20 Winter Things You Haven't Done in St. Louis -- But Should

Indulge in the hot beverage bar at Narwhal's.

Sure, Narwhal's crafted frozen cocktails were part of the reason we made it through the St. Louis heat. But during winter you'll love this grown up slushy bar for yet another reason: its hot beverage bar. It's just what you need to make the chilly weather more bearable. Photo by Kelly Glueck.

Meander through the Schlafly Winter Market.

Farmers markets shouldn't be limited to the warmer months. During the winter, Schlafly Farmers Market moves indoors at Schlafly Bottleworks. The Schlafly Winter Market is full of produce, including turnips, greens, scallions, meat, cheese, baked goods and more. Photo courtesy of Instagram / schlaflymarket.

Take a drive through Candy Cane Lane.

This light display isn't sponsored by a company or park -- it's the work of some dedicated St. Louis Hills residents. After Thanksgiving, the 6500 block of Murdoch Avenue becomes Candy Cane Lane, a street full of homes decked out to the nines for the holidays. You'll even get a dose of traditional Christmas music or see It's a Wonderful Life projected up on an inflatable screen. It's a sight not to be missed. Photo by Kholood Eid.

Go ice skating -- all over the city.

Steinberg Ice Rink in Forest Park is a true winter staple and not to be missed -- but St. Louis also has other rinks you may not have visited yet, including rinks at Anheuser-Busch Brewery and the Gateway Arch. With all these options, there's no excuse not to get your winter workout in -- and have fun (or at least work on your coordination) while you're at it. Photo courtesy of Instagram / vikingpunkology.

Test your useless knowledge at bar trivia.

All your favorite TV shows are on break for the season, so you no longer have an excuse to be a couch potato after work. Head out to one of your favorite bars for a round of drinks and trivia. Places ranging from Felix's Pizza Pub to iTap have been known to host trivia on a regular basis. Check bars' websites and Facebook pages to see if your favorite hangout does, too. Photo by Liz Ortmann.

Play Human Foosball at Great American Human Foosball.

Another great place to take the kids (or let's be real, all your friends)? Great American Foosball (3227 Morgan Ford Rd.). It's just what it sounds like: it's life-sized foosball, and you and your friends are the players. Read all about it here -- we have a feeling you won't want to miss this. Photo by Emily Higginbotham.

Get your game on at a bar/arcade.
If you still haven't been to Start Bar, you need to change that this winter. Sure, you can shut yourself away with a beer and your game system all winter -- but then you'd be missing out on some serious fun. Start Bar (1000 Spruce Street) features original Nintendo 64s, hand-tossed pizzas and boozy shakes. Photo by Mabel Suen.

Get your glow on at Garden Glow.

OK, so a lot of St. Louisans have been to Garden Glow, the spectacle of holiday lights that takes over the Missouri Botanical Garden during December. But it’s become such a favorite since its beginnings a few years ago that it wouldn’t be right to exclude it from our list. We recommend purchasing tickets in advance to make sure you get an entry time on the night you want. Music, food and plenty of Instagram-worthy photo opportunities await. Photo courtesy Missouri Botanical Gardens.

Treasure hunt in St. Louis' great thrift shops.

As our Best of St. Louis 2016 issue attests, the thrift shops in St. Louis are truly hard to beat. Of course, Cherokee Street's Antique Row is awash with vintage finds, but other shops such as the Green Shag Market (5733 Manchester Avenue) and The Green Goose Resale and Consignment (1267 S Laclede Station Rd., Webster Groves) should definitely be on your bucket list as well. Best of all, you can roam for hours during the winter months -- without any guilt of missing out on beautiful weather outside. Photo of Green Shag Market by Holly Ravazzolo.

Test your limits with a new workout routine.

Winter is no excuse to lay off the exercise. St. Louis is full of fun ways to get your workout in, such as aerial arts at Bumbershoot (2200 Gravois Ave.), rock climbing at Climb So Ill (1419 Carroll St.) and Upper Limits, or SkyFit workout classes at Sky Zone Trampoline Park (17379 Edison Ave., Chesterfield). Burning holiday calories has never been this much fun. Photo courtesy of Instagram / bumbershootaerialarts.

Rock out at the Pageant with El Monstero.

Get your yearly fill of Pink Floyd during El Monstero's nearly week-long run at the Pageant. If you're looking for a new 'holiday tradition' that doesn't include cliches and tinsel, this tribute band's annual show is for you. Photo by Kiernan Maletsky.

Sip some wine at one of the area's beautiful wineries.

Why only give our nearby wineries love during the summer and fall? These places are an experience in the winter as well -- just look at how gorgeous Chandler Hill Vineyards (596 Defiance Road, Defiance) looks covered in snow. Plus, wine tastes great all year round. Make a trip to Defiance, Augusta or Hermann and sip the day away. Photo courtesy of Chandler Hill Vineyards.

Go sledding on Art Hill.

Snow days in St. Louis were the best growing up. The two inches of snow on the ground supposedly made it too dangerous to make it to school -- but of course, it wasn't bad enough to make it to Art Hill (1 Fine Arts Dr.) for some serious sledding. Let's be honest, though; when was the last time you joined the kids in plunging down that glorious hill? Grab your coat and boots -- this is your year to let out your inner kid again. Photo courtesy of Flickr / Jim Rhodes

Freeze your a** off at a polar plunge.

There's nothing quite like throwing yourself into frigid waters for the sake of charity. Special Olympics Missouri hosts polar plunges in both Lake Saint Louis and Maryland Heights each year. They're fun, they're freezing and they raise money for a good cause -- why not go? Photo courtesy of Instagram / somissouri.

Let out your inner fangirl at the Cardinals Winter Warm-up.

It's not every day that you can meet your favorite Cardinals players and stock up on your autograph collection. But this annual event makes it possible -- and benefits the Cardinals Care community foundation in the process. Get details here. Photo courtesy of Instagram / cardinals.

Be a human dog sled at the Loop Ice Carnival.

Ice sucks a whole lot less when you make it the guest of honor at a block party. The Loop Ice Carnival features s'mores, snowball fights, fancy ice sculptures and, yes, that infamous human dog sled race. The carnival is always held in January, so stay tuned to the Delmar Loop website for details.

Sip bottomless cups of coffee at Meshuggah Cafe.

You may actually welcome the cold when you're curled up in one of St. Louis' great coffee shops -- and Meshuggah Cafe (6269 Delmar Blvd.) in particular is going to make sure your cup stays full this winter. The cafe calls its new bottomless option "Sip and Study" -- but we won't tell if you're not a student and just a coffee addict looking to stay warm. Plus, Meshuggah makes every cup individually to order, so you know you'll love it every time. Photo courtesy of Flickr / Marissa.

Take the kids for some free indoor fun at the Magic House.

It can be difficult to find places to go with the kids when many outdoor options are gone until spring. The fun at the Magic House, however, continues -- and some nights are completely free. Free family nights take place the third Friday of each month, and additional free nights are scheduled for the first Friday of the month. Who cares if it gets dark at five o'clock? There is still fun to be had. Photo courtesy of Instagram / themagichouse.

Cozy up around the fire at Sasha's on Shaw.

Lots of restaurants and bars have excellent fireplaces, but Sasha's is truly hard to beat. There's a beautiful one inside, of course, but if you're tired of being cooped up, huddle around the fire out on the patio. Combine that with a glass of wine, and you'll be warmed up in no time. RFT photo.