Winter fun without the skis

Believe it or not, there is plenty of opportunity to rejoice in the thick white blanket covering New England in the winter,...without knowing how to ski. To live here, is to love the outdoors, and all it's beauty season after season. Get outdoors to see the landscape change into its winter clothes, and maybe, just maybe you'll learn to welcome the season that so many curse.

1. Snow tubing - Cranmore Mountain, North Conway, N.H.
While skiing is their forte, their snow tubing is a huge draw in their Arctic Blast Park. Offering seven lanes of fast fun, there won't be much sitting around. With 2 lifts, snowmaking and night time lights, there is plenty of opportunity to go. All ages are welcome. Children 42 inches and taller may ride solo; little ones may ride with an adult. Two hour ticket is $22. If this is a hit, then purchase a season-long tubing pass for unlimited slippin’ and slidin’ all winter long for $99 per person. [Photo courtesy of Cranmore Mountain]

2. Winter birding - Plum Island, Newburyport, Mass.
Yeah, so you don't even have to break a sweat to enjoy the season outdoors. Birding is for all ages, and all people. All you need to do is observe, appreciate, and identify our winged creatures that were not frightened into migrating south. On Plum Island, veteran birders host birding weekends for both the novice and the expert. In the winter you may spot a snow goose, mute swan, Great black-backed gull, snowy owl or red-bellied woodpecker. And if you haven't seen the dunes in the snow, I suggest you go and at least take in the landscape, letting the others identify all winged creatures for you! [Photo courtesy of Newburyport Chamber of Commerce]

3. Snowmobiling - Alpine Adventures, Lincoln, N.H.
No, you don't need to know how to ride, you don't need to know where you're going and you certainly can bring the kids! Alpine Adventures offers rentals, guided tours, and expert advice on how to make the most of your experience. Alpine Adventures has been touring Franconia Notch State Park and the White Mountain National Forest under special use permits for 12 years. Many guests return each year for family events, a quiet couples outing or group adventure. There are 3 different tours available, and prices range from $69-$134 per person. They'll also help you with lodging packages and other events taking place during your visit, so you can continue with your fun all weekend long. [Photo courtesy Kimberly Sherman]

4. Dogsledding - Eden Dog Sledding, Eden Mills, Vt.
Eden Dogsledding is the premier New England Dogsled Touring Center. People love it all four seasons, but there's nothing like dogsledding in the winter. They have 75 acres in the midst of 3000 acres of protected Vermont wilderness, which makes the farm unique. Their dogs and professional mushers offer guests wilderness beauty, fun and learning in safety and comfort. Visitors from around the globe have booked their wonderful, two bedroom homes [yes with modern amenities] to learn to drive teams, train their dogs for sledding and/or skijoring or just to enjoy being in the pristine, wilderness environment. Rates start at $250, with over 10 options for sledding. [Photo courtesy of Eden Mountain Lodge]

5. Ice skating - Sports Center, Shelton, Ct.
Brings you right back to your childhood, when kids weren't allowed to be indoors in the winter, so every one of us owned a pair of skates, and we all knew which ponds were our favorites for skating. Well, youth hockey has grown since, and so have the indoor rinks offering lessons, pick-up hockey, free skates and figure skating. The Sports Center offers all these and more, as it's the world's only double-decker ice arena. Register for a free clinic, try speed skating or just wear your best Dorothy Hamill smile as you free skate with the family. Open 365 days of the year, the Sports Center can offer many hours of winter fun. [Photo courtesy of the Sports Center]

6. Snow coach tours - Alpine Adventures, Lincoln, N.H.
Want to see the beautiful, snowy landscape, without stepping foot in the snow? You can do this in an off-road thrill ride like no other in New England. Winter allows for extreme off-road capabilities from 6-wheel drive Swiss army transport vehicles called Pinzgauers. Alpine Adventures' Pinzgauers have modified seating to accommodate 11 guests (one is shotgun) in bucket seats with lapbelts. They padded the overhead cages and added a rockin' stereo system with microphones for the guides to entertain you on your journey. Tours last from 1 to 1.5 hours; pricing is $34 per person, with children 3-6 years old paying $17 with a paying adult. [Photo courtesy of Alpine Adventures]

7. Snow shoeing - Mountain Top Inn Resort, Chittenden, Vt.
A gorgeous resort set on 350 acres with sweeping views of a mountain lake and the Green Mountain National Forest, The Mountain Top Inn & Resort is a place to visit regardless of its endless array of outdoor activities. Their Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Center is one of the oldest in the U.S., offering 60 kilometers of trails (40km groomed) for classic and skate skiing, back country and snowshoeing for all levels. Regardless of age or ability, activities go beyond snow shoeing, such as dog sled rides, snowmobile tours, ice skating, and sledding, sure to make everyone in your party all smiles. After you've tried them all, relax with a massage or sip hot cocoa in the lobby by a roaring fire. Their snowmaking system covers a 1.5km loop and our ski shop has the latest in ski and snowshoe rentals. Many packages available, including rentals, for under $20 per person. I would book a room and plan the whole weekend! [Photo courtesy of Mountain Top Inn & Resort]

8. Ice fishing - MooseKat Guide Service, Saint Albans, Me.
Owner Levi Ladd at MooseKat offers ice fishing experiences all over the state of Maine, depending on what you want to fish for and what adaptations you are willing to make in order to catch fish. Whether you are a traditional ice fisherman or prefer ice fishing with the hand of technology, Maine has the fishing experience you are looking for, and MooseKat can lead the way. Customized ice fishing trips are offered all winter long with rates at $230 per day for 2 people. An additional $30 a day for each additional person. These rates include lunch, bait and equipment. [Photo courtesy of MooseKat]

9. Horse drawn sleigh rides - Thatcher Brook Inn, Waterbury/Stowe, Vt.
Most horse-drawn sleigh rides in New England are dwindling away due to the cost and lack of interest. But I did find that the Thatcher Brook Inn, a Victorian bed and breakfast listed on the Vermont Register of Historic Buildings, is still churning out the romantic rides. Think Valentine's booking here - you and your sugar plum darling can enjoy the beauty and tranquility of Vermont on a romantic horse-drawn sleigh ride. Two nights lodging, full breakfast each morning and your own personal horse-drawn, sleigh ride...starts at $344.80. [Photo courtesy of Thatcher Brook Inn]

10. Zip-line canopy tours - Alpine Adventures, Lincoln, N.H.
Ok, so this is the third time I have mentioned Alpine Adventures, but my goodness they have cornered the market in outdoor winter-time fun. Theirs is a true treetop canopy tour, an original course and the first of its kind in New England. Dare-devils will zip from pine tree to oak tree to beech and birch, zooming through the forest, and amongst the wildlife that call this their home. Six separate ziplines ranging from 80-600 feet long and include a 60 foot high by 75 foot long suspension bridge spanning "Barron Gorge." It also includes the famous Zip #7, a 35 m.p.h. optional free-fall. About a 2 hour time to complete course and all for $85 per person. [Photo courtesy of Alpine Adventures]