Wintertime Fun in Aurora - 2011

Check out these cold month possibilities for outdoor fun and more:

From Chicago Tribune: "When it comes to outdoor winter recreation in the Fox Valley Park District, spokesman Jeff Long says, children and teenagers do most of the sledding and skating, while adults focus on cross-country skiing.

Sledding in Aurora takes place at Lincoln Park, with gentle slopes suitable for children; McCullough Park, offering Fox River views; and Waubonsie Park, which has intermediate slopes. According to the district's Web site, the fastest and steepest slope in the area is a big hill on Fifth Avenue, just west of Kautz Road, in the Oakhurst Forest Preserve, managed by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County.

The Fox Valley Park District maintains two outdoor skating areas: Wheatlands Park pond on the east side of Aurora and Splash Country Water Park pond on the west.

The most popular cross-country trails are the Fox River Trail and the Gilman Trail, which have the fewest number of road crossings, Long said. The Gilman Trail goes through wooded areas and past a golf course; the Fox River Frail north of Aurora can be more challenging."

Check out New Haven Community Park near Highland Avenue in central Aurora for free ice skating. Phillips Park on the East Side is a great place for sledding. Visit Paddle and Trail in downtown Aurora (Spruce and River) for other outdoor adventures, like snowshoeing and more.

If indoor fun is more your style, then don't forget to take the kids to the Vaughn Center for indoor swimming and other recreational opportunities. A hot chocolate at River's Edge Cafe is also a nice wintertime treat. Or how about some soup at Tecalitlan Restaurant on the corner of Downer and Broadway?

There are a ton of fun ways to stay active, and enjoy the cold months. Happy Winter!

Snow? Have some winter fun in Aurora

Winter Fun In Aurora!

The City of Aurora maintains two ice skating rinks and a sledding hill, weather permitting. Enjoy winter fun at all three facilities from sunrise to 10 p.m.

The ice skating rinks are at Garfield Park, Church and Sheffer Roads, and features a warming shelter. The other is at Phillips Park, 1000 Ray Moses Drive, east of the Phillips Park Aquatic Center.

Phillips Park also has a sledding hill with lights that were just added this year. It is located southeast of the Aquatic Center. The City has its own snow-making machine for those times when Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate.

For information, call (630) 256-3730, or (630) 256-INFO (4636).

Location: Garfield and Phillips Parks, Aurora, Illinois

Contact: (630) 256-3730

More spots:

Lincoln Park on Aurora's West Side (Lakewood and Harrison by Holy Angels School) has a pleasant sledding hill that is good for the whole family. Check out the many trails for snow sports like cross country skiing, snow shoeing, etc. Bundle up and have fun!

When you're ready to warm up, visit River's Edge Cafe in downtown Aurora. It recently reopened with new owners who are ready to serve you some hot coffee and a cup of soup.