 |
Ice Skating and Other Winter SportsThere are so many other winter sports, such as ice skating, you can do in the Lake Winnipesaukee region. If you lead an active lifestyle, you can be busy doing a variety of sports. Ice Skating Skating is a popular sport these days. There are local rinks available for fun or for lessons. There are also figure skating programs in the area. These teach basic skills for the beginners to more advanced. Figure skating usually prepares for a show at the end of the session. New Hampshire Ice Theater runs the this ice skating program in Laconia. Speed skating is also available as a winter sport in the lakes region. You can practice at the local rinks or become a member of a speed skating club. For more information, call (603) 366-5708. One Christmas vacation, we went ice skating and my girls loved it. So, I signed them up for lessons. They've both become quite good and tell me I should take lessons. I've provided a list of a ice rinks in the Lake Winnipesaukee area. There are others but they're further away. Ice Rinks Public ice skating is a fun family activity. It's very inexpensive compared to other sports. All levels can skate. And there are special "chairs" to help the beginner go out on the ice. This is especially good for the little kids. Laconia Ice Arena - (603)528-0789 offers all types of skating. They also have rentals and skate sharpening. Laconia public skate times are:
Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center - Wolfeboro (603)569-5639.  They offer ice skating lessons and hockey leagues. During school vacations they have a variety of day and evening public skate times. Their regular Saturday schedule public skate time is 12:00pm to 3:30pm and Sunday is 11:45am to 2:15pm.
Flooded town rinks Gilford
Laconia
Meredith
Moultonboro
Wolfeboro
You can also enjoy ice skating on local ponds. Check with the town safety department to make sure the ice is safe before going on it.
Snowshoeing Snowshoeing is a sport where you don't need much equipment. Just the snowshoes. If you're really serious, you can use cross country ski poles as well. What I like is that the snowshoes strap right to your snow Sledding Everyone loves to sled. All you need is a sled and a hill. We happen to have a great hill near our house. The kids go down the hill and try to reach the pond. We don't even get close because the sled veers off to the side.
Tubing Gunstock Mountain has a tubing park. It's almost like a waterslide but it's on snow instead. You're pulled up by a tow rope and you go down one of four snow packed slides. It's really ice. Everyone hopes they can make it part way up the hill at the end. Every once in awhile someone goes over the hill and everyone cheers, but there are nets to catch you. It is fun. You do have to wait in line and a lot of younger kids aren't good at that. |
Many kids are on hockey teams and so are adults. For the younger kids you can join a learn to skate program. These usually gear the kids towards hockey.
For further information on outdoor rinks, call the individual town Parks and Recreation departments.
boots and you can go through the woods without having to maneuver between the trees like you do with long cross country skis. It's also a good way to keep kids active for a short time. Because you can snowshoe anywhere, it's easy to follow a lot of hiking trails.
Many towns have great sledding hills. Some are setup just for that purpose. You can call the town Parks and Recreation department to see if they have a sledding hill nearby. I do know Gilford has a big sledding hill set up with nets to catch you. It's located at the junction of Route 11A and 11B.