It's time to start making plans for the holiday season. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and Christmas and the New Year are soon to follow. Many people follow family traditions and go the same place, and do the same thing each holiday. Looking to do something different this year? Here are some extreme holiday travel ideas.
Try Luging in Michigan
Live a little dangerous and try the winter sport of luging. Luging involves lying on one’s back in a sled while traveling down an icy hill at around 70+ miles per hour. Still interested? There are very few places one can luge in the United States but the state of Michigan offers two sites in which the public can try the sport.
- The Lucy Hill Naturbahn Luge Track in Ispheming, MI (in the Upper Peninsula) allows the public to use a portion of their track on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. The cost is $10 per person.
- The luging hill at the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex (in Muskegon about 45 miles north of Grand Rapids) is open to the public on Fridays from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Luge lessons are available most of the day on Saturday. Because the track is usually quite busy, reservations are highly recommended. The cost for open luge is $30 for adults, and $25 for kids. There is an additional charge for lessons.
Both sites are scheduled to open in early to mid-December (weather permitting). Participants are advised to dress warm and use shoulder pads.
Work on Your Golf Game
Golf enthusiasts would probably most want to spend the holidays fine tuning their golf game. If going someplace warm is not a possibility, consider winter golfing closer to home.
- Yellow Lake Snow Golf Event - On New Year's Day, golf diehards can enjoy a round of golf at Yellow Lake Golf Course in Danbury (northern WI). Known as the Snow Golf Event, participants will play five holes of golf in the snow with bright orange balls. Tee off is scheduled for 1 p.m and the cost for each participant is only $4.
- No need to go all the way to Florida or Hawaii to enjoy a round of golf. Although it may be a little nippy and snowy at times, many golf courses in the northeast are open during the winter season. Some courses may even offer covered, enclosed and/or heated golf carts. If looking for a little warmer weather, consider a trip to Missouri. Both Branson and Lake Ozark are wonderful places to visit during the holidays and most of their golf courses are open year round.
Dog Sledding
Alaska is not the only place to enjoy dog sledding. There are several inns, resorts and kennels in Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin that offer the activity throughout the winter season (weather permitting). It is a great activity for individuals, groups or families. One can choose to go out for just one day or for several days as a part of a travel package.
Other fun activities to try over the winter holidays include snowboarding, snow tubing, or winter camping.
