For some of us, winter is our favorite time of year, and for others, the least. But that does not mean you should stop having fun because the weather has changed.
Over the years I have put together the most epic winter bucket list of things to do, starting at home to all around the world. You don’t have to go far to take advantage of many of these fun bucket list ideas, but if you are up for the challenge, I will give some global destinations that absolutely should be on your winter bucket list.
Each season brings new things for us to enjoy by ourselves, with our families, friends, and significant others. I tend to think winter is the most magical time of year because I love snow and the holidays.
Here are OVER 100+ things to fulfill your winter bucket list.
Winter Bucket List – Things To Do at Home
Build a snowman
Go caroling with your family and or friends – take it up a notch and sing non holiday music to throw off listeners
See the Nutcracker at a local theater – always a holiday pleaser
Bake Christmas cookies – make all the usual’s and find a new recipe to try
Decorate your Christmas tree – pull out all those old ornaments you have been hanging onto for decades and put them up
Rent a cozy cabin and have a fire. Grab your friends, family and/or significant other and pack the car up for a weekend escape.
Go Ice Fishing
Dogsled racing
Volunteer your time to those who need it, maybe a soup kitchen?
Learn to ski or snowboard – but be prepared to fall and laugh about it later
Get cozy by the fire with a book
Make a scrapbook of one of your trips, special occasion, family, friends, or just for fun
Have a Secret Santa party
Make hot chocolate with special chocolate dippers
Have an epic snowball fight
See the Nutcracker
Go on a sleigh ride
Watch FRIENDS and laugh until it hurts
Go Sledding
Book a trip somewhere warm to escape the cold – personal favorites include: Grand Cayman, Aruba and Hawaii
Take your cooking to new levels with Instant Pot
Get an advent calendar for December
Host a cookie making party with your friends
Throw a white elephant gift exchange
Start a journal
Surprise your family and show up for the holidays unexpected – families love that stuff
Make your own ornaments
Adopt a family in need
Join a play for the holiday season
Host a holiday dinner
Have a murder mystery dinner party at your home and invite your friends and/or family – have everyone dress up
Do a polar plunge for charity – bonus points if you get to wear costumes
Train for a race (5k, half marathon or even a full marathon)
Read that list of books you keep putting off for when you “have time”
Start learning a new language
Take on a new hobby like coin collecting, building model cars or having kids
Cook your way through Julia Child’s cookbook
Watch ELF a million times – because it’s just so riveting
Play the N’Sync Christmas CD all of December and get everyone hooked
Winter Bucket List – With The Kids
Make paper snowflakes and hang them in their rooms for holiday decor
Visit a tree farm and pick out the most perfect Christmas tree
Help your kids decorate the Christmas tree
Visit Santa and tell him how good you have been all year
Make snow angels
Have a pajama day at home
Make your own stockings
Build a fort in the house and sleep in it
Make homemade soups each week to cut the chill – let the kids help so they feel included and more apt to eat it
Rent the classic Christmas books from the library
Visit Disney for the Christmas parade
Catch snowflakes with your tongue
Watch all the Home Alone movies – and then be thankful your parents didn’t forget you
Write letters to Santa
Decorate the kids’ bedroom ceilings with stars or twinkle lights
Decorate sugar cookies with all the crazy colors and toppings – and then try not to fall into a sugar rush
Book a hotel with an indoor pool for a winter pool party with a few friends
Build an epic igloo
String popcorn together to hang all around the Christmas tree – bonus points if you can make it without eating one piece!
Make a holiday bingo for the family with all your winter bucket list items on it
Eat snow cones and watch FROZEN!
Make handmade Valentine’s
Visit the aquarium and learn about the animals
Winter Bucket List – Date Ideas
Ice skating and stealing kisses
Take the train or bus to a new city for the day or night and explore that city
Make various courses of fondue from cheese, meats, veggies, and don’t forget the dessert!
Go to a fancy New Years Eve party and get dressed in formal attire for the evening
Binge watch something you both like on Netflix – don’t forget the popcorn
Take a week long culinary journey to Grand Cayman for the Cayman Cookout
Have a gingerbread house cook off using only things you already have in your home – winner picks the movie!
