Are you looking for a fun retirement hobby in winter? Then you’re at the right place! This article lists 111 amazing indoor and outdoor winter hobbies for retirees, so continue reading.
1) Cooking
Get cozy and start cooking. Make your favorite recipes, upgrade old classic recipes or dive into a new style of cooking. You need to eat anyway, so why not make it a fun hobby and eat extra delicious food during winter?
A fun and easy way to upgrade your skills and learn how to cook like a chef are by learning from the world’s famous and renowned chefs on Masterclass. On this platform, you can follow different online cooking classes. For example, you can learn how to make restaurant-style recipes at home from Gordon Ramsay. Or become a star in Texas-Style BBQ, which is a Masterclass from Aaron Franklin.
One of my favorite cooking Masterclasses is from Massimo Bottura, who teaches Modern Italian Cooking. He is a renowned Italian chef from the famous restaurant Osteria Francescana, ranking in the top 5 world’s best restaurants every year since 2010! Interested? Take a look at all their cooking classes.
2) Winter Stargazing
The winter season is a great time to dust off the telescope and have some fun with stargazing. And because the sun sets a lot earlier, you have a great amount of nighttime to look at some stars. And perhaps even the Nothern Lights if you’re living in a great stargazing location.
Don’t forget to wear warm clothing and bring out a hot cup of chocolate or maybe even something stronger.
3) Take Online Classes
When you’re spending more time inside, why not make the best of it and learn something new by taking fun online classes?
One of the things people like most about retirement is owning their time. And the best part about taking online classes is that you stay in charge of your own time because you can learn at your own pace, time, place, and device.
And my favorite online learning platform is Masterclass, where you can get access to 100+ different online classes from the world’s greatest in their field. You can nail a skill or discover a new retirement passion you didn’t know you had with hundreds of hours of content and new instructors constantly added every month. A big chance you’ll never get bored this winter. Have a look for yourself…
4) Genealogy
One of the top hobbies in retirement is genealogy. Retirees love digging into their past, finding answers about their history and ancestors, and making a family tree. Or some even write their own family history book after gathering as much information as they can. Therefore a great indoor hobby for wintertime in retirement.
5) Collect Snowflakes
Is it snowing outside? Then go outside and catch snowflakes and preserve them as beautiful nature art.
Check out this Video Tutorial on how to preserve a snowflake forever:
6) Home Brewing
Crafting your own beer has become very popular over the last decade. New craft beers are hitting the market every month. And Beer Crafting Kits are available almost everywhere for amateurs to have a try and see if this could be their new hobby. And the wintertime is great for some experimenting.
And if you’re not a fan of beer. You can brew your own wine, apple cider, or other stronger alcoholic beverages. Perhaps you can serve your own beer at Christmas dinner this year…
7) Writing
The wintertime is a good time to write because it is the time to literally but also figuratively go inside. Go inside your home but also connect with the inner self. And there is why writing magic happens.
For example, you can write poems, songs, novels, memoirs, or children’s books. Or do some journaling every day to clear your mind and stay connected to yourself. If this is a hobby you like to do in winter and you have no idea how to start, I recommend checking out some fun writing classes on Masterclass.
8) Ice/ Snow Sculpting
Are you normally into wood carving? Even if you’re not. Exploring craftsmanship, such as ice or snow sculpting, can be a fun winter hobby for you in retirement. Break out your shovel, chisel, and chainsaw, and bust into action to create a piece of winter art.
9) Winter Photography
Get outside and start taking pictures of beautiful winter scenery. This way, you have fun with a hobby such as photography, but it also helps you appreciate the wintertime. Especially if you don’t like the winter season, you perhaps maybe start liking it a bit more when you try to take that perfect winter shot.
10) Volunteering
One of the most popular hobbies for retirees is volunteering. A great way to spend your time in a meaningful and satisfying way. You can donate your time, energy, or money to a charity dear to your heart. For example, work in a soup kitchen, distribute warm clothing, build houses, or do other volunteer work. Especially in winter, people need help to stay warm, safe, and nourished.
Read more: Why Retirees Love To Volunteer
11) Bird Watching
Bird watching is a fun hobby that keeps you entertained for hours.
And did you know that not every bird heads south to find warmer weather? There are some birds that stick around during winter. Bird species such as sparrows, woodpeckers, finches, robins, and many other bird species can be seen during the winter season.
12) Winter Gardening
Do you love gardening? Or do you have the desire to start gardening? Then know that you don’t have to wait until spring. You can build a greenhouse and become a winter gardener.
13) Dancing
Dancing is one of the best and most fun forms of exercise to keep the body and brain healthy. And the therapeutic effects of music are enormous. So why not put on your dancing shoes and dance the winter away? Throw on some guilty pleasures and start dancing while you vacuum the house, or grab your spouse from the couch to rekindle some good old times. And if you want to take it a bit further, you can take up some fun dancing classes or visit a (line) dancing club.
