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.

We came up with some ideas to keep everyone busy!

Skating
Museums & History
Jingle Hike Challenge
Bowling
Escape Rooms
Physical Activities
Get Creative

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 are operating on shortened hours. So what can you do if you’re getting cabin fever and 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.

Go Skating

Several facilities in the Southwestern Illinois area 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. The East Alton Ice Arena offers 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 offers open skate— call ahead to reserve 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!

A group of friends smile at the Grafton Loading Dock Ice Rink.

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. History buffs will also enjoy exploring Edwardsville's West End Service Station, an iconic Route 66 gem that's filled with rare artifacts and memorabilia.

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, or make an appointment to visit the home of jazz legend Miles Davis at House of Miles East St. Louis.

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, and farm animals at Willoughby Heritage Farm in Collinsville.

Interactive exhibits at the Edwardsville Children's Museum

Take the 2026 Jingle Hike Challenge

The annual Jingle Hike Challenge is back!

Take the 2026 Jingle Hike Challenge
Nov. 26, 2026 – Jan. 1, 2027

Jingle bells are tied to 12 trees in parks throughout southwestern Illinois from Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day. Participants are asked to visit as many parks as possible, take a photo with the bell, and submit the photo evidence using the QR code or link on the tag or map. Registered participants are eligible to win prizes, receiving one entry for every park visited and one additional entry for every correctly identified tree species.

Registration is now open!

Register Here

A woman smiling next to a sign advertising the Jingle Hike Challenge
HeartlandsConservancy.org

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. Many alleys offer alternative entertainment, like arcades, and food and drinks. There are five bowling alleys in Southwestern Illinois. An afternoon out of the house might strike all the right notes for you!

Here are some suggestions:

Friends bowl at Edison’s Entertainment Complex in Edwardsville.

Try an Escape Room

Mixing the vibe of a board game with the brainpower of detective work, escape rooms are a unique activity the whole family can enjoy. Try one of the region’s multiple escape rooms and solve timed mysteries using clues.

Escape a Wild West Prison or save the president at the Bailout Escape Rooms. Escape rooms are indoor, fast-paced, and kid-friendly —a perfect thing to do on a boring winter’s day!

A group poses with western props at the Bailout Escape Room.

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?

A child doing a flip on a trampoline

Learn to Make Something

Always wanted to know how to tie-dye? What about painting or creating pottery? It’s never too late to learn something new! Whether it be a practical skill or an aesthetic one, we all benefit from more makers in the world!

Paint your own ceramics at Pottery Hollow in Glen Carbon or learn stained-glass making at the Alton Stained Glass Works.

Reservations, times, age requirements, and class sizes vary by business. Make sure to check out businesses' websites for class calendars, supply checklists, and other information!

A stained glass window depicting two blue birds

More Winter Fun

Looking for more fun ideas for things to do between Christmas and New Year's? Check out our calendar, where new events are being added every week, and stay up to date with the best activities in Southern Illinois.

View Calendar

New Year’s Spots That Pop Learn More
Spend Your Holidays in Grafton Learn More
Winter Comfort Foods Learn More
Winter Fun in Southwest Illinois Learn More
Skate With Us This Winter Learn More
Christmas Wonderland in Alton Learn More

About the Author

Kayla Howland

Kayla Howland is a local writer and artist who lives in Alton, IL with her Cairn Terrier, Ripley. She enjoys fiction and non-fiction writing, graphic design, painting, drawing and photography. Kayla is a graduate of Southwestern High School and Lewis & Clark Community College. She has worked doing freelance graphic design, photography and commissioned paintings since 2012.