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Sometimes the hardest part of winter in Oregon is convincing yourself to go out in it.
Sure, there are beautiful, challenging hikes to be had all over the state throughout the year. And yes, there’s great skiing, snowshoeing, and mountain climbing if you’ve got the gear plus the know-how and will to seek them out. Sturdy Portland cyclists and runners are undeterred by wintry weather, simply suiting up for rain or snow and going about business as usual.
But some of us...well, some of us are more like indoor cats. And indoor cats need to stay active, too. The good news is that the Portland area offers lots of ways to get some exercise through the cooler months without having to go out in the rain. Sure, you could dust off the treadmill you bought off Facebook Marketplace in a fit of stir-crazy COVID optimism, fire up a yoga video on YouTube, or practice your couch parkour at 4 in the morning (if you’re an actual cat). Or you could try something new, with a coach or instructor who’s probably in a better mood than you are, with a coterie of other people who don’t know what the hell they’re doing, either.
Here are five things you can try this winter to get your blood pumping while staying nice and dry.
Be an ice queen
Lloyd Center is currently undergoing a face-lift: The Nordstrom that served as its anchor was demolished in September and construction of a 4,250-capacity Monqui music venue is underway, and the mall’s owners plan to transform the area into a mixed-use housing district. But the iconic indoor Lloyd Center Ice Rink (953 Lloyd Center, 503-288-6073, lloydice.com) still hosts plenty of skaters on the daily. The rink will offer a couple of options for novice skaters this winter—or those who need to brush up on their skills after a long absence. One is a Learn to Skate mini session, consisting of three weekly, half-hour sessions. The next one begins Dec. 20, according to Tyler Harvey, general manager of the ice rink. On top of that, the rink will offer 10-minute introductory lessons—separate from the longer Learn to Skate sessions and free to everyone who pays for public skate—from Dec. 21 through Jan. 3. You may not land a triple axel by the end of your first skating session, but you can enjoy some Charlie Brown vibes as the holidays hit. Public skate at Lloyd Center is $20 for the winter, plus $5 for skate rental.
Get snowed in
Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn to snowboard, but the idea of taking your first runs on a tree-covered mountainside makes you nervous. Or you’re dying to break out your skis, but the gods have yet to dust Mount Hood or Bachelor with snow. Or you had a trip planned, but your Subaru decided to spend some time in the shop instead. PTO Ski & Snowboard Center (5639 SW Arctic Drive, Beaverton, 971-263-2916, ptoski.com) has you covered. This Beaverton ski and snowboard pro shop offers indoor ski and snowboarding lessons on a Dutch-designed indoor snow slope in a controlled, constantly supervised environment kept at a balmy 65 degrees. These include private classes (starting at $70 per half-hour session, or $55 for kids ages 3 and up) as well as group programs and classes in four- or eight-week sessions.
Meet your goals
If you’re a soccer fiend—or thinking about becoming one—you don’t need to wait for the rain to let up before you kick off. Winter II small-group Adult Academy classes at Rose City Futsal (5010 NE Oregon St., 503-734-2382, rosecityfutsal.com) opened for registration Nov. 12 for a session that runs Jan. 5 through Feb. 22. Registration for the soccer club’s Hangover Classic Tournament opens Dec. 17 and runs Jan. 2–4. Too hungover to field a team? Players can register for a Hangover Classic Community Team and be placed on a roster. “It’s one of our most popular events of the year and always brings out a great mix of competitive and recreational players,” says Rose City Futsal spokeswoman Elana Swan. If you want to play on a community team later in the winter, registration for Winter II Community Teams opens in early January; the season runs Feb. 2 through April 12. Rose City Futsal offers classes and team play at two facilities in the Portland area—one in Northeast Portland and one in Tigard—with post-game gatherings at Clive’s Pub, the club’s on-site bar and restaurant overlooking the courts.
Go back to school
Portland Community College (971-722-6266, pcc.edu/community) isn’t just a great resource for those looking to take for-credit classes at a reasonable price. The school’s Community Education program also offers a wide range of fitness activities, including classics like yoga, strength training, and boxing. Many courses are remote, meaning you can get in shape from the comfort of your living room with no special equipment. The winter schedule includes a couple of newish courses that interim community education manager David Glass says are already proving popular. One is WERQ, a Zumba-like dance-cardio workout that started in Kansas City that will be offered at PCC Cascade beginning in January. Another new offering that’s proving to be highly popular is Kangoo, a fitness routine in which practitioners wear bouncy, Space Age shoes to minimize the impact on their joints. You could also try the classroom-based Intro to Fly Fishing or Quiet Pickleball—an indoor version of the game that uses softer foam balls for a gentler experience. Registration for community ed classes opens Nov. 19.
Curl up with a good broom
There’s a good chance you think about curling—an ice-based, shuffleboard like sport that dates back to 16th century Scotland—only once every four years. But it’s not just an Olympic sport: Visitors to the Evergreen Curling Club (10950 SW 5th St., Suite 155, Beaverton, 503-430-0910, evergreencurling. org) have been sliding stones at the club’s westside curling facility since 2002. The club offers private lessons as well as two-hour introductory lessons ($45 for adults, $23 for youth) at monthly Learn to Curl events. If you want to spend more time working on the basics, you can sign up for a 10-week Curling 101 class; the next session begins Jan. 12. Once you’ve gotten comfortable on the ice, the club also hosts competitive leagues at multiple skill levels, three sessions per year, with the winter session slated to begin Jan. 12.
Oregon Winter is Willamette Week’s annual winter activity magazine. It is free and can be found all over Portland beginning Friday, November 21, 2025. Find your free copy at one of the locations noted here, before they all get picked up.