14) Winter Wildlife Watching
There are plenty of animals out and about during the cold months. Get outside and try to see some rabbits, foxes, sheep, buffalos, or other wildlife present in your area.
15) Grow Plants
Gardening is one of the healthiest retirement hobbies out there, as it reduces stress and boosts the immune system. So growing plants and taking care of an indoor garden is a great way to spend your time during the cold months.
16) Become An Iceman
We love Wim Hof, known as the Ice Man, not because he is Dutch. But because with is Wim Hof’s Method, he provides people of all ages with new ways of staying healthy. And one of that is going into freezing temperatures to boost the immune system and happiness. Take a look yourself in this video:
17) Ice Skating
When you think of winter, you think of ice skating. These two almost go hand in hand.
So when the lakes are frozen, why not break out the old ice skates and hit the ice for some pirouettes?
Or try out speed skating, hockey skating, or curling skating.
18) Skiing
Skiing is a must-do winter hobby. If you’re still in good shape, hit the ski slopes for some real feeling of freedom in retirement. If you live near a ski resort, you maybe can get a senior discount for their season passes. Or make it into a fun family trip where you all learn how to ski.
19) Organize (Food) Parties
Socializing is one of the key ingredients to a happy retirement. And you can make this into a hobby by organizing fun game nights, dinner parties, or joining a dinner club to share your food hobby with other like-minded retirees.
20) Decorate Your House With Christmas Lights
Bring Christmas Candylane into your own street by decorating your house with Christmas lights and become a real attraction for all the kids in the neighborhood.
21) Cross-Country Skiing
You can also try out a different kind of skiing that requires a lot more physical activity: cross-country skiing. And you don’t need high mountains to do this, anywhere there is snow you can do cross-country skiing.
22) Snowboarding
You are either a skier or a snowboarder. And if you like the idea of two legs on one board, more than two separate skies, then give snowboarding a try. Or if you have done a lot of skiing in the past, maybe it is fun to learn how to snowboard so you can impress your grandkids next time on the slopes.
23) Winter Paragliding
When you are an adrenaline junkie and want to experience the real feeling of freedom, winter paragliding may be your next retirement hobby. Try out a tandem flight first and tick this off your bucket list. Or get in the spirit with this beautiful paragliding spirit.
24) Snow Golfing
Yes, there is such a thing as snow golfing. So if you love golfing, don’t let the winter stop you, and hit the white instead of the green.
25) Snow Hiking
Enjoy the winter scenery with a beautiful hike. You can even put on snowshoes if you are in an area of heavy snow each year. It breathes fresh air into your normal hiking hobby.
#26 – #111 Winter Hobbies For Retirees
26) Painting
27) Ice Fishing
28) Skijoring
29) Snow Snake Game
30) Yoga
31) Tai Chi
32) Sledding
33) Wood Working
34) Explore Hot Springs
35) Winter Camping
36) Fat Tire Biking
37) Tour Ice Wineries
38) Shoveling Driveways To Help Neighbors
39) Puzzling
40) Traveling
41) Snowmobiling
42) Curling
43) Build An Iglo
44) Home Improvement Projects
45) Upcycling
46) Blogging
47) Ice Hockey
48) Ice Sailing
49) Learn A New Language
50) Learn A New Musical Instrument
51) Reading
52) Listen To Podcasts
53) Enjoy Winter Hot Tub
54) Scrapbooking
55) Journaling
56) Babysit Pets
57) Wintertime Bonfire
58) Board Games
59) Rebounding
60) Meditation
61) Become A Wine Connoisseur
62) Remodel Your House
63) Calligraphy
64) Geocaching
65) Couponing
66) Bread Making
67) Decluttering
68) Grow A Bonsai Tree
69) Become A Coach
70) Become A Freelance Consultant
71) Dog Walking (part-time job)
72) Start A New Business
73) Collecting
74) Knitting
75) Late Art
76) Drawing Comics
77) Join The Peacecorps
78) Join Habitat For Humanity
79) Join Americorps Seniors
80) Travel In An RV
81) Cruising
82) Start A Social Group
83) Diamond Painting
84) Paint By Numbers
85) Origami
86) 3D Puzzles
87) Become a Teacher
88) Start A YouTube Channel
89) Learn How To Produce Digital Music
90) Learn How To Sing
91) Fly Drones
92) Pottery
93) Join A Book Club
94) Aquascaping
95) Jewelry Making
96) Soap Making
97) Indoor Tennis
98) Aqua-Aerobic
99) Be A Tourguide
100) Do City Walks
101) Help with Local Environment Clean Ups
102) Antiquing
103) Candle Making
104) Start A Podcast
105) Graphic Designing
106) Get Into Politics
107) Go Back To School
108) Create Your Own Dollhouses
109) Baking
110) Cardmaking
111) Rebuilt A Classic Car