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...
There was finally enough snow on the ground to break in our brand new snowshoes. So, we packed up the car and made our way to one of the best places to snowshoe in Minnesota: the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.The arboretum is home to 16 miles...
Snow weighed down the branches--the trees looked like they were going to buckle under the heavy blanket of snow that we received the prior evening. We flew through tree lined trails, around sharp corners and climbed higher and higher in elevation on our way towards...
For some reason I couldn't get the ice axe to stick. Each time I hurled the axe towards the ice, it bounced off and left me with heaps of frustration.I was struggling to climb even a few feet up the ice, and I kept thinking...
After my last failed attempt at skiing in the mountains, I was a bit apprehensive at giving it another try. Sure, I had a few chances back home to practice on the tiny slopes in Minnesota, but I wasn’t sure it was enough before heading...
