5 Wild Winter Weekend Trips

Cold temperatures, the early onset of night and snow are upon much of the country, signaling the unofficial start of winter. Instead of skiing and sledding, take advantage of some of the unique activities the world has to offer. There is fun to be had for sporty types, tourists and even film buffs.

Polar Bear Jumpoff: Snow and ice have inspired humans to create a variety of bizarre games. After all, curling, which is basically shuffleboard on ice, is an Olympic sport. In Alaska, they go swimming. On the third weekend in January, head to Seward, don a costume and leap into Resurrection Bay, which is patrolled by King Neptune. "The Plunge" begins at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday the 19th. Jumpers are awarded prizes for the best costumes. Following the ceremony, refuel your frozen torso by entering the Oyster Slurping Contest at the Breeze Inn to benefit children with cancer.

Broomball National Championships: In Minnesota, they run on ice. Broomball is sort of the unofficial state sport. Played in a hockey rink, or outside on a pond, broomballers eschew skates in favor of rubber-soled shoes and wield a broom in place of a hockey stick. Otherwise, the rules are similar to ice hockey. Why not check out this year's national championships in Richfield, Minnesota, March 27-29? And if you're really ambitious, find a low-level league or co-rec team in your area, and enter to win yourselves! You can warm up after your time on the ice at the Mall of America, or head into town and catch a more traditional sport, NBA basketball, as the Minnesota Timberwolves take on the New Jersey Nets on the 29th and the Dallas Mavericks on the 31st.