Skiing and snowboarding tend to get most of the attention once winter hits, but the reality is that there are plenty of active activities to enjoy when the temperatures drop.

If you’re trying a winter sport for the first time, you’ll want to find a location with consistent cold conditions, scenic terrain, and no crowds so you can learn a new skill without an audience. For your next trip, try one of these winter sports destinations for a comfortable, crowd-free getaway.

1. Quebec, Canada

• Sport to try: Night sledding
• Ideal for: Night owls in search of thrills; families try to tire their children out before going to bed

Be honest, when was the last time you went sledding? If your memories involve elementary school, it’s time to rethink the idea that sledding is just for kids. Screams of all ages echo through the night The Charlevoix Massifa ski resort just northeast of Quebec City, where visitors don their headlamps before hurtling down Mount Liguori on a 4.6-mile trail filled with twists and turns. There are no giant slabs of plastic here. Your vehicle of choice is an old-fashioned European-style wooden sled with runners, offering a sled-like ride that reaches speeds of up to 50 mph.

Where to stay: Club Med Quebec Charlevoix

Most think sun and sand when it comes to all-inclusive, but what’s simpler than a winter vacation that includes all your gear, classes, gear, meals, and activities? The first Club Med resort in North America offers a privileged mountain location, elegant Quebec cuisine and Exclusive Collection Suites with separate living rooms and balconies overlooking the St. Lawrence River.

Photo by jackbolla/Shutterstock (left); photo by Roberto Caucino/Shutterstock (right)

2. Aosta Valley, Italy

• Sport to try: Ice climbing
• Ideal for: Those looking for a good workout while on vacation; that classic Euro-Alpine vibe

A two-hour drive north of Turin is the charming village of Cogne, Italy, a favorite of ice climbers from all over Europe. Although the area attracts a diverse crowd, you won’t have to fight for space as there are more than 150 sparkling, frozen waterfalls to climb in the Valnontey and Lillaz valleys. Due to its popularity among this niche group, there are 142 well-mapped ice routes you can try, but if it’s your first time, you’ll want to book a day trip which includes a guide that will help you find rental gear and the best falls to climb based on your skill level.

Where to stay: Bellevue Hotel & Spa Cogne

If you’re going to work hard climbing frozen waterfalls during the day, treat yourself to a little luxury at night. This Relais & Château property offers one of Italy’s best spas to soothe tired muscles after hours on the ice, including Turkish and Roman baths, saunas, clay baths and a huge heated mineral salt pool .

Photo by Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock

3. Lake Placid, New York

• Sport to try: ice skating
• Ideal for: Olympic Games fans, history buffs, ice skaters who prefer a natural surface

We admit that skating at an Olympic-level venue is a pretty cool experience that can attract crowds, but a short wait will be worth it so you can brag about sliding on the same ice as five-time gold medalist Eric Heiden. Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, and the town is now a time capsule of sorts for those famous events.

Overlooking the James C. Sheffield Speed ​​Skating Oval (where there are daily public skating hours) is the Lake Placid Olympic Museumwhere you can take a close look at the different medal designs from past Winter Olympics. In the same building, you can skate at the United States Ice Rink, where the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” gold medal game between the American and Soviet men’s ice hockey teams took place. However, if the day is perfectly snowy, go out on natural ice at Mirror Lakea frozen lake surrounded by pines and balsam firs.

Where to stay: Grand Adirondack Hotel

Although conveniently located on Main Street, right in the heart of Lake Placid Village (and just steps from the Olympic speed skating oval), the Grand Adirondack Hotel has a sleepy, chic camp vibe. with plush leather sofas and fireplaces in the gathering spaces, tartan upholstered headboards, patterned quilts, and a moody and cool kids’ bar and restaurant on the ground floor.

Courtesy of Ricky Beron/Unsplash

4. Big Sky, Montana

• Sport to try: Dog sledding
• Ideal for: dog lover

The powder piles of Big Sky are a veritable playground for Alaskan huskies, and they love nothing more than leading screaming families through Montana’s wild wilderness. Spirit of the North takes guests on a serene two-hour journey through the snow-covered Moonlight Basin, stopping halfway for hot chocolate and cookies. You can choose to sit back and relax during the ride, or join your guide to “squash” the puppies along the trail.

Where to stay: Summit Hotel

You literally can’t sleep any closer to Lone Mountain, the main mountain in Big Sky Hotelthan the Summit Hotel unless you sleep outside. Wake up each morning to magnificent summit views from a cozy queen studio with fireplace and kitchen.

5. Kainuu, Finland

• Sport to try: Racket
• Ideal for: Active adults, those who want to soak up unspoiled views of frozen landscapes

Here’s some good news: if you can walk, you can racket. That said, the way to differentiate this hike from a typical snow hike is to find a destination where you can be alone in the powerful silence of a snowy landscape. Head southeast from Finnish Lapland to the remote region of Kainuu, near the Russian border, and you can wander among virtually untouched frozen lakes and ancient forests. Choose to take on beginner trails, like the 3.5km Kaupunginlampi Snowshoe Trail, or cozy up to a casual evening sauna on a trip with Upitrek.

Where to stay: Hotel Kalevala

This lakeside hotel is the perfect starting point for any winter adventure in Kainuu. It offers several guided winter activities, including fatbiking, ice fishing, and snowmobile safaris, but if you’d rather relax in the outdoor hot tub or the peat and infrared saunas, we don’t blame you.