One day many, many years ago, I read about a magical hot spring located in the remote lands of Alaska. Trees heavy with snow, steaming waters, and icicles growing on heads of hair, gave way to an otherworldly winter scene, and I knew we had...
On our last day in Fairbanks, Alaska, we decided that we were going on an adventure. It didn’t matter that it was -29°F (-33°C) because we were ready to go snowmobiling at the North Pole. Okay…well we weren’t actually heading to the geographic North Pole, but...
After spending the night in a hotel made of ice, we decided we still had room for a bit more adventure. It was our last full day in Quebec, Canada, and we were spending the night at Hotel Valcartier, which is home to the Hotel...
We lie in bed with nothing but a tiny portion of our faces exposed. Our breath creates a cloud of steam when it touches the icy air. The walls surrounding us are made of snow, and the bed beneath is made of ice. Inside, the...
When we made plans to visit Anchorage, Alaska, in the winter, we knew our visit had to include a trip to explore one of the many glaciers in the state. So, after our road trip to Homer, we made Matanuska Glacier the next stop on...
Every winter the town of Anchorage, Alaska, comes alive with the Fur Rondy Festival. It’s a 10 day event that is held every February, and it’s a whole lot of fun. When we decided to plan a winter trip to Alaska, the dates we picked...
There’s something magical about a winter wonderland and a castle made of ice. And, you will definitely find magic when you visit Ice Castles in Stillwater, Minnesota. Walls made of thousands of icicles surround you in every direction. During the day, the blueish-white walls glisten...
When we were in Budapest, Hungary, around the holidays last December, we couldn’t resist strapping on a pair of ice skates and going for a spin on Europe’s largest outdoor skating rink, the City Park Ice Rink. As children, our holiday season was always filled...
Minnesota has a vibrant art scene with world class museums, theater and live music in every direction and artist galleries and studios in almost every corner. In addition to this, residents have learned to embrace the winter and find creative ways to enjoy the season....
What’s a loppet you may be wondering? A loppet is a Scandinaian word for a long-distance cross-country ski event or a long endurance race over varied terrain. Every year, the City of Lakes Loppet Ski Festival is held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This event is dubbed “the...
The snow was pelting my eyes. Shielding my face, I struggled to see and attempted to make it down the hill upright. I wasn’t crying, but that didn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face and creating a thin layer of ice on my...
It was a mild winter day by Minnesota standards--the temperature was hovering around 10°F and we were itching to get out on the slopes for the first skiing session of the season. Plus, it was Micah's birthday, so we had to get out and go...
