Ah, winter. For some, it's hot chocolate and staying inside by the crackling fire. For others, it's shoveling snow, freezing your tail off and darkness at 5 o'clock.

You, however, can make the best of a cold situation and have fun outside. Downhill and cross-country skiing, ice skating, hockey, snowmobiling, snowboarding, snow tubing, nature walks and a virtual buffet of other activities follow...

ICE SKATING

Outdoor Skating at County Parks

Rinks with concessions

• Oak Creek Parkway, at 6th Avenue, South Milwaukee
• "Slice of Ice" at Red Arrow Park, 920 N. Water St.
• Whitnall Park, 5879 S. 92nd St.

Additional Rinks

• Brown Deer Park
  7835 N. Green Bay Rd.
  (414) 350-7502
• Dineen Park
  6901 W. Vienna St.
  (414) 871-4020
• Greenfield Park
  2028 S. 124th St.
  (414) 327-8900
• Humboldt Park
  3000 S. Howell Ave.
  (414) 482-4270
• Jacobus Park
  6501 W. Hillside Ln.
  (414) 476-4510
• Lake Park
  3233 E. Kenwood Blvd.
• Scout Lake
  5902 W. Loomis Rd.
  (414) 257-6100
• Washington Park
  1859 N. 40th St.
  (414) 342-0215

SLEDDING/TOBOGGANING

Daytime Sledding Hills

• Columbus
  7301 W. Courtland Ave.
• Greene
  4235 S. Lipton Ave.
• Hales Corners
  5765 S. New Berlin Rd.
• LaFollette
  9418 W. Washington St.
• Maitland
  6001 S. 13th St.
• McCarty
  8214 W. Cleveland Ave.
• McGovern
  5400 N. 51st St.
• Sheridan
  4800 S. Lake Dr.
• Whitnall
  5879 S. 92nd St.
• Wilson Recreation Center
  4001 S. 20th St.

Lighted Sledding Hills (day or night sledding)

• Brown Deer
  7835 N. Green Bay Rd.
• Currie
  3535 N. Mayfair Rd.
• Dretzka
  12020 W. Bradley Rd.
• Humboldt
  3000 S. Howell Ave.
• Mitchell
  524 S. Layton Blvd. (27th Street)
• Pulaski
  2677 S. 16th St.

Tobogganing in Milwaukee County is available at Whitnall Park for a $5.50 per hour fee, which includes a toboggan and unlimited toboggan rides. Slide hours are Thursday through Friday, 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, 1-8 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. You can reserve a group outing by calling (414) 425-7303.

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING/SNOWSHOEING

There are literally hundreds of places to cross country ski in Milwaukee County and southeastern Wisconsin, but we'll give you the slightly abridged list here. All Milwaukee County parks allow free cross country skiing. Trails are open from dawn until 10 p.m.

• Brown Deer
  7835 N. Green Bay Rd.
  (414) 350-7502
• Currie Park
  3535 N. Mayfair Rd.
  (414) 257-5100
• Dretzka Park
  12020 W. Bradley Rd.
  (414) 257-5100
• Havenwoods State Forest
  6141 N. Hopkins St.
  (414) 527-0232
• Muskego
  S83 W20370 Janesville Rd., Muskego
  (262) 548-7801
• Retzer Nature Center
  W284 S1530 Rd. DT, Waukesha
  (262) 896-8007
• Schlitz Audubon Center
  1111 E. Brown Deer Rd.
  (414) 352-2880
• Whitnall Park
  5879 S. 92nd St.
  (414) 425-7303
• Wirth Park
  2585 Pilgrim Rd., Brookfield
  (262) 796-6675

DOWNHILL SKIING/SNOWBOARDING/SNOW TUBING

Cascade Mountain Ski & Snowboard Area
Cascade Mountain Rd. (just off I-90/94), Portage
(800) 992-2754
cascademountain.com

Cascase has skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing.

Crystal Ridge Ski Area (skiing)
7900 Crystal Ridge Dr. (near 76th Street and Loomis Road), Franklin (414) 529-7676

Devil's Head (skiing)
S6330 Bluff Rd., Merrimac
(608) 493-2251
devilsheadresort.com

Sunburst Ski Area (skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing)
8355 Prospect Dr., Kewaskum
(262) 626-8404
skisunburst.com

The Mountain Top Ski Hill (skiing, snowboarding)
Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva
(262) 248-8811
grandgeneva.com

Wilmot Mountain Skiing Center (skiing, snowboarding)
Hwy W, Wilmot
(262) 862-2301
24-hour snow hot line: (414) 344-2266

There's nothing like sitting outside in the cold waiting for fish to bite. The serenity, the anticipation and the fact that one rarely gets dehydrated from sweating too much. Milwaukee County and the Wisconsin DNR stock ponds in numerous county parks with fish to make the sport more enjoyable right here at home. The following parks have ice fishing available and occasionally offer ice-fishing clinics. Call (414) 257-6100 for details:

• Brown Deer
  7835 N. Green Bay Rd.
  (414) 352-7502
• Greenfield
  2028 S. 124th St.
  (414) 327-8900
• Humboldt
  3000 S. Howell Ave.
  (414) 482-4270
• McCarty
  8214 W. Cleveland Ave.
  (414) 543-5578
• McGovern
  5400 N. 51st St.
  (414) 461-0839
• Scout Lake
  5902 W. Loomis Rd.
  (414) 257-6100
• Washington
  1859 N. 40th St.
  (414) 342-0215
• Wilson
  1601 W. Howard Ave.
  (414) 257-6100

OTHER WINTER STUFF YOU CAN DO OUTSIDE

Riverside Urban Ecology Center
Riverside Park
1500 E. Park Pl.
(414) 964-8505

Why leave the city for a little nature? Right along the increasingly-accessible Milwaukee River, the Riverside Urban Ecology Center allows you to go bird-watching, observe the hardy animals in their winter activities, and hike along the river's edge through the ice and snow. Dozens of programs are offered all winter long for people of all ages. A big feature is the "Urban Adventures" program, which can you learn snowshoeing, cross country skiing, rock climbing and local issues regarding the environment. The park and center are free; programs have a varied fee schedule.

Wehr Nature Center
Whitnall Park
9701 W. College Ave., Franklin
(414) 425-8550

The wildflowers may be hibernating in the winter -- usually under snow cover -- but the trails that wind around and through this 200+-acre pleasantry offer plenty of scenery. The water and wooded environments are packed with nature including birds, deer and a flurry of other animals. Open sunrise to sunset, the Wehr Nature Center also offers educational programs for both kids and adults.

Oak Leaf Trail
Just because jogging, roller blading and bicycling are less convenient, the 96 miles of the Oak Leaf Trail offer plenty to do in the winter. Walking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and sled rides for kids; all of these things can be done on the trail when the snow flies. A trail map and activities list is available by calling (414) 257-6100.

Bong Rec Area
Hwy. 142, one mile west of Hwy 75, Kansasville
(262) 878-5600

Great for hiking and other outdoor activities, Bong also has some of the best snowmobile trails in the area.