As February draws to a close, the snow and ice are retreating with it. Many of our favorite sledding hills are bare and the neighborhood ice rinks turned to puddles. However, if you’re looking for an outdoor late winter adventure, there are still some options out there (think manufactured snow and refrigerated rinks):

Elm Creek Park Reserve Winter Recreation Area

The tubing hill at Elm Creek is still accepting reservations ($15/2 hr) as is the ski & snowboarding area.

Badlands Sno-Park | Hudson, WI

The conditions are great for this thrilling snow tubing spot just across the border in Hudson. This place gets all the thumbs up from my teens. Must reserve in advance. $21/3 hrs.

Central Park Ice Skating Loop | Maple Grove

The refrigerated, smooth serpentine loop is illuminated at night. Tunes are  piped in, too. Plus, this is a rare place to rent skates this winter if you don’t have your own. It’s also FREE!

John Rose MN OVAL Outdoor Ice Skating Rink | Roseville

The outdoor OVAL is the biggest refrigerated skating rink in North America. Open skate is $7/pp, skate rental available for $5.

Les Bolstad Snowshoe Rental | St Paul

Did you know you can rent snowshoes thru the U of M and trek around the Les Bolstad golf course during the winter? Neither did I until this season. Rentals are $8/adult pair and just $2 for kids. Must submit a reservation request in advance.

Where else can I snowshoe with my family in the Twin Cities? Check our list here.