The good news is that the shortest day of the year is behind us. While we’ve sung the praises of summer in Lake Oswego on this blog, we must also be transparent and admit that yes, sometimes the winter months can seem looooooong. With colder temps, wetter weather and less daylight, summer lovers like us need to come up with a game plan to make the best of things.

Here are a few suggestions for not just surviving winter in the Portland metro area but actually enjoying it!

1. Explore some new neighborhoods on foot. This is something my wife and I have done since Covid paid us all a visit. And while we explore Lake Oswego during the week, we often venture into Portland on the weekends and have had a great time checking out neighborhoods like Alameda Ridge, Laurelhurst, Irvington and Eastmoreland. For Christmas a couple of years ago, my wife gave me a couple books that have been great resources: Walk There! edited by Laura O. Foster and Portland Stair Walks by Laura Foster as well. Believe it or not, there are lots of stairs to be discovered in Portland, especially if you find yourselves in the Westover Terraces and Nob Hill neck of the woods. Bundle up but as you find yourselves climbing, you may need to shed a few layers!
2. Go ice skating at the Winterhawks Ice Center. This iconic historic facility may be the official practice and development site for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League, but there are plenty of opportunities for public skating too. Admission rates ($25/person; $20/person for groups of five or more; Free for ages 5 and under with paid chaperone) include skate rentals. Located at 9250 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Highway in Beaverton. There is an additional location in Sherwood. Check their website for details.
3. Have fun in the snow. Lake Oswego is often blessed with a snow day or two when you can pull out your snow toys and be a kid again close to home. But if you don’t want to wait for that, make plans to head up to Mt. Hood for some snowshoeing or sledding. Warm up at Timberline Lodge with an Irish Coffee or some hot chocolate. Or register for the Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Snowshoeing or Mt. Hood XC Ski activities. Check them out online.
4. Discover a new coffee shop. One of the things my wife and I often seek out on our neighborhood excursions is coffee shops and as you can imagine, there are plenty to try in Portland. Some of our new favorites include Dear Sandy and Sisters Coffee Company .(And don’t forget our great coffee spots right here in Lake Oswego).
5. Visit the Portland Winter Light Festival. The 2025 Portland Winter Light Festival (February 7 – 15) lights up the city with large-scale interactive art installations, performances, and pop-up pieces in storefronts, retail spaces, front yards and public spaces across Portland. Anchor sites include Pioneer Courthouse Square, the World Trade Center Plaza and the Electric Blocks at SE 2^nd and Clay. You can join in the fun by decorating yourself with lights, join the Illuminated Bike Ride or the Lantern Parade. Last year over 270,000 people attended with over 90% of them saying they’d come back.

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