38 Things to Do in Connecticut This December

1. Shred the slopes. Break out your skis, snowboards, and tubes for some downhill thrills at Mohawk Mountain Ski Area in Cornwall, Mount Southington Ski Area in Southington, Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort in Middlefield, and Ski Sundown in New Hartford.

2. Get your steps in. Don’t let the cold keep you from being active. Warm up your muscles on any one of Connecticut’s hiking trails.

3. Enjoy ice skating. Sharpen your blades and practice your balance at the International Skating Center of Connecticut in Simsbury or book a skate time at Danbury Ice Arena or at Northford Ice Pavilion located in Northford. Or feel festive at the Ice Rink at Foxwoods.

4. Go cross-country. Swap the downhill runs for a peaceful glide through nature when cross-country skiing at White Memorial Foundation in Litchfield and Winding Trails Cross Country Ski Center in Farmington.

5. Break the ice. Visit a local bait shop before cutting the ice to fish for bass, pike, and perch at Bantam Lake, Burr Pond, or Lake Waramaug. You might even stop by Cabela's for some extra gear.

6. Practice your aim. Challenge your friends, or just unleash some built-up stress, try your hand at axe throwing at Montana Nights Axe Throwing, Odin's Keep, or Blue Ox Axe Throwing. Want to try something different? Hit the bullseye with slingshot games at Fork + Band.

7. See the stage all aglow. Grab your tickets to festive holiday shows like A Christmas Carol at the Hartford Stage, A Christmas Story: the Musical at Goodspeed Opera House, and Christmas on the Rocks at TheaterWorks Hartford.

8. Meander a winter farmers' market. Find some fresh and local goodies at the Guilford Farmer's Market or the Coventry Winter Farmers' Market.

9. Make holiday ornaments. Get crafty Christmas-style and attend an ornament-making workshop at the Guilford Art Center in Guilford.

10. Appreciate the arts. Let the arts move and inspire you. Check out art exhibitions at New Britain Museum of American Art, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, or even view art outside by exploring the Sculpture Trail at Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London or visiting these photo-worthy outdoor murals.

11. Attend the ballet. See timeless ballet performances like New England Ballet Theatre presents: The Fantastic Toyshop or The Nutcracker at the Garde Arts Center or the Shubert.

12. Party for the holidays. Grab your group and head to boozy holiday events like Novelle's Big Little Holiday Party and the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at Dudleytown Brewing Company. Hit holiday bar crawls like the Stamford and New Haven Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl, Willimantic’s Jingle Bars Pub Crawl, and the Magic of Middletown Pub Crawl. And don't miss Miracle at Riley's: a pop up Christmas bar!

13. Dine fireside. There are dozens of fireside dining options in Connecticut where you can toast the cold days and nights hearthside. From pubs and shoreline inns to fine dining, warm up to these destinations.

14. Put your pinkies up at tea. Rid yourself of the winter cold with a hot cup of tea at Alice in the Village in Mystic. Or, enjoy holiday tea in the decorated Barnes Museum in Southington.

15. Tour craft distilleries. Sample homemade flavors from moonshine to gin, whiskey, and vodka at these Connecticut distilleries.

16. Devor comfort food.  As the weather cools down, heat up with comfort food favorites from mashed potatoes and mac 'n cheese to chicken wings and pizza.

17. Have brunch with Santa. Devour breakfast favorites and hang out with the jolly old elf himself at Avon Old Farms, Hilton Mystic, the Madison Beach Hotel, or the Shoreline Trolley Museum.

18. Dine among the lights. Enjoy dinner surrounded by majorly decked out displays of lights and trees — all with creative themes — at Cava.

19. Go on a foodie tour. Indulge in Connecticut's authentic and tasty pizza, chocolate, or chowder trails.

20. Have a wine night — with cookies. Gather your friends and join in a cozy evening of decorating a GIANT house-made gingerbread cookies—paired perfectly with a glass of wine!

21. Pick-your-own tree. Bring your axe, put on your heaviest layers, and head to Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree Farm in East Hampton, Dzen Family Christmas Tree Farm in South Windsor, Fairview Tree Farm in Shelton, Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden, Maple Hollow Farm in New Hartford, and Yurechko Tree Farm in Griswold to chop down this year’s perfect tree. Find more tree farms here.

22. Enjoy indoor adventures. From trampoline parks and indoor golfing to virtual reality experiences, ropes courses, even destinations to smash old items, stay warm inside and have tons of fun with these indoor activities. 

23. See Santa. Take pictures with the man in red this year at Wickham Park’s Annual Santa's Workshop. Or visit Santa aboard a train at the Santa Express at the Railroad Museum of New England in Thomaston. Find more events to meet Santa here.

24. And don't forget the reindeer! At the Greenwich Reindeer Festival & Santa's Workshop, where you can take pictures with Santa in addition to meeting reindeer.

25. Challenge yourself. Test your skills and your nerve indoors at the Thrillz High Flying Adventure Park in Danbury, or break a sweat testing your problem-solving skills at Adventure Rooms in Middletown. Want to try something new? Test your slingshot skills at Fork + Band.

26. Love the lights. Look at thousands of dazzling holiday lights at Magic of Lights in East Hartford, or Lights in Motion in Hebron. And find more lights events here.

27. Go on a sleigh ride. Round up the kids and embark on a festive sleigh ride, pulled by horses.

28. Walk in a winter wonderland. Stroll through communities across the state transforming their shops and streets into magical winter towns. Check out Olde Mistick Village’s Holiday Lights Spectacular, the Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival, the Annual Holidays on Main in Old Wethersfield, or Glow Gardens in Hartford.

29. Attend Hartford's Holiday Market. All month long, Hartford will be celebrating the holiday season with holiday-themed activities, vendors, pop-up kiosks, special weekend events, and more. Don't miss the Winterfair — it's sure to get you in the holiday spirit!

30. Celebrate Hanukkah. Attend Menorah lightings and more this season. Find events for the whole family here.

31. Make candles. Ready for some candle-making fun? Attend the BYOB Sip & Pour Experience to mix, mingle, and create your own scented soy candle. 

32. Do some yoga. Realign your mind, body, and spirit to help handle the stress of the holidays at the Salt Cave of Darien or Charym Yoga Studio in Litchfield. Find more wellness ideas here.

33. Find some small-town holiday spirit. Discover Connecticut’s winter charm when you stroll, shop, dine, or stay in one of its picturesque towns.

34. Pamper yourself. Take a break from the mess and stress of the holidays and enjoy a massage, facial and more at spas like Spa at Norwich Inn, Mayflower Inn & Spa, Delamar West Hartford, and Winvian Farm, which was recently named the #1 destination spa in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler!

35. Go holiday shopping. Connecticut has plenty of shopping destinations and outdoor malls such as Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets, The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk, and Shoppes at Farmington Valley, where you can find the perfect presents for your family and friends. For even more thoughtful and unique gifts, try shopping local.

36. Find love like the movies. You’ll feel like you’re falling in love all over again when you visit the magical small towns that Hallmark, Netflix, and Lifetime movie lovebirds have walked through on-screen during the holidays. Check out these spots in Connecticut where holiday films were shot.

37. Take a winter retreat. Essex, Madison, and Greenwich are just a few of Connecticut’s historic and charming towns that offer the perfect winter getaway for you and that special someone.

38. Snap wintry photos together. Plan a romantic road trip to these Instagram-worthy winter spots and capture a few sweet moments in the stunning scenery.