The winter season can be a magical time of merriment and a hot mess. Picture children laughing, running around in swaths of snow, and building snowmen. And then it melts. So, if there isn’t snow, then what? Marion can help! Hide those iPads and Switches and jump in the car – toot sweet!

Places to Go

Fairmont’s Mountain Creative has seasonal pottery for your little or big ones to paint however they choose. Have them choose something cute to decorate their room, like a dinosaur or a gnome. Go for something they’ll use, like a hot chocolate mug or bowl. Polka dots, exploding paints, ombre – the options are as vast as your imagination! Keep the paint flowing (literally) in the Mountain Mess Room.

You can do more than paint at The Potter’s House in Fairview! Put your kids in a pottery class where they’ll learn a skill, get their hands dirty, and feel proud of what they created.

My Happy Place Art Studio can be your happy place, too! Take your artistic teen to shop for beautiful acrylic art or try your hands – literally – at making some of your own. You’ll learn about painting, abstract art… and coloring outside the lines!

Marion County Museum & Jail has history and uncorroborated stories as chilling as the winter weather outside. Walk through past centuries and see a whole other world.

There are few things more beautiful than Pricketts Fort in the snow. Take an unguided audio tour and play in the snow. Then, warm up while learning more in the museum. Grab some old-fashioned candy for your little ones in the gift shop before you go!

Skate away from the freezing weather and warm up at Skate-A-Way! Let the kids zoom around and around and around. Wear them out and feel good about being the health-conscious parent that gets their kids to exercise. 

And just like bell bottoms, vinyl records are making a comeback in a big way. If your kids are familiar with an actual record player, visiting Assumption Records is a must. With digital music, it’s a matter of a tap of a screen or a click on a computer. But with vinyl, they’ll have the experience of sliding the record out from the sleeve, placing it on the turntable, setting the needle on the groove, and then hearing that distinctive crackle. 

Some people prefer to (try to) enjoy the wintery weather. Get outdoors on one of the area’s rail trails, which are mostly flat, always beautiful, and all over the county! Take a stroll and watch the flakes float around you while your kids run off their energy.

Find hours upon hours of entertainment for your impending hibernation. Comic Paradise Plus has reading material and games for adults and kids alike. Continue the series you’re on, or ask the incredibly knowledgeable owner about other fabulous worlds for your kids (or you) to discover this winter. 

There’s nothing like watching a movie on the big screen. Not only is it a collective experience, but you can’t replicate that colossal sound system at home. This is why Tygart Valley Cinemas is a bargain for the whole family. 

Or take your play old school with a visit to Arcade-O-Mania. Challenge the family to a game of Pac-Man or Nintendo. The arcade is also a great location for a party.

Places to Eat

Take the family for a fun meal at The Poky Dot, with airplane plates and fun food! Share a massive merry milkshake, sundae, or nine-pound banana split!

Go back in time to DJ’s 50’s & 60’s Diner! The kids (and a lot of adults) will love the old-timey cars there. Eat some pie, sip a cappuccino, get hot chocolate and brownies for the kiddos and enjoy a winter day. 

Trains spark some deep excitement in the child’s brain. So imagine how excited your littles will feel about Box Car Willie Nachos or Freight Car Fries. Let their imaginations and appetites soar at Pufferbelly’s Ice Cream & Food Station. 

Check out some other activities happening this winter in Marion here. 

Who has time to be blue when there is so much to do?