These are the coolest winter adventures across America

Atlanta might not see much snow during an average winter, if they even see any at all, but just because this Southern city doesn't freeze over doesn't mean you can't have winter fun! Stone Mountain Park turns into snowy wonderland, with a snow zone for snowman-building and snowball fights and snow tubing down the park's Memorial Lawn (with massive tubes that can fit the whole family). The snow, which they freshen up regularly, generally lasts from November until the end of February, along with a great Christmas display that runs until January, adding to the fun.

For a classic winter experience, head to West Virginia's Timberline Four Seasons Resort. It's got tons to keep even the most avid powder fan entertained, with 41 trails (including the 2-mile long Salamander Run and the highest average vertical drop of any resort south of New England), two terrain parks, ski-in/ski-out chalets, plenty of competitions and classes, and tons more. They even have a farm-to-table restaurant onsite and live entertainment in the pub on weekends!

For the most unforgettable sledding experience of your life, head to the former Winter Olympics town of Lake Placid to take a spin on their toboggan chute. It's 30 feet tall, and sends riders speeding down the icy track and out onto the frozen Mirror Lake for up to 1,000 feet. The rest of Lake Placid is a haven for winter-lovers in general as well: skiing, snowmobiling, ice climbing, snowshoeing, and ice skating are all popular activities once the snowy season sets in.

Mt. Hood is known for its awesome summer skiing scene (it's one of the best spots in the world for year-round snow), but it's absolutely incredible to visit in the winter. The Mt. Hood Skibowl has 65 awesome runs in the Mt. Hood National Forest, 34 of which are fully lit, making it America's largest night-skiing area. They also have cosmic snow tubing, where the slopes are lit up in bright colors at night, which is a totally crazy experience!

If you've ever been in a hot tub during the winter, then you have an idea of how magical it is to soak in a natural hot spring when it's cold out. Miracle Hot Springs is a great spot for a winter dip: they have general admission pools, one of which is kept at a toasty 105 degrees Fahrenheit, in addition to a few private pools with adjustable temperatures. They even have VIP pools that can fit larger groups!

Right outside the Colorado town of Ouray is a gorge that gets turned into a frosty wonderland each year. The Ouray Ice Park is totally man-made, and the process of building up enough ice to climb is actually fascinating. The view into the canyon is pretty breathtaking, and if you're an ice climber yourself, you'll definitely want to bring your gear. They also have an Ice Festival here in January of each year, which is a total blast. Even if you don't ice climb, it's still fun to watch the professionals at work!

If you're a person who would rather hang out in the lodge, cuddled up by the fire, then spend some time this winter looking for an incredible cup of hot chocolate. Kakawa Chocolate House in Santa Fe is notable for their "drinking chocolates" drawn from old recipes. They have one style that's based on the version of hot chocolate that was consumed by pre-Columbian Native Americans, another that's inspired by Old World 17th-century European recipes (think French Lavender hot chocolate, or something Marie Antoinette might have enjoyed) and even one based on the drinking chocolate recipe that Thomas Jefferson used! They can be quite different than your average cup of cocoa, with earthy, herbal, and even spicy notes, but they're delicious.