Fun Things to Do With the Kids This Winter in Marion, IL

Lucky for you, Marion has numerous options for indoor and outdoor recreation activities for families. Put an end to the stir-crazy cabin fever, get out there, and enjoy the season. If you choose outdoor activities, you’ll need to bundle up, but it’ll be worth it to have a great time with your kids. Then retire inside to get cozy with a cup of hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. To help you get started, here are nine fun things to do with the kids this winter in Marion, Illinois.

Let It Snow: Outdoor Recreation

Image via Flickr by Shook Photos Licensed CC BY 2.0

Marion transforms into a winter wonderland with a wealth of outdoor offerings for the whole family. You can hit the slopes for some snowboarding or skiing, take a glide around one of the area’s ice skating rinks, or explore a cross-country ski trail. You’ll have everything you need for some winter adventure with all the nearby resorts and shops to score your cold-weather gear. Marion also has you covered with rental shops to try out some new equipment before buying. Take a glide around an ice skating rink with the kids for some winter fun.

Egyptian Hills Resort

For year-round family fun, take a trip to Egyptian Hills Resort, tucked away in the beautiful Shawnee National Forest. With cabins for the whole family, you can zip-line, hike, ski, or horseback ride. On-site equipment rentals make enjoying activities during your stay more convenient. The Egyptian Hills Resort is located at 75 Egyptian Parkway, Creal Springs, only about twenty minutes away from Marion, making it a convenient local family getaway.

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a nature preserve located at 8588 Route 148 Marion. It has knowledgeable guides on-site to help facilitate family trips. You can spot wild animals and rare birds like bald eagles. In fact, winter is the best time for spotting bald eagles if you’re up to braving the elements, colder and snowier weather.

Bald eagles work on their nests and strengthen their pair bonding during the winter. In other words, just like humans, they tend to hunker down with their families and stay close to home when it’s cold.

Geese and other migratory birds also head to the area to avoid freezing temperatures. The best places to spot them are Crab Orchard Lake from the Wolf Creek Causeway or Route 148.

Giant City State Park

You’ll find Giant City State Park near Makanda at 235 Giant City Road. After a break during December and January, the park opens from early February onward through next November. The park has an archery range, hiking, horseback riding, and more. There are lodging options, including the largest and most scenic bluff cabins, which can comfortably house a family of six. The Bald Knob dining room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily and is known for its family-style, home-fried chicken meals. There’s also a lodge featuring a gift shop and a cocktail lounge.

Keep it Cozy: Indoor Family Activities

When you’ve had enough of the outdoors, Marion has plenty of indoor activities for you and your family. Here are some of the best options for indoor fun.

Pirate Pete’s

You can explore all the offerings at Pirate Pete’s, a family entertainment center with multiple activities all under the same roof. Arcade games for all ages, laser tag, and a play area geared specifically to three to seven-year-olds. When you and your kids need a break from playing games, you can head over to the restaurant and snack bar for appetizers, pizza, kid’s meals, and dessert. For a fun time that your kids are sure to enjoy, check out Pirate Petes at 3000 W. DeYoung Street, Suite 800C, Marion.

Williamson County Historical Museum

Williamson County Historical Society Museum will take you back in time, with an intact old jail on-site and sheriff’s quarters. The museum is also home to twenty-three rooms of historical items, including exhibits of old tools, vintage clothing, and Native American artifacts. You can find this educational site at 105 S. Van Buren Street Marion.

AMC Centre 8

Want to take a break and get off your feet? Grab the kids and head over to AMC Centre 8 at 3107 Civic Circle Boulevard Marion to catch a movie. With reclining stadium seats and eight theaters, you’re sure to enjoy a discounted matinee on a cold, snowy day, with 30% off ticket prices for all shows before 5 p.m. Or stop by on discount Tuesday to save on regular ticket prices for any showtime.

The Science Center

A short twenty-minute drive from Marion brings you to The Science Center at 1237 E. Main Street in Carbondale. This interactive hands-on children’s museum boasts a wealth of activities for kids of all ages. Exhibits for your kids to experience include a 3-D real-time Topographic Sandbox. There’s also the Excavation Station, a 100 square feet Paleontology dinosaur dig, where your budding explorer can dig in to find buried items of interest. Make a stop at the musical area where your kids can play on Rimba tubes, a steel drum, a pipe xylophone, and an electric piano.

Museum of Southern Illinois University

While already in Carbondale, you can take a hop, skip and jump over to The Museum of Southern Illinois University at Farner Hall North End. This 10,000 square feet, nationally accredited museum is part of the college’s Museum Studies Program and displays 70,000 objects of artwork. With numerous year-round exhibits, you’ll be sure to find artwork that will fascinate the young and the young at heart.

Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure and the excitement of winter sports, the beauty of nature, wildlife sightings, bird watching, or a relaxing cabin vacation, Marion, Illinois, has it all. If you think the team at VW of Marion missed a fun family activity, drop us a line at 618-249-3841 or fill out our convenient and secure online contact us form. We’d love to have an excuse to explore more activities this winter.