We sleep in a little later. We eat a few more helpings of cheesy hot dish. We trade a hot Saturday date for a made-for-TV movie and consider it a day well done. It's winter in the Twin Cities, and options for entertainment are limited. Or are they?

Everyone's an expert here when it comes to summer outings, but many of us forget that we can have a good time outdoors when lacy tights give way to long johns. Sure, the piles of snow lessen the appeal of a picnic, and blistering winds turn the Lake Calhoun eye candy into jogging pronto pups. But don't fret. There's plenty to do, and it all depends on your willingness to use what your mama (Nature) gave you: snow, ice and frozen tundra.

As a proud born-and-raised Minnesotan, it's embarrassing to admit how poor a job I've done with my seasonal sport skills. But the advantages of a good winter pastime are underrated, not only for health reasons, but for their fun factor. Slippery surfaces consistently offer chances to point and laugh at cocky friends, and a light snowfall can be disgustingly romantic.

So buy yourself a warm hat, collect your mismatched mittens and gloves until you can fake a pair, and get out into the wild. Here are a few ideas you and your shut-in friends, or lover(s), should check out before that "Top Model" marathon actually becomes appealing.

Zooming downhill headfirst, your fate depends on the course of a slim toboggan, where one tiny bump could result in a stinging washout. Sledding is almost always a good idea. Exhilarating downhill and exhausting uphill, riding the plastic magic carpet is a fun way to integrate a workout into your play date. And it's a quick cure for cabin fever that can easily be accompanied with some spiked hot cocoa.

Chubby cousin to the sled, the snow tube is a fun alternative when you need a more organized adrenaline rush. Tube rentals, groomed paths and tow ropes mean all you need to do is show up, belly flop onto the doughnut and hold on. The only drawback is that the process usually requires a bit more cash. Most of the big ski/snowboard parks, such as Buck Hill and Afton Alps, also have pretty extensive tubing options.

A snowboarder at heart, I've been hesitant to step into some skis and slide around like a fool. I decided to give it a try and use it as an excuse to hang out with my 75-year-old buddy, Ted King. A longtime family friend, Ted and I set off for my first cross-country ski experience at Theodore Wirth golf course. The temperature was perfect, and I could faintly hear the snow melting from the trees. Ted slipped a pear in my pocket in case we got "thirsty," and told me that if I was going to fall, I should slide on my "boompa." I did fall once -- face down, legs and skis braided in the air. Ted's laugh echoed through the trees as spandex-suited experts soared past on the trail. It was a comical winter afternoon worth repeating.

The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board hosts hockey teams all over the city, but if you're just looking to play with a few ice-loving friends, head to a rink with whatever equipment you can piece together. Andy Thilmany, 24, hits up the Bryant Square Park ice rink in Uptown almost daily, hoping to play pickup with other random rink rats. Thilmany says most nights he can put together some two-on-two, but this evening there were a full 10 players.

Childhood friends Derrick Lindstrom, 28, and Adam Rolland, 29, were among the skaters scraping around the rink, rounding up neighbors for a quick game. "Playing with strangers may seem creepy to non-hockey players, but that's just how it works," Lindstrom said. "It's a community. It's nice to meet new people."

In high school I assumed it was just a game kids at my church played on the weekends to avoid booze and other sins, but broomball is actually pretty rad and well worth watching. Just about any night of the week, there's a broomball game in progress somewhere in the city, and although official registration has ended (there's always next year), the men's, women's and co-ed teams say they are always willing to let someone sub in.

Sliding across the ice in spongy broomball shoes, the all-female Bulldogs team chased and whapped a 4-inch inflated orange ball around the rink, dodging around their opponents in the Wednesday night women's league at Bryn Mawr Park. Sheri Eilertson, who calls herself "Bulldyka," the team mascot, sipped on a brew while watching her girlfriend play. Eilertson says she's technically there as a sub, but she always prays "for their health."

"I'm here for the social aspect of the sport," she said with rosy cheeks.

"Just look at the smiles on everyone's faces-- you can see 'em, even through their mouth guards."

Even if you're not interested in joining in, it's a nice spectator sport if you bring a mug of something hot. And to answer everyone's question: No, they don't use real brooms. Instead, they use fancy official broomball sticks with rubber heads.

Want to hold someone's hand? Ask them to go ice-skating. It's nearly impossible to resist the adorableness of this romantic winter activity. Fall down a few times and make that sweet crush of yours pick you up. If the skating doesn't get you a smooch, at least you burned a few calories. Many Minneapolis parks are adorned with a skating rink, warming house and skate rentals. Go to www.minneapolisparks.org or www.stpaul.gov/depts/parks for the rink closest to home.

If you're looking for something a little more low-key, stretch your legs on some winter hiking trails at any Minneapolis (www.minneapolisparks.org) or Three Rivers Park District (www.threeriversparkdistrict.org) park. Three Rivers nature centers sporadically host guided hikes. You can also rent a pair of snowshoes at a nature center during the day, or join a group adventure under the moon.