Every area of the country is famous for a certain type of weather. You’ll find dry, intimidating heat in the southwest, lots and lots of rain in the northwest, and humidity in the southeast. The northeast–and New England, in particular–has four distinct seasons on its calendar year. Winter, for many, is the most special.

Beautiful landscapes and snow that’s occasionally measured in feet present opportunities for adventure and relaxation.

With the holidays in the rearview mirror, we now focus on the long, cold season ahead. So, today, we present 10 must-do winter excursions in New England. It would be tough to do them all in one year, so space it out and make a checklist. See what you think:

1. Ski down Mt. Mansfield in Stowe, VT. Vermont’s highest peak at 4,395 ft, Mt. Mansfield offers a collection of trails for everyone from novices to experts. Stowe also has restaurants and shops as far as the eye can see, so it’s a natural vacation destination.
2. Make a snowman on a beach. There are several fantastic beaches up and down the New England coast. Pick one, find some snow, and get your camera out. There’s nothing quite like a photo with a snowman in front of the ocean.
3. Spend a night at the Mt. Washington Resort at Bretton Woods, NH. The views alone are well worth the trip to the northern part of the Granite State. Sleigh rides and snowmobiling will keep you busy as you crane your neck to see the tip of Mt. Washington at 6,288 ft. Be careful if you hike it, though, as the wind once blew 231 miles per hour there back in 1934.
4. Go shopping in Boston. The sights, sounds, hustle, and bustle of the holiday season make Beantown an ideal shopping trip. Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, and Newbury St. provide an array of activities and more history than you can handle.
5. Take a tour of The Breakers mansion in Newport, RI. Owned by the Vanderbilt family, this 70-room “summer home” and its elegant beauty is well worth the trip to the Ocean State. With the famous Cliff Walk in the background, this one definitely qualifies as a winter wonderland.
6. Check out Cape Neddick (or Nubble) Light in York, ME. One of the most picturesque lighthouses in New England is only a quick trip over the border and a sight to see when covered in snow. The charming town of York and the surrounding area will give you plenty to do after you get your fill of the light.
7. Eat some clam “chowda.” It’s best to do this somewhere in Massachusetts, but that’s really up to you. But there’s nothing quite like a hearty, local helping to warm up your bones and make you feel like a true New England-ah.
8. Go ice skating at Rockefeller Center. What’s that? New York isn’t part of New England? Well, no, but it is close enough to Connecticut that we’ll let it slide. Pirouetting on the ice, coupled with a triple lutz or two, will create memories well into spring and summer.
9. Take a sleigh ride at Adams Farm in Wilmington, VT. After a day on the slopes, what could be better than hot cocoa and a view of the stars? Horses have been pulling the sleighs to and from a postcard-like log cabin since 1980.
10. Put a coin in a slot machine at Foxwoods in Ledyard, CT. Be careful on Route 2, the road that leads to the casino, which can be tricky in the winter. But with a little luck, you’ll leave with enough money to never have to deal with winter again.