As the weather gets colder, the urge to curl up by the fire, fall asleep, and do nothing for the whole day becomes almost inevitable, but while that may be enjoyable for a short time, loafing around can leave one feeling lazy, unproductive, or overall embarrassed about the state of their being. As the day goes by, the hours seem to disappear, the sky becomes dark too soon, and the entire day passes by without moving from the same spot you were this morning. It happens to the best of us, but it can be hard to change that habit when it feels like there is nothing to do besides it. However, studies prove that getting outside at least once daily can improve your mental health and happiness by increasing oxygen flow to the brain. In addition to getting outside, the human brain loves new experiences as it simulates regions of the brain associated with the reward system. That’s where this list comes in. When the winter hibernation feeling has you cooped up in your home, doom scrolling through TikTok, I hope you find your way to this article where you can discover interesting and fun activities to do around the Lafayette area instead. Below are activities that are divided into outdoor and indoor, including those that are free or with prices listed. So if you feel the temptation of your bed calling your name, resist it and try something new!
Outside Activities
Sledding – Sledding is a lost art that many people think is only an activity for kids. This is simply not the case. The thrill of gliding down a steep hill makes it hard not to smile as one gets the same adrenaline rush as that of being on a drop from a rollercoaster. Not only is sledding a great source of exercise but it is something that doesn’t require any money. If you have a sled, great! If you don’t, you can use an inner tube or a trash bag! If you want to up your sledding game from traditional sledding, try adding plastic bowling pins at the end of the run, turning the experience into a human-bowling ball game (but be sure not to go head first).
Christmas Tree Sale -The Centaurs Baseball team’s annual Christmas tree and wreath sale is a fun way to support the school and a quick and easy way to get a tree for the holidays. Trees are sold from Friday through Sunday every week, and the student-athletes help you select, purchase, and wrap your tree to your car.
Ice Skating – Located on Front St. Louisville, the ice skating rink is a bucket list item for the winter. They have continued to up their game each year since 2004. Entry fee with skates is only $10 and you can skate for as long as you want. Christmas music is played every day keeping your spirits high and festive, but for an extra special experience on Fri-Sun nights, you can skate with exciting party lights that shine on the ice after dark.
Horse Carriage Rides – Another fun, festive, and free activity to do in Downtown Louisville is a Horse-drawn carriage ride around the main street. Carriages run early afternoons on specific dates, so check out the website for times5 This relaxing and enjoyable experience allows you to be outside and witness the beauty of a Kodiak Ranch Clydesdale. Carriage rides in other places are normally not free, so make sure you do this while you can!
Christmas Light Hunting – Many homeowners have taken the holiday season as an excuse to deck out their homes with twinkling lights and giant decorations, so why not make a game out of it! This activity can be done simply by walking through your neighborhood or by driving around to find the best-decorated houses. This is another free activity that is fun with friends, and you can even set up a rating system to judge the best house. For example, a scale of 1-10 on light use, amount of physical decorations, holiday feeling, etc. You can separate each home by coming up with a creative title for each location.
7th Generation Farm Holiday Festival – This festive farm, located right on the corner of South Boulder and 95th Street, is decked out with Christmas lights, wagon rides, and yummy food. Entrance fees are $8, or you can opt-in for the 30-minute hayride to view the lights for $15. Open on weekends from 5:30-8 pm, this is a great experience to get you in the holiday spirit.
Indoor Activities
Pitch Karaoke – This experience is a fun event to do with friends, where you can show off your singing skills or laugh along trying. Located just off of Main St. in Downtown Louisville, this location provides you with light-up tambourines, disco ball LED lights, and food services all in the private room of your party. Unlike most karaoke venues, you don’t have to sing in front of random people you aren’t comfortable with as each group is provided with its own secluded space. Prices are relatively affordable with each person paying either $10 or $12 per hour depending on the day 7.
Spot the Elf – Every year the City of Lafayette celebrates the holiday season by having an elf hunt contest from Nov 19 to Dec 31. It is free to sign up; all one has to do is go to the Lafayette Recenter to get a spotting booklet and then try and find the special elves “hidden” within stores around Old Town Lafayette. This contest is for all ages, though the level of difficulty finding them is made easier for the younger kids participating. Nevertheless, the activity is a fun way to experience the holiday spirit of downtown and maybe find some gifts while searching the different stores. Once an elf is found all you have to do is tell one of the store employees where you found it and they will give you a stamp in the back of your booklet. Reach 16 stamps and you can turn it in for a chance to win a gift card to one of the stores!
