7 Things to Do Between Christmas and New Year's Day
Going stir crazy after the holidays? The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is notoriously hard to plan for so we came up with some ideas to keep everyone busy!
Going stir crazy after the holidays? The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is notoriously hard to plan for. We came up with some ideas to keep everyone busy!
How to Keep Everyone Happy
You’re off and so are the kids. Family and friends are visiting and need things to do. It’s usually cold, dark, and, worst of all, boring.
Many businesses are closed until New Year’s Day or have shortened hours. So what can you do if you’re getting cabin fever and just need a day away from home or your hotel room? Below are a few things to get you out and about between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
#1 Go Skating!
There are several facilities in the Southwestern Illinois area that offer ice skating and roller blading. Indoor ice rinks are often open year-round but others, such as the Grafton Loading Dock Ice Rink, are seasonal and partially outdoors. Both the Granite City Ice Rink and East Alton Ice Arena offer public ice skating on large indoor rinks and have skate rentals at reasonable prices.
Not feeling the cold? Skateway in Pontoon Beach and Tri-Township Park District in Troy have indoor roller-blading. Tri-Township is open by appointment and has open-skate- call ahead of time to reserve skating for up to 10 guests or check the open-skate schedule. Bring your own or rent a pair of blades and zoom around the roller rink instead of your living room for the thousandth time this month!
#2 On the Hunt for History & Fun
Bring the kids for family fun at the Edwardsville Children’s Museum, watch for eagles and learn about the mighty Mississippi at the National Great Rivers Museum in East Alton, explore the history of the Mother Road at the Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center, or follow the journey of Lewis & Clark at the Lewis & Clark State Historic Site in Hartford.
Love architecture? Take the self-led Historic Alton Driving Tour or the Alton Historic Kit Homes Tour to see beautiful old homes from the convenience of your car! You can also call to tour the Macoupin County Cannonball Jail or the Macoupin County ‘Million Dollar’ Courthouse in Carlinville, make an appointment to visit the home of jazz legend Miles Davis at House of Miles East St. Louis, and see old-school vehicles at Country Classic Cars in Staunton.
EXTRA FUN: Would you rather spend your day with animals instead? Visit wild native rescues at the Treehouse Wildlife Center in Dow, see rescued horses at the Legendary Mustang Sanctuary in Alhambra, farm animals at Willoughby Heritage Farm in Collinsville, or make an appointment to see animals like kangaroos & camels at Kamaroo Farms in Kampsville!
#3 Take the 2023 Jingle Hike Challenge
The annual Jingle Hike Challenge is back!
Explore 12 Southwestern Illinois locations on this winter scavenger hunt. Hidden on the trails and in the parks are 12 trees with red-ribbon jingle bells waiting to be found- find them all, take a photo with the bells as proof, and tag the Heartlands Conservancy Facebook page for a chance to win a prize! Bring the whole family, pack a trail lunch, and enjoy the outdoors while playing I Spy for the bells! Register here.
#4 Go Bowling!
There’s a certain nostalgia in hearing a bowling ball roll down the alley and knock down pins- and what better activity to do when it’s cold outside than toss a few balls down the lane?
A beloved American pastime, bowling provides hours of entertainment on a modest budget and is fun for adults and kids alike and many of the alleys have alternative entertainment like arcades and offer food and drinks. There are five bowling alleys in Southwestern Illinois- an afternoon out of the house just might strike all the right boxes for you!
Here are some suggestions: Tri-County Bowl- Jerseyville, Bowl Haven Lanes- Alton, Airport Plaza Bowl- Bethalto, SIUE Cougar Lanes- Edwardsville, Edison’s Entertainment Complex- Edwardsville, Camelot Bowl- Collinsville,
#5 Try an Escape Room
Mixing the vibe of a board game with the brain-power of detective-work, escape rooms are a unique activity the whole family can participate in. Try one of the region’s multiple escape rooms and solve timed mysteries using clues.
Escape a Wild West Prison, the Captain’s Quarters of a pirate ship, a failing dam control room, or save the president in one of many themed puzzles. Escape rooms are indoors, fast-paced, and kid-friendly- a perfect thing to do on a boring winter’s day!
Local Escape Rooms: Alton Room Escape; Bailout Escape Rooms
#6 Get Physical
Know what warms you up fast? Getting that heart pumping and those muscles moving! Play outdoor laser tag in Brighton at Mission Ready or indoor at Edison’s Entertainment Complex in Edwardsville. Test your aim at Riverbend Axe Throwing in East Alton or bring the whole family to Altitude Trampoline Park in Glen Carbon for rock climbing, trampoline action, and tumbling! You’ll have so much fun you won’t even realize you’re getting a workout- and that’s really the perfect type of exercise isn’t it?
#7 Learn to Make Something
Always wanted to know how to tie dye? What about paint or create pottery? It’s never too late to learn something new! Whether it be a practical skill or an aesthetic one, we all benefit with more makers in the world!
Learn the art of tie dying or sewing basics at The Macoupin Art Collective in Staunton December 30. Paint your own ceramics at Pottery Hollow in Glen Carbon, learn stained-glass making at the Alton Stained Glass Works, or have an artistic date night at Jacoby Arts Center in Alton.
Reservations, times, age requirements, and class sizes vary by business. Make sure to check out businesses online for class calendars, supply checklists, and information!
About the Author
Kayla Howland
Related Content:
The Loading Dock Ice Rink401 E. Front St.
Grafton, Illinois 62037
Granite City Ice Rink3000 Fehling Rd
Granite City, Illinois 62040
East Alton Ice Arena631 Lewis And Clark Boulevard
East Alton, Illinois 62024
Skateway3967 Lake Drive
Pontoon Beach, Illinois 62040
Tri-Township Park District410 Wickliffe Street
Troy, Illinois 62294
Pere Marquette State Park13112 Visitor Center Lane
Grafton, Illinois 62037
Tri-County Bowl207 Krause Drive
Jerseyville, Illinois 62052
Bowl Haven Lanes3003 Washington Avenue
Alton, Illinois 62002
Airport Plaza Bowl4 Erwin Plegge Boulevard
Bethalto, Illinois 62010
SIUE Cougar LanesUniversity Park Dr.
Edwardsville, Illinois 62025
Edison's Entertainment Complex2477 S. State Rt. 157
Edwardsville, Illinois 62025
Camelot Bowl801 Beltline Rd.
Collinsville, Illinois 62234
Bailout Escape Rooms1010 Walnut St.
Highland, Illinois 62249
Mission Ready Outdoor Laser Tag4549 Titchenal Road
Brighton, Illinois 62012
Riverbend Axe Throwing - East Alton205 Eastgate Plaza
East Alton, Illinois 62024
Altitude Trampoline Park91 Fountain Dr.
Glen Carbon, Illinois 62034
Alton Stained Glass Works412 E. Broadway Street
Alton, Illinois 62002
Pottery Hollow Painting & More23 Junction Dr.
Glen Carbon, Illinois 62034
Jacoby Arts Center627 E. Broadway
Alton, Illinois 62002