After a busy summer and with winter weather restricting outdoor activities, it can be easy to stop making the most of your days. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some cozy downtime during the chilly season, but we wanted to remind you of all the wonderful activities you can do indoors to maintain well-rounded wellness all winter!
Retreat and Relax
If you’re truly in need of a rest, why not escape the humdrum for a few days and enjoy a relaxing stay at some local lodging?
Semiahmoo Resort, Golf, & Spa is perched on a peninsula surrounded by the Salish Sea. In winter, they invite you to experience a “Cozy-ahmoo” getaway, with tons of indoor activities. There’s dining at Seaview Cafe, where you can sip and sup next to a roaring fireplace; a hot tub and partially-indoor heated pool; a salon and spa to help you feel your best; fitness classes and indoor pickleball; movie nights at their movie theater; and seasonal events and holiday gatherings for a little extra cheer!
If you have a “work hard, play hard” philosophy, Silver Reef Casino Resort is ready to welcome you for an invigorating stay! On top of their resort rooms, spa, plentiful dining options, and concerts and events, they boast 15 table games, more than 1,000 slot machines, and the Silver Reef Sportsbook.
Alternatively, if your perfect weekend away involves a wintry cabin in the woods and some peace and quiet, escape to Knotty Lodge in Glacier (available for rent on vrbo.com). Close to Mount Baker, this three-bedroom sleeps up to six people, and offers rustic vibes with modern amenities, including a flatscreen TV over the fireplace, a gadget-stocked kitchen, and a hot tub. It’s the perfect place to cozy up for board games, a good book, and intentional time spent with loved ones.
Indoor and Active
If your usual exercise is done outdoors, look into these fun indoor activities to get your heart pumping!
Not up for taking a polar plunge? Swim indoors at Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, Whatcom Family YMCA, or Bellingham Athletic Club in Bellingham, Fidalgo Pool & Fitness Center in Anacortes, or the newly built (and long-awaited) Lopez Swim Center on Lopez Island! Opened just this year, Lopez Swim Center features both a four-lane lap pool and a warmed wellness, teaching, and recreational pool. Although they’re open-air in the summer, they use a heated fabric Arizon dome to keep the pool open year-round.
Explore some fun fitness options! Take a martial arts class at La Conner Fitness and MMA, exercise elegantly with a Barre workout at Barre3 or Bespoke Studio in Bellingham, scurry up some indoor climbing walls at Endurance Climbing Gym in Burlington or VITAL Climbing Gym in Bellingham, or try out infrared hot yoga or aerial yoga at Flow Motion in Ferndale. Flow Motion in particular could become your hub for whole-person winter wellness. In addition to yoga, their spa features a sauna, salt cave, crystal cave, massage loungers, and a social parlor with tea and reservable snack options.
Enriching and Artsy
Part of winter wellness is keeping your mind active! Take in the arts and learn new things, all while staying out of the cold.
Spend a lovely few hours walking the halls of Whatcom Museum in Bellingham, the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, or the San Juan Islands Museum of Art in Friday Harbor. At the Jansen Art Center in Lynden, you can fill a day with exhibit perusing, class taking, and concert attending, all in one place!
For a different way to enjoy theatre, find and follow local theatre start-up Shakes-Bar (linktr.ee/bhamshakesbar). They popped up late this summer, putting on a production of “Much Ado About Nothing” at The Blue Room and The Upfront Theatre in Bellingham. The Upfront, a nonprofit improv theatre, is the perfect place to fight off any seasonal blues with big bouts of laughter!
Every Tuesday, practice the age-old skill of drawing live models with Life Drawing Bellingham at local indie venue Karate Church. Each session lasts from 6:30–9 p.m., costs $20 at the door, and is open to drawers of all levels, with basic art materials provided!
Personal Polish
Spend some restorative time at these local businesses to feel better than ever come New Year’s!
Hydrate and replenish yourself through IV treatments at Peak Hydration and Restore Hyper Wellness in Bellingham. Renew your look at Cherry Bomb Esthetics and Tattoo in Bellingham and nail-focused Moonberri Spa in Blaine. Work through body aches at Bellingham Integrative Massage and Perfect Touch Wellness in Mount Vernon.
Photographs by Donna James Photography, Celina Meza, Ali Scarsella, and Dani Winters Photography; additional photo courtesy of Semiahmoo Resort
