The Voice – brought to you by The Page & Epistle

With winter break quickly approaching, students will have roughly two weeks off from school. Some of us may be traveling or visiting family, while others may be staying in town watching movies, making hot chocolate, or spending time outdoors if it snows. While these activities are fun pastimes for the cozy winter season, Maryland offers unique events to participate in and places to visit.

If you’re looking for an activity that involves exercise or staying active, there are a variety of events to try. For fans of skiing, sledding, and snowboarding, the Wisp Resort located in McHenry, Maryland (around 3 hours from the St. Paul’s Schools) is a popular destination. Despite the distance, the resort is a great place to visit if you enjoy these winter activities. Additionally, depending on where you live, there are a variety of ice-skating rinks located in Maryland. In particular, the Pandora Ice Rink at the Inner Harbor is a popular outdoor ice-skating rink during the winter season that you can visit with family or friends. Patterson Park in Baltimore, Maryland, is another great location to explore this December, which is especially enjoyable for sledding in the event of any snow.

While Maryland offers a range of winter pastimes to keep you active, there are also many places to visit this December that don’t require much exercise. On a particularly cold day, visiting a museum like the Baltimore Museum of Art or the B&O Railroad Museum is an enjoyable indoor option. Additionally, on December 3, the Inner Harbor will host its Annual Parade of Lighted Boats, in which more than 50 boats with bright decorations and lights will ride through the Inner Harbor and Fells Point waterside. Some holidays specific places to visit in the state this December include the Christmas Village at Inner Harbor and the Maryland Zoo’s Holly-Days Hanukkah Happenings celebration. Lastly, another unique opportunity in Baltimore, Maryland, is the annual Miracle on 34th Street event, a display of bright holiday lights and decorations on 34th Street located between Chestnut Avenue and Keswick Road in the Hampden community.

Finally, another activity to consider doing this winter is contributing to a local charity, whether through donations or the gift of time, especially during the holiday season. Some organizations include the Maryland Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore, which hosts an adopt a family program around the holidays to provide children with gifts. The Hampden Family Center also has various ways to help during the holidays like volunteering to wrap or donate gifts, or taking part in their Christmas Angel’s Drive, which involves buying a gift specific to a child’s wish list.

Overall, if you have some free time over winter break or during the winter season and are looking for a new activity to try, our state offers various opportunities. From physically active options, to shows, events, and donation drives, the possibilities are endless!