By Alex Lento, ’10, LifeStyle Section Editor
Cincinnati has gotten a lot of snow recently, so take advantage of the winter wonderland! There are plenty of ways to have fun and get outside for some fresh air, even in the cold weather.
If you like to be active, get out and take a long walk. There are plenty of parks and trails around the city. When it snows, Redbird Hollow (on Given Road, close to school) is a great place to walk with family, friends, or your dog. If you don’t want to drive to a trail or park, just taking a walk in your neighborhood can be a lot of fun with the inches upon inches of unsullied snow to tread.
Also, take advantage of the opportunity for some decent skiing and snowboarding. Perfect North Slopes isn’t exactly a mountain, but with fresh snow, the runs are a lot of fun. It’s a great way to spend a Friday or Saturday with your friends. For those who don’t know how to ski or snowboard, you can take lessons or enjoy tubing at Perfect North. It’s actually effortless, especially since they put in a moving sidewalk of sorts to tow you back up to the top of the hill, but a lot of fun.
The snow can often bring out your inner child. Don’t hesitate to have a snowball fight, build an igloo, or just make snow angels (just be sure to bundle up). Sledding is another fun activity. There are plenty of hills around (Cincinnati isn’t called “The City of Seven Hills” for nothing) and now, plenty of snow! If you don’t have a good enough hill in your backyard, there are plenty of schools and golf clubs that do.
If none of that suits you, try ice skating. It can be an excuse to go downtown to Fountain Square and enjoy the city, or just a way to have fun close to home, as there are many other rinks around. The Northland Ice Center on Reading Road offers lessons, as does the Indian Hill Winter Club. If you really want to be adventurous, try paddle tennis. The Indian Hill Winter Club offer clinics and leagues, as well as the many golf and tennis clubs in the area. The game is similar to tennis, but uses a harder ball and a smaller court and racket. It’s played outside, but will still make you sweat, as the game is fast moving.
If you aren’t in the mood to be active, there are still other ways to enjoy the winter weather. Get out and take pictures of the ice, the snow, or the trees. The snow can be a great inspiration for photographs as well as writing! Or, for those who want to enjoy the beautiful outdoors, just not the cold, hot tubs are a nice escape.
Skier photo courtesy of businessreferralsearch.com. Perfect North photo courtesy of icehuddler.com.
