Looking for things to do around town in the dead of January? One thing everyone loves about Athens is there’s always something to do. Between local culture, university events and our natural resources, you can always find a reason to get yourself out of the house for some fun and fresh air.
Whether you’re here for a little winter getaway, or an OU student who simply couldn’t make it home for the holidays (or wanted to avoid that weird uncle at holiday gatherings), everyone can make an adventure that’s perfect for them.
Here’s our list of fave activities for winter fun, separated by indoor and outdoor, since we all know Ohio winters are unhinged.
Outdoor: Hiking at Stroud’s Run State Park
Stroud’s Run is just outside of town – a few mile bike ride or a few minutes by car. It’s got miles of trails that surround the lake, including one with a remnant of a mound built by ancient Indigenous peoples. Hiking ranges from easy to medium-difficult (especially if it’s muddy!).
And Stroud’s has great sunsets to offer, as well as other activities. In the summer there’s the beach and boating. In the winter, if it’s cold enough for the lake to freeze over really well, it’s fun to slip and slide around on.
Location: 11661 State Park Rd, Athens, OH 45701
Indoor: Kennedy Museum of Art at The Ridges
There’s never a bad excuse to go visit the historic Ridges campus, which is one of a dwindling 20 total Kirkbride psychiatric campuses left standing today. From Kennedy’s website:
“As an academic museum with a teaching mission, the Museum provides Ohio University students, faculty and staff, as well as the greater community, with engaging and thought provoking encounters. Exhibitions, programs and events are designed to acknowledge that art is best experienced when presented in a contextual and interdisciplinary environment…
The collections include: Southwest Native American textiles, ceramics and jewelry; American paintings; drawings and photography; contemporary prints; ceramics and sculpture. Selected works within the collections have been featured in important national and international exhibitions.”
Location: 100 Ridges Cir, Athens, OH 45701
Outdoor: Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in Nelsonville
The holidays are one of the most beautiful times to go on an historic train ride. Since there aren’t any leaves on the trees, you can admire the rolling hills of Southeast Ohio properly. Bonus if it’s recently snowed when you go.
During December there are special Santa Trains where the whole family gets to go on a wintery train rides and the kids get to a visit from Santa. And there’s an awesome New Year’s Eve ride that ends in a fireworks show!
Location: 33 West Canal St, Nelsonville, OH 45764
Indoor: Bury The Axe Hatchet Throwing in Logan
Did you know there’s an axe throwing bar attached to Hungry Buffalo? Get some local eats and then go school your friends at axe throwing. There’s really nothing else to be said – nobody doesn’t like throwing axes.
Location: 12762 Grey St, Logan, OH 43138
Outdoor: Sledding at Dow Lake
There are a few solid sledding spots around Athens, but the dam at Dow Lake is arguably tops. Since it’s a manmade hillside, a good snow will get you an uninterrupted, steep slide down the hill, and without crashing into trees or flying off a ramp at the end. Unless you want to build a ramp, of course.
Bonus tip: Other good sledding spots in Athens include Jeff Hill and West Elementary
Location: Township Hwy 213A, Athens, OH 45701
Indoor: Southeast Ohio History Center in Uptown Athens
This little museum packs a big punch, and you’ll never walk into another one like it. Dedicated to the unique culture of this corner of Appalachia, the Southeast Ohio History Center curates, exhibits and preserves local artifacts and heritage, with a focus on understanding the reality of history and the multiple points of view needed to truly know where we came from.
They also offer resources on local historical records, genealogy, and research assistance. Plus, it’s located in a beautiful historic church, so you get to take in some architecture as well.
Location: 24 W State St, Athens, OH 45701
Outdoor: ATVing in Wayne National Forest
Wayne National Forest is yet another of Southeast Ohio’s natural resources packed with outdoor activities for everybody. You can rent ATVs and ride the miles and miles of forested OHV trails. Or if that’s not your thing, the horseback riding trails through Wayne are gorgeous and peaceful… unless your horse is stubborn, and you can find rental companies equipment/horses all around Hocking Hills.
Location: 13700 US 33, Nelsonville, OH 45764
Indoor: Athena Cinema on Court Street
The Athena Cinema is the center of Athens’ historic downtown, where we have over 88 designated historic buildings, by the way. In operation for well over a century, Athena Cinema is a great, super-close choice for awesome movies you’ve probably never heard of.
A mix of indie films, cult film events and cultural documentaries, they also do film series accompanied by introduction letters by the writers and directors. It’s a real small-town cinema experience.
Location: 20 South Court St, Athens, OH 45701
Outdoor: See the Sunset at Conkle’s Hollow
Y’all, there is a whole 200-ft-deep gorge just a few miles from Athens. Weird, right? Rocks are cool. This is a great little hike because you can choose a .75 mi or 2 mi trail, and the .75 mile-long one is wheelchair accessible. Conkle’s Hollow offers some of the best views of the forests of the Appalachian foothills, and the sunsets here are unmatched.
Location: 24858 Big Pine Rd, Rockbridge, OH 43149
Indoor: Movies 10 Fun Barn on 33
This little roadside gem is a local favorite. First, the Fun Barn, which is an ode to those vintage arcades where you can munch a $5 pizza while you’re snagging tickets and prizes. Second, Movies 10 is a national treasure. We’re talking $1 hot dogs and $4 movies. Seriously - $4 movies all day every day.
You could post up here for a whole day without spending more than $20. Vintage games, vintage prices, new movies. It’s tops for a day of goofy indoor fun, and it’s only 10 minutes up the highway from town.
Location: 14333 US 33, Nelsonville, OH 45764
See? You don’t have to go far to find something new to try – make sure your winter break feels like a real vacation and not just waiting to go back to classes. And go axe throwing. Seriously.