Yesterday’s blog post was about the Pied Piper Skatery in Walloon Lake, the perfect place for those of us that prefer to stay inside during these cold winter months here in Northern Michigan. Love being outside with nature? Today’s post is for you! Northern Michigan in a winter playground for those that love being outside, enjoying the fresh air and spectacular Northern Michigan views!

(Photo Credit: Tree Tops Ski Resort)

Love to ski? Northern Michigan has the perfect ski resort to fit your needs! We have multiple award winning ski resorts to choose from and I swear all of my friends have their favorites. I personally do NOT ski. I tried it once in high school and my ski’s got caught in the bunny hill tow rope shutting it down and had everyone staring at me. Talk about embarrassing. I’ve never been that coordinated, but that was enough to get me off the slope and back into the lodge by the fire drinking some nice warm hot cocoa.

Moving on to the list of local Northern Michigan ski resorts….

• Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls
• Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs
• Nubs Nob in Harbor Springs
• Tree Tops in Gaylord
• Shanty Creek in Bellaire
• Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville

All the resorts here in Northern Michigan offer popular and unique runs and passes good for all-season or one time use.  All the resorts (except Nubs Nob in Harbor Springs) also offer on site lodging, so make sure you check out each website to see what the current packages are and to get the most bang for your buck. Why not make it a fun weekend for the entire family?

Each resort also has different and unique offerings other than skiing, such as tubing, snowshoeing, snow boarding and even ice skating so there is often something for everyone. If your significant other prefers staying indoors some of the resorts even offer spa services.

 (Photo Credit: Snowmobile Michigan)

Love to be outside and ride? Try snowmobiling! This used to be my husband’s favorite winter weekend activity prior to having kiddos. He has since sold his beloved snowmobile but he’s considering buying another now that the kids are getting a bit older.

Northern Michigan is the perfect place to snowmobile with literally hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails. Spend the day driving through scenic rural areas taking in the views. The Michigan Snowmobile website gives weather and trail reports so you can plan your ride accordingly in both the Northern Lower Peninsula as well as the Upper Peninsula. There is also a section for each major snowmobile area, as well as links to local lodging. Don’t own a snowmobile of your own? Well, your in luck as most places up this way rent snowmobiles so you can try before you actually buy.

 (Photo Credit: Bear Cub Outfitters)

Is trekking through the peaceful and serene winter woods more your style? Snowshoeing is for you!

Most state parks in Northern Michigan offer trails that are welcome to snowshoers. Plus, almost all the ski resorts listed above also offer snowshoe and cross country ski trails for those that want to try it out.

Camp Daggett here in the Petoskey area is a go-to place for local snowshoers. ‘Camp Daggett maintains more than 1,400 feet of lake frontage on beautiful Walloon Lake and 118 acres of forests, wetlands and meadows. If you’re looking to get away and enjoy the great outdoors, or need a place to reflect and relax, Camp Daggett is the “home” you’ve been looking for.’ (courtesy of Camp Daggett)

Local’s love Camp Daggett because it is open year around and offers tons of activities for both children and adults that teach caring, respect and teamwork.

Winter activities includes the Torchlight Show Shoe at Camp Daggett that takes place Saturday January 31st and February 28th from 5-9pm on beautiful torch lit trails on the Camp Daggett property. The event is sponsored by Bear Cub Outfitters, another local downtown business that is located just a few doors up from Grandpa Shorter’s on Lake Street. This popular event is free and open to everyone and showshoes are available upon request. If you’ve never tried it, it’s the perfect time to get outside and try something new for free!

Love being outside in the winter? What is your favorite go-to outside winter activity?