5 local winter hangouts

The winter blues are hard to shake: it gets dark early, it’s frigid and gray and it seems a lot easier to hibernate indoors and be antisocial. But don’t let winter keep you in and keep you down, if the weather can chill, then so can you. Here are five great local places to visit if you’re looking to get out and hang.

1. Bleak House Coffee

Whether you need a caffeine study boost or a relaxing cup of tea, Bleak House coffee is the perfect stop to warm up. This spot has an inviting rustic vibe, with original brick walls, a solid-wood coffee bar and tables made from upcycled doors. Bleak House offers a variety of drip and pour-over coffees, hot teas, cold drinks, cappuccinos, baked goods, paninis, handmade ice creams and soups. Stop by for a lunch date or a chill place to write poetry. Copy Editor Jared recommends any of the pour-overs they offer.

2. Toledo Museum of Art

The Toledo Museum of Art is always a top local destination. The best part? It’s free. Enjoy and be inspired by centuries-old art, masterpieces by Van Gogh, and local contemporary artists. The museum also has a café and coffee shop, a glass pavilion with live glass blowing demonstrations and concerts in their Peristyle Theater. Even if you have been to the museum before, they display their collection in rotations, which means you could visit again and again and see new artwork each time. Savannah, associate director of photography, recommends checking out “Dancers at the Bar” by Edgar Degas.

3. Toledo Walleye Hockey Game @ Huntington Center

Since moving to the Huntington Center and being renamed the Walleye in 2009, the Toledo hockey team has become extremely popular among Toledoans. Throughout the winter season, you can catch the Walleye playing at home multiple times in a single weekend. You can buy tickets online for under $20. The Huntington Center sells tons of Walleye gear, stadium food and beer. Managing Editor Colleen said her favorite part of any hockey game is the chance of a fistfight on the ice.

4. Bar 145 and Reset Barcade

Bar 145 has been a classic stop on anyone’s night out, but now they have a new barcade addition called Reset. The bar is teeming with retro video games like Pac Man, Galaga and Super Nintendo available at tables. The coolest part is all the games are free to play. Reset also now has a “Help Yourself Draft Beer Wall” where you pour your own choice of 36 different beers. Community Editor Joe recommends going on Wednesdays when martinis are only $5.

5. Maumee Bay Brewing Company @ the Oliver House

The Maumee Bay Brewing Company is a local microbrewery operating out of The Oliver House, a historic hotel building converted to commercial space for restaurants and rentals. MBBC brews over 30 different beers including their most popular beers: Buckeye Beer, Glass City Pale Ale and Glass Hopper IPA. The Maumee Bay Brew Pub is located on the Second Floor of the Oliver House and serves their draft beers alongside wood-fired pizzas and build-your-own-burgers. Abby, director of photography, said her favorite beer is their Blizten Holiday Ale.