In the midst of winter and holiday cooking, it’s easy for Wisconsinites to want to stay in, curl up by the fire, and indulge in comfort food and leftover Christmas cookies. But, it’s a new year full of new goals, and we’ve come up with a few creative ways to stay active and healthy in Wisconsin this winter.
Hiking
Hilly or flat, winter or summer, long or short, there are hiking trails for everyone. Try hiking a portion of the Ice Age Trail – it runs through several state and federal lands in Wisconsin, including Interstate State Park, Devil’s Lake State Park, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, and many more parks, forests and trails. No matter where you live, you’re not far from a gorgeous hiking trail – don’t forget to bundle up!
Picnic to pack: Turkey wrap, apple, string cheese, sport drink
Geocaching
Have you ever wanted to go on a treasure hunt? They’re real, and they’re here in Wisconsin year-round. It’s called Geocaching. Use geocaching.com or the Geocaching apps, pick a geocache (your treasure) and navigate to its location. You’ll get exercise without even thinking about it.
Picnic to pack: Summer sausage and cheese slices, fruit salad, juice
Snowshoeing
Winter in Wisconsin is gorgeous. What better way to enjoy it than snowshoeing through the snowfall, all while getting in a great workout? You burn more calories snowshoeing than walking or running at the same pace. Win-win. Head to one of Wisconsin’s 47 state parks and enjoy!
Picnic to pack: Mason jar salad, veggies and hummus, carbonated soft drink
Cross Country Skiing
Another great way to take in the beauty of Wisconsin winters is by skis. Wherever you can find snowshoeing or hiking trails is the perfect spot to latch on the skis and get movin’. Rumor has it you can burn 500 calories in an hour of cross-country skiing.
Picnic to pack: Quinoa salad, almonds, juice drink
Ice Skating
From Tenney Park in Madison to Winter Park in Minocqua, Wisconsin is scattered with beautiful outdoor ice skating rinks! Channel your inner Kristi Yamaguchi or Apolo Ohno and get active while having a blast.
Picnic to pack: Pita sandwich, applesauce, tea
New year and new goals, all without stepping foot inside a gym. Share your pictures of winter fun with us on social media using #discoverwisconsin!
The Wisconsin Beverage Association (WBA) is the trade association for Wisconsin’s refreshing, non-alcoholic beverage industry, serving the public and its members.
The WBA’s mission is to promote the development, preservation, operation and general welfare of the beverage industry in Wisconsin. The WBA represents bottlers and franchise companies on the federal, state and local levels of government.
