8 . Four Best Outdoor Winter Activities Around the Midwest

Don’t let winter freeze you out. When the outside ices over, Midwesterners should take advantage of it. Look through our list and find the season’s coolest activities.

Once you walk, the ice talks, or rather, sings. When you step onto a frozen lake (remember, the ice must be at least 4 inches thick), it responds with different sounds. Even in the stillness of winters, the lake reminds you it’s still here—and still alive.

To all Queen Elsa’s fans: Your palaces are waiting for you. Ice artists here have carved walk-through castles with underground passages, slides and frozen fountains looking like natural formations. At night, colorful LEDs light up the ice. Take a seat on an ice throne—the cold never bothers you anyway.

Live out your Beijing 2022 fantasies at the Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park. Three-time Olympian Frank Masley designed an 850-foot long track where green hands are accepted. Sleds can reach speeds of up to 30 mph on it. Come and enjoy this unique experience!

In the clear blue sky, a school of fish is streaming in the wind, tailed by a hungry, fierce dragon. Look up, and you’re floating in a fantasy world. Look down, and you realize you’re grounded—on solid ice. Clear Lake’s Color the Wind kite festival began about 20 years ago to brighten up dull winter days.

9 . Visiting Rome? Insiders share tips on hotels

To really discover the best of Rome, there’s a lot of walking to do, so choosing a hotel in the city center is wise.

Hotel Lunetta Rome

This four-star hotel near Campo de’ Fiori will surprise you with its modern black and- white marble（大理石）interiors （内部），but it’s an amazement in the basement that’ll have you posting on Facebook - the ancient Roman walls of the Theater of Pompey. Hotel Lunetta doesn’t have a restaurant, but there’s a health spa for guests.

Hotel Campo de’ Fiori

The best thing about this hotel is its private rooftop terrace（露台）, with a 360-degree city view so good that people sit up there even on cold winter evenings. Guests are positively encouraged by the hotel’s friendly staff to take a book, a bottle of wine or a pizza to the roof. This homey, four-star hotel has comfortable baroque（巴洛克式）-style rooms. The hotel is about 10 meters from historic Campo de’ Fiori.

Brunetti 28 Guest House

This pricey family - run guest house is a short walk from Piazza del Popolo but also a stone’s throw from the Museo dell’ Ara Pacis. Brunetti 28 has seven rooms on two floors. The double rooms aren’t huge, but they’re big enough and well appointed. Guests can breakfast on a small terrace（排屋）in summer, or return there after a long day of walking around the city.

Hotel Sunset Roma

This modest guesthouse is a good spot from which to see the best of Rome in the day and explore the narrow streets of Monti in the evening. With its small bars, this neighbourhood has an old Rome feel to it. Its airy rooms are a cheaper alternative to some of the city’s grand hotels. The hotel is on the street that runs between Via Nazionale and the Colosseum.

10 . Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is open year-round to visitors, though experiences differ depending on the season you visit.

March-May: Snow can continue to fall into March and many of the roads may remain closed, with ploughing usually beginning some time in April. Hiking conditions at this time are wet. You won’t find many crowds, for good reason.

June-August: The busiest time of year in the park is July and August, as families arrive in their droves and temperatures rise up into the mid-20s (℃). Backcountry trails are fully open and this is the ideal time to go hiking.

September-October: By September, the weather is pretty mild (highs of 19℃ in September). Bears can be spotted by roadside as they try desperately to fatten up before winter.

November-February: Temperatures can drop below zero, but this also yields some unique experiences. Elk and bison are already migrating in impressive herds and this is a great time for wolf spotting-their dark coats are much easier to see against a white backdrop of snow. Wolf-tracking trips are a must.

Cost of travel

Entrance fees for Yellowstone are £16 for individuals and an additional £30 for a car. Campsites vary in price, costing as little as £12.50 per night.

Accommodation

During the peak summer months, prices rise and rooms are booked up long in advance. In winter just a handful of the park’s lodges remain open.