Winter in Cleveland can be a great time to get outdoors and enjoy some unique cold-weather activities, or an equally great time to stay indoors where it’s cozy and warm. No matter what your preference is, there are plenty of things to do in Cleveland in winter.
Use the list below to inspire your own winter adventures this year.
Note: I’m not including any holiday-related activities here, because I have a whole separate post all about Christmas in Cleveland! This post is about all the OTHER things to do in Cleveland during the winter months.
Things to Do in Cleveland in Winter
1. Go ice skating
If it’s outdoor ice skating you’re after, Cleveland has a few outdoor rinks that pop up during the winter months*.
The most popular ones are:
- Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink in Public Square – The Public Square rink opens this year on November 28, 2025, and will remain open through February 1, 2026 (various open dates; check here). Tickets are $15 per person, and include skate rental.
*Okay, so in the 2025-26 winter season, we only have one outdoor skating rink! Hopefully, another will return next year.
For indoor ice skating in the Cleveland area, you can check for open skate hours at the Serpentini Winterhurst Arena in Lakewood, the C.E. Orr Ice Arena in Euclid, the Cleveland Heights Community Center Ice Rink, and the Michael A. Ries Ice Rink in Parma.
2. Ride the toboggan chutes
The toboggan chutes at Mill Stream Run Reservation in Strongsville are a winter tradition in northeast Ohio. The chutes open the weekend after Thanksgiving (no snow is necessary for them to run!), and stay open on weekends through the beginning of March.
The toboggan chutes are 70 feet tall and roughly 700 feet long, and you can reach speeds upwards of 40 miles per hour. It’s incredibly fun!
You can fit up to 4 people on each toboggan, too, so it’s a very family-friendly activity. And while you do have to walk up 108 stairs to reach the top of the chutes every time you want to ride, you don’t have to carry a toboggan up with you – that part is all automated now!
Learn more about tobogganing in Cleveland here. The chutes are already open for this winter, but you need to reserve your entry time slot in advance.
3. Take a winter hike
The Cleveland Metroparks, Lake Metroparks, Lorain County Metro Parks, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park are all open year-round, even in the winter months. You can go for a winter hike in any of these; some even offer outdoor winter programs like interpretive walks, cross-country skiing lessons, snowshoeing, and more.
You can also take to the trails on your own by renting snowshoes or skis when there’s enough snow. Chapin Forest Reservation (Lake Metroparks) rents both of these and maintains groomed trails during the winter that are even lighted after dark. You can also rent snowshoes at Penitentiary Glen Reservation (Lake Metroparks), and the North Chagrin Nature Center (Cleveland Metroparks).
Cuyahoga Valley National Park also leases out snowshoes to use within the park from the Boston Mill Visitor Center when there’s enough snow. (Call ahead to confirm there’s enough snow/rental options.)
READ MORE: Your Guide to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Winter
4. Go skiing/tubing/sledding
Northeast Ohio isn’t exactly a great geographic fit for skiing or snowboarding (that whole lack of hills thing…), but we do still have Boston Mills/Brandywine and Alpine Valley Ski Resort just a short drive from Cleveland.
Both of these ski resorts rent equipment, offer lessons, and also usually have dedicated lifts and runs just for snow tubing. BMBW also has Polar Blast Snow Tubing, which is definitely the more affordable and family-friendly option.
You can check hours, snow conditions, and prices at each resort’s website:
- Boston Mills/Brandywine (for skiing)
- Polar Blast Snow Tubing (at BMBW)
- Alpine Valley
You’re encouraged to buy your lift tickets and make any dining reservations in advance.
5. Hand-feed chickadees
A unique winter activity the whole family can enjoy is hand-feeding chickadees and other non-migratory birds at the Brecksville Nature Center in Brecksville Reservation.
The “Hand Feed a Chickadee” program has been a tradition at the Nature Center since the 1940s, and runs each winter from December/January through the end of February.
When the weather is cold and snowy, the birds are extra active and in search of food, and will land right in your outstretched palm to eat black oil sunflower seeds. It’s super cute, and an activity the whole family can enjoy together.
This winter, the Hand Feed a Chickadee program is being offered at Brecksville Reservation Thursday-Monday from December 21-31, 2025, and then only on Saturday and Sunday mornings in January and February, 2026. The hours are 10 a.m.-noon on the designated days, and birdseed will be provided.
READ MORE: How to Hand-Feed Birds at Brecksville Nature Center
There are a few other spots around Cleveland that have started hand-feeding programs in the winter, too, like at The West Woods (Geauga Park District) and the Liberty Park Nature Center (Summit MetroParks).