Go to the Library – Many people assume that the library is only a resource to borrow books from but in fact, they offer many other free amenities as well. For example, the maker space at the Lafayette Library is open to all ages, and some of the amenities there include a 3-D printer, photo printers, metal stamping, and more9. This resource could be a great way to make gifts for family members, or even to just get the creative juices flowing. Additionally, the Lafayette Library hosts a ton of free events every week. During this holiday season, there will be the Friends Book Sale where there are small gifts, such as candles and soap sold for less than $4.
Read The Warrior Scroll – There are tons of interesting and engaging articles written by peers on the website. Topics range from serious issues about First Amendment rights to more lighthearted discussions about the iconic goat lady. Reading The Scroll is an important and easy way to stay up to date on current events in or around the school, take the article on the new phone policy or the new principal for example. By reading The Warrior Scroll, you are likely to find something you didn’t even know was happening within or outside Centaurus, giving you new perspectives or ideas.
Lafayette’s or Louisville’s Historic Museum- The local history museums are free and great ways to learn more about the famous history of the location you live in. Both Lafayette and Louisville were big mining towns, and some buildings still exist today that were built back in the 1800s. In addition, the Lafayette Museum currently has an exhibit that demonstrates the town’s importance in worker’s rights movements through the coal mining industry.10 Along with the interesting history of the towns, the museum also hosts events, from learning how to make a knitted chicken to embroidery sewing, all for free!11.
The Collective Community Arts Center- Finally the Collective is a wonderful place to experience art and activities put on by local artists. The exhibits continually rotate meaning that every month or so there is always something new to see. The Collective also hosts interactive events for the community which are almost always free. They host film showings, lectures, and art workshops of all kinds. It’s a great way to connect to creative artists in the community or to just have fun experiences, there is always something happening at the Collective.
If you find yourself with free time, don’t let the cold weather or a winter hibernation attitude stop you from experiencing all the great activities Lafayette has to offer. This is the year to make your holiday season filled with new experiences, connections, and entertainment. End the 2024 year with a sense of productivity in trying new experiences and fun memories to look back on!
Work Cited
“Happier and Healthier: 5 Benefits of Spending Time Outdoors.” Firelands.com, 2021, www.firelands.com/empower/health-wellness/happier-and-healthier-5-benefits-spending-time-outdoors/.
Paiella Gabriella. “The Brain-Changing Magic of New Experiences.” GQ, 27 May 2021, www.gq.com/story/brain-changing-magic-new-experiences.
High, Centaurus. “Centaurus High School Baseball – Christmas Tree Sales.” Google.com, 2024, sites.google.com/site/centaurushighschoolbaseball/christmas-tree-sales. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
“Old Town Skate – Outdoor Ice Skating Rink – Louisville, CO.” Old Town Skate, 2024, oldtownskate.com/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
“Carriage Rides – Historic Downtown Louisville, Colorado.” Historic Downtown Louisville, Colorado, 31 Oct. 2024, www.downtownlouisvilleco.com/carriage-rides/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
Farm, 7th Generation. “7th Generation Farm.” 7th Generation Farm, 2024, www.7thgenerationfarm.com/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
“\R\N Private Suite Karaoke | Pitch Karaoke | FAQs\R\N.” Pitchkaraoke.com, 2024, www.pitchkaraoke.com/faq. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Spot the Elf, Lafayette Colorado. (2022). Facebook.com. https://www.facebook.com/Spot.the.Elf.Colorado
“Calendar | Library Events and Spaces | Lafayette Public Library, Colorado.” Libcal.com, 2024, lafayettepubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar/main?cid=10144&t=m&d=0000-00-00&cal=10144&inc=0. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
“Plan Your Visit – Lafayette History Museum.” Lafayette History Museum, 14 May 2024, lafayettehistoricalsociety.org/plan-your-visit/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
“Louisville Historical Museum Workshop: Knit a Chicken!” Eventbrite, 26 Jan. 2025, www.eventbrite.com/e/louisville-historical-museum-workshop-knit-a-chicken-tickets-1050925675987?aff=ebdsoporgprofile. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024.
“The Collective Community Arts Center | Lafayette, CO – Official Website.” Lafayetteco.gov, 2024, www.lafayetteco.gov/1713/The-Collective-Community-Arts-Center. Accessed 5 Dec. 2024
