Your Ultimate Guide to Winter Attractions and Activities in Missouri

Wintertime in Missouri promises so many magical moments - from the peaceful silence after the first snowfall and marveling at the glittering skyline in Kansas City to strolling down snow-dusted Main Streets as we go Christmas shopping. While we might not all love the return of the cold and the snow, we can likely agree that winter in Missouri offers a ton of fun and plenty of memorable moments, even if we're just curled up under our favorite blanket, watching the snow fall outside. When you're ready for adventure, here are some of the best things to do in the winter in Missouri.

Holiday Events In Missouri

Certainly one of the highlights of winter, the holiday season is usually jam-packed with things to do. While Christmas shopping, cooking, baking, and decorating can fill up much of our time, we sometimes need to slow down and soak up the season with family and friends. Get in the holiday spirit with one of the best walk-thru or drive-thru Christmas light displays in Missouri, and bring the whole family to one of the best Christmas festivals in Missouri. Here are some holiday events in Missouri to help get you started.

1. Winter Wonderland

• Location: St. Louis
• Popularity: Extremely popular, expect crowds, especially 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• Price: Family vehicle (including cars, minivans, pickup trucks, and SUVs) $20

Make the car toasty; turn up the Christmas carols, and slowly drive through the Winter Wonderland of Tilles Park in St. Louis, one of the best winter attractions in Missouri. The beloved drive-thru Christmas lights display in Missouri has been a staple since 1987. Marvel at the more than one million lights and 100 Christmas light displays as you drive through light tunnels and past beloved holiday characters. Tickets can be purchased in advance. (Please note: If you buy tickets online, you must pay a convenience fee.) Winter Wonderland runs daily, except on Christmas Eve, from late November through December 30. Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

2. Christmas Lights In The Park

• Location: Moberly
• Popularity: Popular. Expect a wait, especially on weekends.
• Price: Free

Start a new tradition with a drive through Christmas Lights in the Park at Rothwell Park in Moberly. The free event offers an idyllic way to get into the Christmas spirit as you wind past more than 100 Christmas displays and thousands of dazzling lights. The drive-thru light display in Missouri will run on select nights during the first two weeks in December. If you're wondering what's winter like in Missouri, well, during the holidays, it's simply magical. Add Christmas Light In The Park to your holiday bucket list.

3. Santa’s Magical Kingdom

• Location: Eureka
• Popularity: Can get really busy, especially on the weekends
• Price: $35 (family vehicle); $50 (passenger van, transport van, small bus)

Pile the whole family in the car for a magical Christmastime adventure at Santa's Magical Kingdom. The drive-thru Christmas lights display in Missouri boasts more than four million twinkling lights, a tunnel of lights, and a lights waterfall. Keep the magic going after your drive by heading into Jellystone Park for more holiday fun. Santa's on hand to listen to Christmas wishes; visit Kringle's Store, and indulge in a seasonal treat. Climb aboard a train or a wagon ride, too. Santa's Magical Kingdom runs from mid-November through early January. Hours vary depending on the day and the time of the season.

4. Powell Gardens

• Location: Kingsville
• Popularity: Can get extremely busy during the weekend
• Price: Depends on the day. Children four and younger are free. $10 parking.

Bundle up for a stroll through the Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens, one of the most beloved winter attractions in Missouri that runs from mid-November through early January. Whether starting or continuing a beloved Christmastime tradition, take your time as you meander through light tunnels and past glittering Christmas trees. The 1.5-mile trail of Christmas lights usually takes about an hour to explore. Powell Gardens lights up on select days throughout the season.

5. Silver Dollar City

• Location: Branson
• Popularity: Extremely popular, especially on the weekends
• Price: Tickets for adults are $92; children 4-11 and seniors cost $82. Additional activities and events may cost extra.

Step into a winter wonderland of millions of twinkling lights, Christmas trees, and seasonal entertainment at An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City. Boasting more than 6.5 million lights, Silver Dollar City promises a ton of fun, including visits with Santa, a Christmas parade, family-friendly entertainment, and delicious food. An Old Time Christmas runs from early November through early January. Hours vary depending on the day. One of my favorite ways to celebrate the holidays is to stroll through my favorite amusement park, gazing at the millions of glittering lights, snapping photos of my favorite characters like Rudolph, and indulging in the season's tastiest treats.

6. Grant’s Farm Holiday Lights

• Location: St. Louis
• Popularity: Can get quite busy
• Price: Tickets start at $12. Children three and younger are free.

Make the most of the merry season with a visit to Grant's Farm in St. Louis. Whether you drive or walk through the farm aglow with more than one million lights, you're sure to get into the Christmas spirit. You can book a carriage ride that will take you on a magical journey to see the lights or warm up next to your very own VIP fire pit. Or how about surprising the kiddos with breakfast with Santa? Grant's Farm's Christmas celebration, one of the best things to do in the winter in Missouri, runs from late November through late December.

Christmas Towns In Missouri

Because the Christmas season is usually quite short compared to all there is to do, we must carefully plan our calendars, so we don't miss out on any of the many Christmas events and activities in Missouri. If you have a free day or a weekend, plan a getaway to one of these enchanting Christmas towns in Missouri, where you'll feel like you've stepped back through the pages of time. (You'll even find some of the best free things to do in the winter in Missouri in these picturesque towns.)

7. Hannibal

• Location: Hannibal
• Popularity: Can get busy
• Price: $2 admission to the Feztival of Trees

Journey back through time with a Christmastime visit to Hannibal. The charming small town in Missouri hosts the Victorian Festival of Christmas in Historic Downtown Hannibal, an epic holiday celebration that runs on select days from late November through mid-December. Festivities include living windows, horse and carriage rides, and a Feztival of Trees. Earmark some time, too, to explore the historic downtown, where you can do a bit of Christmas shopping and indulge in a delicious meal.