6. Check out a winter festival
There are plenty of winter festivals and events happening in and around Cleveland every year.
For the holidays, many neighborhoods have their own Christmas/tree-lighting celebrations, including WinterLand downtown, Light Up Lakewood, Holiday Circlefest in University Circle, and a Holiday Block Party at Crocker Park, among others.
Outside of the holiday season, some other winter festivals you can look forward to in 2025 include:
- North Coast Harbor Ice Fest – An outdoor festival held each year, usually in January or February
- Brite Winter – A music festival in the Flats (February)
- Cleveland Kurentovanje – Slovenian cultural festival (February/March)
Not far from Cleveland, you’ll also find the Crocker Park Ice Festival in January and the annual Medina Ice Festival in February. And those who are brave enough could even join in on the Cleveland Polar Plunge into Lake Erie at the end of February.
Looking for more info about these festivals and events? Check out our Cleveland Calendar!
7. Keep cozy indoors
Of course, winter doesn’t HAVE to be about being outdoors at all. If you’d prefer to stay cozy indoors during the dark months of winter in Cleveland, there’s more than enough to do.
Some of my favorite indoor activities in Cleveland include:
- Visiting a museum like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or the Cleveland Museum of Art (with the CMA always being free to visit)
- Cuddling up with adoptable cats at AffoGATO cat cafe (reservations required)
- Taking a food tour of the West Side Market in Ohio City
- Spending some time getting to know Cleveland’s coffee shops, of which we have no shortage
- Building your own DIY craft brewery crawl
READ MORE: 10 Indoor Things to Do in Cleveland
And if you’d prefer your indoor adventures to take place in the safety of your own home this winter? Well, we have suggestions for that, too! Here are some things to keep yourself busy at home:
- Cleveland on Screen: 12 Movies Every Clevelander Should See
- 10 Cleveland Jigsaw Puzzles to Solve Online at Home
8. Dine in an igloo
Heated igloos and domes are all the rage at restaurants again this season, and there are several spots around Cleveland where you can rent out a private igloo for drinks or a meal.
Many local restaurants are installing these igloos this year, so you have several different options! Read more about heated patios and igloos in Cleveland in this post.
Top spots with igloos include: Georgetown & Vosh, The South Side, The Fairmount, and Lakewood Truck Park, among others.
READ MORE: 15+ Cozy Spots for Igloo Dining in Cleveland this Winter
9. Celebrate Paczki Day
Most Clevelanders are in-the-know on this one, but in case you’re not, paczki look like big jelly donuts doused in powdered sugar. And while paczki are indeed filled with fruit fillings, don’t call them donuts! They’re made with a special sweet yeast dough and are a unique pastry in their own right.
These sinfully delicious treats come from Poland, and Paczki Day in Cleveland is on Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday) every year. The tradition of eating these pastries ties into the pre-Lenten indulgences of Mardi Gras, and you won’t find paczki for sale any other time of year.
In 2026, Paczki Day is on Tuesday, February 17. (And here it’s pronounced “PAWNCH-kee,” in case you were curious.)
Some of the best local bakeries making traditional paczki include Rudy’s Strudel & Bakery in Parma, Colozza’s Bakery in Parma, Michael Angelo’s Bakery in Broadview Heights, Stan’s Northfield Bakery in Northfield, Becker’s Donuts & Bakery in Fairview Park, and Seven Roses Polish Deli in Cleveland.
RELATED: Where to Find the Best Paczki in Cleveland For Fat Tuesday
Local donut shops also whip up these specialties, like Goldie’s Donuts and Bakery, Jack Frost Donuts, and even Brewnuts. (Read more about our favorite local donut shops here.)
Bonus: Chase (frozen) waterfalls
IF it gets cold enough (we’re talking Arctic Blast or Polar Vortex cold), then you might get lucky enough to see some of northeast Ohio’s waterfalls turned into frozen cascades of ice.
You can find snowy, icy waterfalls in places like Cuyahoga Valley National Park, as well as in some of the area metroparks. For a full guide, check out this post: Where to See Frozen Waterfalls near Cleveland This Winter.
What’s YOUR favorite thing to do in Cleveland during the winter months?
Pin it for later:
Amanda was born and raised in northeast Ohio, and has always been a fangirl of her home state. Now, she’s sharing her love of the Cleveland area, highlighting all the best things to do, see, and eat in the CLE. She’s been running Cleveland Traveler since January 2019.