Ice Skating in Hawaii and Other Unexpected Sports Around the World
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you need to head to the usual spots. Now, you can ski in India and ice skate inside the Eiffel Tower. If you’re looking for something a little out of the ordinary, then try ice golfing or snow shovel racing. Here are a few suggestions for some unique experiences and usual spots to check out.
Ice Skate in Hawaii
You can now go ice skating in Honolulu with this new rink. (Courtesy: Ward Village)
Ice skating doesn’t have to just be a winter sport anymore. Thanks to the magic of technology you can skate amid sand and palm trees. The famous Hotel del Coronado already offered an ice rink right on the beach in San Diego. Now, you can add ice skating in Hawaii to that. A new 4,200-square foot rink at Ward Village in Honolulu offers skating from November until January 10, and holiday events. Stop by Santa’s Beach House while you’re there.
Ski in Dubai
Photo: Ski Dubai/Facebook
Skiing in the desert? That’s exactly what you can do at Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort with over 22,000 square meters of skiable snow. There are sled runs, an ice slide, and a snow play area. You can even book a penguin encounter. That’s if you get tired of skiing the five runs, which include the world’s first indoor black diamond. Just remember to change clothes before you go back outside.
Related: The Craziest Sports From All Over The World
Golf on Ice
Courtesy: Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows
How do you spot a white golf ball against white snow? You don’t. You paint the ball red. That’s just one of the things that’s different about ice golf. Since the late-1990s the Ice Golf World Championships have been contested in Uummannaq, Greenland on a 36-hole course remodeled each year. Unfortunately, the ice has been too thin to host the tournament in recent years. As an alternative, snow golf now has championships contested in Argentina and Finland. Plenty of places, like Squaw Valley resort in Tahoe, also host their own snow golf tournaments where you can test out your cold-weather swing. Or, make your own course and invite some friends to break out the clubs.
Related: Cycling Lake Tahoe: Crazy Inclines, Bears, and Even a Casino Pit Stop
Skate on the First Level of the Eiffel Tower
Courtesy: Eiffel Tower
Everyone loves to visit the Eiffel Tower. And if you’re lucky enough to visit in winter, you’ll have the unique opportunity to ice-skate 200 feet above Paris, on the first level of the famous tower. Back last year after a hiatus, the ice rink opened December 1 and will stay open through Jan. 31—and it’s free. (A ticket to climb the tower costs the usual amount. You can also buy hot chocolate and mulled wine once there.)
Race Snow Shovels
This sport didn’t take off in the X Games, but you can still compete in its championships. (Photo: Lynn Eubank/Wikimedia Commons)
Sure, regular people might race skis or sleds down a snow-covered hill. But, if you’re looking for something not quite regular, racing shovels could be for you. It’s more or less exactly what it sounds like: people sit on metal shovels and race down the snow. The sport made its one and only appearance in the Winter X Games in 1997, but with modified shovels picking up speeds of over 70 mph (and a few ugly crashes) the sport never really took off. The championships are still held at the Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico with the next ones planned February 6-7, but now with a safety caveat: no speed modifications on your shovel.
Get Chased by Reindeer
Courtesy: Fur Rondy Festival
In Spain, people run from the bulls. In Alaska, they’re chased by reindeer. Each year in Anchorage, as part of the Fur Rondy Festival, a few thousand people try to outrun Santa’s sleigh pullers. The week-long winter festival also hosts snow sculpture competitions, snowshoe softball games, and a championship sled dog race. But you’re here for the reindeer. This year’s Running of the Reindeer happens March 7 and costs $30 to enter. Costumes (or a lack of clothing altogether) are encouraged.
Powder Ski in India
Courtesy: Gulmarg Ski Resort
India may not sound like your typical ski destination, but Gulmarg Ski Resort has a growing reputation as one of the best off-the-beaten path powder destinations. There is a gondola up Mt. Apharwat, but the number of groomed runs are fairly limited. That makes it a popular spot for advanced skiers to free-ski or heli-ski. Because of the complexity of the terrain and some of the avalanche dangers in the backcountry, you may want to hire a guide or participate in a tour.
Surf Ireland
Courtesy: Irish Surfing
Surfing isn’t just for the summer and it isn’t just for warm weather. While there are plenty of interesting winter surf locations—Alaska, Iceland—one of the up-and-coming is actually best known for its green rolling hills. Ireland even has its own surfing association. The season typically runs from fall to spring, when the Atlantic swells on the west side of the island are massive. If you’re not ready for that, then start in the slightly calmer Sligo at the Strandhill Surf School. Along with a guide and some experience, the one thing you definitely need for winter surfing is plenty of warm gear.
Related: I Hate Being Wet and Cold. So Why Did I Go Surfing in Ireland in October?
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