A touch of ice and snow

             Deep South residents feel pretty darn lucky this time of year. We’re not scraping ice off the windshield nor shoveling snow up to our knees. We may have to cover the plants once and a while when a hard freeze arrives and we usually complain about it so northerners can have a good laugh.

Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation

            But even with our mild winters and the ability to walk around barefoot in the middle of December (albeit with frosty toes) we could use a little winter wonderland. That’s why temporary ice skating rinks and the occasional snow mound appear, offering kids a chance to see how the other half live.

            In Houston, for instance, folks flock to Discovery Green for outdoor ice skating on Kinder Lake. Discovery Green is the city’s new central park, located downtown and offering a wide variety of fun. They freeze up the “lake” every year to offer ice skating from Nov. 17 to Jan. 27, 2013. Admission is $12 and includes skate rental and tax, but limited to 1 1/2 hour sessions. A portion of the tickets sale helps support the park’s year-round programming.

            The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation outside of Atlanta features all kinds of holiday packages for all ages, including ice skating at the AAA Five Diamond hotel. The 5,000-square-foot rink is open daily with two sessions until Feb. 24 in the lodge’s Pavilion. Skating is complimentary for resort guests; non-resort guests pay $30 for children 12 and under and $40 for adults, including skate rentals, if needed.

            The Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum turns a section of its popular attraction into Santa’s Christmas Village, and that includes holiday events, “the world’s largest snow globe” and an ice skating rink! Cost to skate is $10 and open Thursdays through Sundays during December.