8. Branson

• Location: Branson
• Popularity: Can get very busy, depending on the attraction
• Price: Varies

With its jam-packed schedule of activities and events, Branson just might deserve the title of the Christmas Capital of Missouri. Visit Silver Dollar City for its epic Old Time Christmas celebration (and more than 6.5 million lights). Follow one of the town's drive-thru light displays, like Shepherd of the Hills' Trail of Lights. Go Christmas shopping in the historic downtown, or ride the Polar Express with Santa (and the Branson Scenic Railway).

9. Independence

• Location: Independence
• Popularity: Can get busy during the holidays
• Price: Varies, depending on activity.

Celebrate the Christmas season with a visit to the bustling town of Independence. Get into the holiday spirit with a tour of Vaile Mansion, which gets all decked out for the Christmas season. Tours are offered from late November through the end of December. Put on your hiking shoes for the Annual Winter Solstice Torch Lit Hike in early December. The trail, illuminated by torches, winds through George Owen Nature Park and is dotted with ice sculptures. Stay warm with a cup of hot chocolate, too. Save some time to walk around town to admire the Christmas decorations. If you haven't started or finished your Christmas shopping yet, find some unique holiday gifts in this charming town in Missouri.

Outdoor Activities

Some of the best winter activities in Missouri offer us the chance to enjoy the fresh air and the freshly fallen snow (if we're lucky). Missouri boasts some of the best sledding hills - can you say Art Hill at Forest Park in St. Louis - and epic snow tubing parks that will transform those cold and snowy days in Missouri into action-packed adventures. Here are just a few of the best family things to do in the winter in Missouri.

10. Steinberg Ice Skating Rink

• Location: St. Louis
• Popularity: Can get busy, especially on weekends
• Price: $10 admission; $6 skate rental; walkers $10; penguins $15

Billed as the largest ice skating rink in the Midwest with 27,600 square feet, Steinberg Ice Skating Rink is the place to go for a day of fun gliding around the ice. The rink offers all-day skating. Take a break to warm up near the firepit, and recharge with a hot drink and a snack. Skating lessons are also available. The rink is generally open seasonally from mid-November through early March. (From May through October, the rink offers roller skating.)

11. Summit Rink

• Location: Lee’s Summit
• Popularity: Can get busy
• Price: $12/$9 for Lee's Summit residents; skate rental $4

Glide around the rink at Summit Ice, one of the best winter attractions in Missouri. The 8,000-square-foot outdoor skating rink also features fire pits and a patio with plenty of seating. When you need a breather, grab a bite to eat from the concession stand and relax on the patio. It's certainly one of the best cheap things to do in Missouri in winter. Summit Ice generally opens in late November.

12. Hidden Valley Ski Resort

• Location: Eureka
• Popularity: Two-hour sessions are offered to prevent overcrowding.
• Price: Online tickets start at $37

Bundle up for one of the best family things to do in Missouri in winter when you go snow tubing at Polar Plunge Tubing Park at Hidden Valley Ski Resort. Tickets are sold in two-hour sessions, so you can zip down the hill as many times as you want. Catch your breath as the conveyor belt takes you back to the top to do it all over again. If you need more of a break, warm up by one of the roaring fire pits.

13. Snow Creek Ski Area

• Location: Weston
• Popularity: Extremely popular. Buy tickets in advance as they often sell out on the weekends and holidays.
• Price: Tickets are not yet on sale for the season.

Get ready for a day of fast-paced fun at Snow Creek, where you can go snow tubing or skiing. Timed tickets can be purchased in advance for your rides down the 700-foot hill. Go up the conveyor belt, and go back down again...and again. Skiing is also popular at this winter park. The season typically begins in mid-December.

Winter Getaways

While most people count down the days until their summer vacations, there's something so enchanting and tranquil about a winter getaway. Escaping to a cozy cabin or a lively resort the whole family will love adds an extra bit of magic to the season. Here are some of the best winter getaways in Missouri.

14. River of Life Farm

• Location: Dora
• Popularity: Can get busy
• Price: Starting at $259 per night for two guests

For one of the most romantic things to do in Missouri in winter, plan a getaway to River of Life Farm, where you can stay cozy in one of its treehouses or cabins. The Missouri resort offers a variety of accommodations for two to six guests. When you're not staying warm in your home-away-from-home, explore the farm on one of the snow-dusted hiking trails, or go stargazing. (River of Life Farm boasts some of the best stargazing in Missouri.)

15. Fair Winds Cabin Resort

• Location: Cherryville
• Popularity: Can get busy
• Price: Starting at $159

Check into a charming cabin for a winter getaway at Fair Winds Cabin Resort. All cabins promise luxury with some featuring a fireplace or a Jacuzzi. If it's not too cold, sit on the rocking chair on the front porch and watch the snowfall.

16. Grand Country Resort

• Location: Branson
• Popularity: Popular
• Price: Special packages are often available

Treat the whole family to a blast of summer in the middle of winter with a visit to Grand Country Resort in Branson. While the snow's falling outside, stand under a tipping bucket or float in the crystal-clear pool. The resort offers a full menu of family-friendly amenities, including bowling, a movie theater, laser tag, and indoor go-karts. Dig into some of the best food in Branson, too, at this resort that has a buffet, a pizza joint, and a restaurant that grills all of the favorites, including burgers.

What are your favorite things to do in Missouri in winter? Let us know in the comments by filling out this nomination form. On the hunt for more free things to do in the winter in Missouri? How about going on a refreshing winter hike? Check out the best winter hikes in Missouri. Some Missouri trails even allow snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. For more hikes, stop by AllTrails.