Two of my favorites when I was growing up – sledding and skating are alive and well in the area. You just need to know where.

Sledding and Skating– two activities synonymous with winter in the Midwest. Every year, children of all ages re-discover the fun of ice skating. In the winter, there are many places that actually create outdoor skating rinks. Three of the best locations are Timber Trails Park, Davis Park and Langum Park all in St. Charles. Davis Park, is located along 10th Street between Horne and Fellow Streets and Timber Trails Park is located 1/4 mile north of 17th Street off of Dean Street. Both parks feature man-made skating rinks where visitors can participate in recreational skating from 12-5PM when the weather permits. For folks interested in ice hockey, Langum Park, located 2 miles south of Main St. between Riverside and 7th Ave. features a rink specifically designated for ice hockey. Be sure you contact the park district at 630-513-5188 to make sure these rinks are open before visiting.

Growing up, sledding hills in my area were the stuff of legends, passed down from kid to kid over the generations – which ones are better, steeper, faster etc. In the Fox Valley, some of the best sledding hills are rumored to be in Langum Park facing Rt. 25, in Timber Trails Park, in Fabyan Forest Preserve by the windmill along Rt. 25, in Oakhurst, Aurora and on Johnson’s Mound on Hughes Rd. Some of these hills might be off-limits to sledders, so make sure you verify that you’re able to use them before visiting. 

The area also features the world’s first snowboard-exclusive park – Raging Buffalo Snowboard Park. Courses include rails, jumps, table-tops and other snowboard-friendly items that will keep even the biggest adrenaline junkie busy this winter.

If you’re been missing the white stuff this winter, now’s the time to get your fix. Get out and have some fun before it all melts away.