Best Things to Do in Winthrop WA in Winter

I love visiting the Methow Valley during the snowy season because there are so many things to do in Winthrop, WA in winter. This area about 4.5 hours east of Seattle is one of the largest cross-country skiing trail networks in the US thanks to its perfect landscape and climate. But even if you aren’t as into winter sports, there’s a ton to do in Winthrop.

Here are my favorite things to do in Winthrop, WA in winter.

Things to Do in Winthrop, WA in Winter

Wondering how to fit this all into an itinerary? I’m a licensed personal travel planner. Let me plan your perfect trip! But if you want to plan a trip yourself, save this to Pinterest for later!

Do some cross-country skiing or snowshoeing

Winthrop is home to the largest network of groomed ski trails in the US. There are also a ton of snowshoeing trail options.

Methow Trails outlines everything you need, from where to find tickets and rentals to maps and details about each trail’s level of difficulty. You can get passes and rentals pretty much anywhere in downtown Winthrop and luckily they’re all around $66 per person, per day for skis and passes.

Read my guide to cross-country skiing in Washington for details on my favorite trails.

Attend a hot air balloon festival

If you’re visiting the first weekend in March, consider checking out the Winthrop Hot Air Ballon Festival. You can book a hot air balloon ride, but you can also just go to enjoy the beautiful landscape dotted with colorful balloons or attend the nighttime balloon glow where they blow up hot air balloons in the middle of the street!

Try downhill skiing or snowboarding

I always thought there wasn’t downhill skiing in the Methow Valley, but I eventually learned that Loup Loup Ski Bowl about 20 minutes east of Twisp is the go-to for locals. While it’s small, there are just enough variety of trails to make it perfect for beginners.

Go tubing

One of the best things to do in Winthrop, WA during the winter is catch thrills by sledding. In addition to downhill skiing, Loup Loup Ski Bowl also offers tubing and an ice luge perfect for the whole family.

Enjoy ice skating

Near downtown Winthrop you’ll find a happening outdoor ice rink. There are often hockey leagues and a raucous crowd cheering, but they also offer public skate times. Skate rentals run only about $5, so no need to bring your own!

Eat at one of Winthrop’s many great restaurants

There are surprisingly a lot of great restaurants in Winthrop, WA. From casual bakeries to fancier farm-to-table restaurants, here are some of my favorite spots to eat in Winthrop:

Linwood – Southeast Asian takeout-only spot in Twisp
Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon – Dive bar with great brunch
The Little Dipper Cafe – Tiny coffee shop with yummy grab-and-go breakfast

Rent a fatbike

We always see fatbikers riding along the trails next to the cross-country skiing paths. As it sounds, you’re on a bike with thicker tires to handle the snowy conditions.

You can rent fatbikes at Methow Cycle Sports and follow the trail maps they provide.

Catch views from a helicopter

A Seattle bucket list adventure is to see the city from above. While you’re a bit far from Seattle, you can take a helicopter ride from Mazama about 20 minutes north of Winthrop with North Cascade Heli Ski. Choose to do a helicopter tour or try some heli sking.

Grab a beer at Old Schoolhouse Brewery

After all your eating and cross-country skiing, you’ll likely be thirsty. Consider checking out Old Schoolhouse Brewery. It’s right in downtown Winthrop and offers locally brewed beers that you can sample via a 4-beer flight.

They also have a sister pub called Mazama Public House a bit north of Winthrop. It has a great outdoor fireplace situation, so it’s fun on a warm winter day.

Enjoy wine tasting at Lost River Winery

If beer and isn’t your thing, or if you just like enjoying all of the world’s liquid pleasures, head to the Lost River Winery tasting room. Wine tastings are $10 per person, waived with a bottle purchase. They serve a variety of whites, roses, and reds from their family-run operation.

Rent snowmobiles

If you love speed, consider renting snowmobiles with Snow Mobile Winthrop. You can choose between two hour, half day, or full day rentals to take on a self-guided or guided tour.

Explore the shops in downtown Winthrop

One of my favorite things to do in Winthrop, WA is explore the quaint little shops. Downtown Winthrop, WA is actually bigger than I thought it’d be. It’s not big by any means (you can walk the length of it in 5 minutes), but we drove in from Twisp and thought the restaurants and shops scattered on WA-20 were all there would be.

You can explore all the shops in downtown Winthrop in about an hour. Most of the businesses are restaurants or outdoor gear outfitters, but there were a few cute places we recommend you check out.

Gathered – A boutique that curates handmade goods from all over the US and the PNW
Aspen Grove – Another carefully-curated shop focuses more on home and kitchen goods
Courtyard Quail – A gift shop with shabby chic home goods

Take a side trip to Lake Chelan for wine tasting

You know I love my wine. You can make the 60-ish minute drive to Lake Chelan to explore some of my favorite wineries. I wrote a roundup of the best wineries in Lake Chelan you can use as your guide.

Some wineries take a winter break, so make sure to check hours before arriving. There are also a ton of things to do in Lake Chelan in winter if you want to add more wintry activities. No matter the season, make sure to leave time for visiting the best restaurants in Lake Chelan.

Stop in Cashmere for some antiquing

On the way to and from Winthrop, you’ll pass through the small town of Cashmere. Right on route 2 are two antique malls across the street from each other: The Antiques Mall at Cashmere and Apple Annie’s Antique Gallery.

If you’re a serious home decor vintage lover like me, plan to spend at least 2-3 hours exploring these gems. Apple Annie’s is huge, with over 70,000 square feet of goods. I literally cackled when we walked in and kept saying, “Sorry babe, but we’re exploring every aisle,”. We made it, but let me tell you, it started feeling like a slog even for me! Make sure you eat before coming here because you’ll need the energy!

More to do around Winthrop

There are a ton of quaint places to visit on your way to Winthrop from Seattle. After you check out all these things to do in Winthrop in winter, add some of these ideas to your list!