Fall is slowly coming to an end and we are getting ready to transition into winter, and the holiday season. Think eggnog, Christmas markets, and winter festivities. Northwestern Indiana isn’t necessarily a hub of winter activities. Still, the temperature in December can drop to 24 degrees Fahrenheit, so sometimes it can be good to indulge in local activities that can be enjoyed inside.
When the cold outside comes knocking, many people will opt for indoor winter activities like visiting an indoor skating rink or playing arcade and video games. Thanks to its rich agriculture, Indiana has plenty of food festivals and rich outdoor farming spaces, but it also has an array of indoor fun.
Indiana is also home to some unusual indoor places of activities, including ten riverboat casinos that are notoriously popular with tourists and those passing through. They are popular during the long hot summers and cold winters. In the 1990s, these casino riverboats were allowed to run on the Ohio River. Now, NW Indiana is home to several riverboat casinos as well as a few upscale land casinos in Gary and other areas of Indiana.
However, if the cold is the only thing stopping a person from engaging in some outdoor entertainment on vacation, and they enjoy casino gaming, they may opt to play in online casinos. Online casinos can be played at any convenient time, and they offer many card and table games and sometimes provide modern and different ways to play online roulette variations that provide new mechanics and ideas, that may not be found at in-person casinos.
While the winter can deter some from enjoying the cold season and staying online, that will not be the case with the activities we have lined up. Here are the best 4 activities to do in Northwestern Indiana this winter season.
1. Check out the La Pour Brew & Wine Festival
The holiday season is the time for cheer and for some, to be merry. What better way than to enjoy some fresh local wine and ice-cold beer from some new breweries native to Indiana at the La Pour Brew and Wine Festival on November 11th? Entry starts from $15 and goes up to $65 for VIPS who want some exclusive beer and wine samples.
If you’re a wine aficionado and love local brewers and wineries, then this is the perfect affordable event for a Saturday afternoon sip. It starts at noon for VIP ticket holders and is open from 1 to 4 p.m. for general admission ticket holders. Head down to the town of La Porte to attend the festival at their Civic Auditorium. The event is open from noon for VIPS and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for general admission.
2. Skate Away Exclusively at the First Skate at the Central Park Plaza
Skating and ice skating are popular hobbies in the winter, the ice, the winter lights, and the shiver in your back as you glide across the ice cannot be replicated. For anyone heading to NW Indiana this holiday season, the First Skate at the Central Park Plaza in Valparaiso is an unmissable event.
The event on November 11th is the way to get a headstart skating before the skating season in Indiana gets underway. There are only 250 tickets available which will include the rental of skates, food, cookies, other food, and some yummy hot cocoa to kick off the winter season. The tickets are only $11.00 each for entry, and they are not to be missed.
3. Watch White Christmas at the Memorial Opera House
A production by Irvine Berlin is coming to the Memorial Opera House from November 30 to December 17 in Valparaiso. The production follows two World War veterans who became a successful song and dance duo after World War 2 ended. On their journey, they follow a singing sister act to an old ski lodge owned by their old army commander.
The tickets can be bought on the Memorial Opera House website and cost $23 for senior citizens, students, and members of the military. Adult tickets are $25, and $50 for loge tickets.
4. Attend the Hometown Santa Indoor Market at Crown Point
We know that NW India is well renowned for their theatre shows such as the visually stunning Nutcracker Ballet from the Indiana Ballet Theatre, which now only has a few shows left, but they are also known for their Christmas festivities and Christmas markets. This is perfect for a winter getaway just before Christmas as it takes place on December 21 from 5-10 p.m. The Hometown Santa Indoor Market will take place at the Lake County Fairgrounds inside the Industrial Building in Crown Point.
Stock up on last-minute gifts or enjoy some artisan food, drink, and live music. There are even guest appearances from Santa, Elsa, and yes, Olaf, too. Entry is super cheap at $5 for adults. Santa certainly seems to be bringing a sleigh of fun this season.
