fishing might be the perfect way for you to stay on (and in) the water!

7. Start a Snow Shovel Business (or Philanthropic Effort)

Together with your kids or other family members, you can make one of the utilitarian winter hobbies into a profitable side hustle! Or, make kindness and generosity the star of the snow show as you shovel out your elderly neighbors’ cars and driveways for free this winter.

8. Get Creative With Hot Cocoa

Peppermint? Orange peel? Butterscotch? Hot cocoa is delicious as is but the warm wintertime beverage is also a blank canvas for experimentation. For indoor winter hobby ideas, consider becoming your family’s hot chocolate mixologist! What happens when you put a whole peanut butter cookie into the mug? How about some Nutella? Have fun and be crea-tive this winter by getting creative with hot cocoa.

9. Become a Slushy Making Master

Sticking with the beverage theme: You don’t need a Snoopy snow-cone maker to become a slushy making master, but you’ll be cooler if you have one! When it comes to the best winter hobbies that can be enjoyed in the warmth of home, you can have fun making fruity and chilly ice slushies for your kids, friends and family this winter, bringing a little bit of the ice and snow inside!

10. Cold Water Boating

Brrrr, the winter is so cold but eventually you will long to leave home and have new outdoor adventures. If you already love boating and being on the water, learn how to respect the elements, stay safe, keep your boat away from harm, and make cold water boating your newest winter hobby!

Need more winter time hobbies to keep you busy until spring blooms? Give these fun winter activities a try!

Jeff Bogle
Jeff Bogle
Jeff is a dad of teen daughters, avid traveler, photographer, and freelance writer. He’s penned stories on family travel, outdoor recreation, the environment, parenting, and more for Fodor’s, Reader’s Digest, Parents Magazine, Good Housekeeping, PBS, and Esquire, among other publications. Find him on his blog, OWTK.com and on Instagram @OWTK. Jeff is also the publisher of the quarterly literary zine, Stanchion