Book a weekend to a couples only all inclusive at Sandals in the Caribbean – Jamaica, Antigua and Barbados are lovely!
Try new wines and make a list of your favorites
Check the local area for free and fun activities going on
Find the ugliest Christmas sweaters and attend all your friends’ parties in them
Get boudoir photos … or take your own
Go to IKEA, buy a piece of furniture with a million pieces and then go home and put it together without killing each other
Find a local Christmas market and drink all the mulled wine and eat all the raclette cheese
Watch each of the Christmas movies Hallmark airs each day for December
Get dressed up and have photos taken for holiday cards
Host a boozy brunch and make a mimosa bar
Take a cooking class and master some new dishes together
Find a bizarre world record and try to break it
Go stargazing out where the stars are bright
Take in a local museum
Try a new restaurant every week and pretend to be food critics
Take on the Yacht weeks version of winter – the ski week!
Make your “new years resolutions” lists together and plan for your epic summer together
Go to karaoke and sing the most lovable song you can find for each other
Have a game night – get out the old Nintendo or Sega and see who retained their skills
Don’t forget to kiss under the mistletoe
Do an evening out for dinner and then drive around and look at all the magical Christmas light displays
Rent a secluded cabin with an outdoor hot tub and just relax and drink wine
Go snowshoeing
Plan a spa day at home or go out for a couples massage and some pampering
Spoil yourself to a luxurious hotel and make sure to get in your robes and eat breakfast in bed
Winter Bucket List – Travel Destinations Around The World
Take a trip to New York to see the lighting of the Rockefeller tree
Take in the European Christmas markets – take a river cruise for easy access to them
Visit ANTARCTICA! The ultimate winter bucket list destination – take the whole family for the holiday!
Visit Lapland Finland and give Santa a visit. Lapland is one of the best winter destinations in Europe!
Plan a trip to Yellowstone and take a “monster truck” tour of the area while viewing the wildlife
Visit the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado
Spend New Years Eve in Paris, France and see all the lights light up the city
Head to the Swiss Alps for the most incredible winter bucket list skiing, Aperol and cheese!
An epic winter bucket list tour of the Northern Lights in the land of fire and ice: Iceland
Head to Montreal for Montréal en Lumière one of the largest winter festivals in the world
Stay in an Ice Hotel
Head to Croatia and visit Plitvice National Park – FROZEN!
Visit Harbin, China for the largest ice and snow sculpture festival in the world – talk about an epic winter bucket list idea
Take on one of Colorado’s epic winter bucket list destinations and learn to ski or snowboard – think Aspen, Vail or even Breckenridge!
Visit Mackinac Island, the small island in Northern Michigan. No cars are allowed on the island and minimal places are open AND no cars on the island
Visit Tromso, Norway for a Polar Fjord cruise and witness the magic of the wildlife and fjords
Take a trip to Iceland’s Blue Lagoon and arrive for the late sunrise (around 10am) and soak in the milky blue waters outside
READ MORE: 35 EUROPEAN BUCKET LIST DESTINATIONS
The FEEL GOOD Winter Bucket List Ideas
Clean out your closet and donate all the things you have not worn in the last six to nine months
Start a new workout class
Start a healthy diet to get prepped the summer months that are coming
Start a book club
Join a gym that has an indoor pool and hot tub so you can relax when you want
Write a book about your life
Take a class at a local college about something you know nothing about to gain a larger understanding of the topic
Start a bullet journal
Take a weekend off from your social media and just be present with friends, family or yourself
Home spa day – pull out all the masks, cleansers and creams
Save $60 bucks by doing your own mani and pedi at home
Do a deep conditioning treatment on your hair
Spend some time volunteering locally
Organize your house, room by room, de-clutter and get your life in order
Fix up your resume and go after that job you have always wanted
Print and frame all those photos you have been holding onto for ages and display your memories – build floating shelves somewhere in your house to put them all
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