Hey folks who live in colder climes (and/or those who travel there from places where the kids wear shorts all winter long),
We leave next Friday for the big/scary/fun (depending on how much PTSD you’ve got going on from your own college visits) Midwest road trip extravaganza.
We’re starting out in Minnesota (Friday through Monday), where it’s projected to be a crisp 21 degrees or so during daylight hours. They say there’s no such thing as bad weather…only bad clothing. Hit me with your best/lightest packing recommendations – we’re going to be on the road for nearly 9 days and I’m not sure how often we can do laundry or how much luggage we’ll be able to schlepp.
Things I probably won’t do between now and then: buy a Canada Goose, or any other kind of goose for that matter. (We live in California, and it feels like the sort of thing that might jinx us for every admissions decision in a cold weather location.) I’m thinking layers, right? Raincoat over puffy jacket? Long underwear under jeans? Wool socks and hiking boots? Are we doomed with this approach?
I’d also like fun cafe recommendations/warming station ideas for any of the colleges that I tagged. Thanks!
We are big believers in layers here. All about the wool socks and hiking boots for winters.
Consider some Smartwool (or similar) base layers. Probably won’t need long underwear under the jeans but a base layer top with wool socks great idea. Wool base layers can also usually be worn more than once before washing due to the anti-odor, anti-microbial properties of wool.
Comfy, warm hat also very important as well as good mittens or gloves. And whatever coat you choose - make sure it has wind breaking capabilities.
Unless you are planning to spend several hours straight outside, long underwear and two coats/jackets is not necessary. A jacket or coat, a decent pair of gloves, a hat and maybe a scarf will be fine.
Definitely layers. Long-sleeved shirt and a fleece under a coat or jacket should be fine. I really doubt you’ll need wool socks or hiking boots (only if you’re touring in a snow storm – colleges are usually pretty good about clearing walkways of snow otherwise). As long as the walkways are clear, decent shoes that you’d use for walking would be fine. I personally would bake with long underwear under jeans in 20-degree weather – don’t do that. I would recommend a scarf, hat, and gloves, because you can take them off/put them back on as needed and stow them in a tote when you don’t need them. My hands get cold before anything else, so I usually take my gloves everywhere during the winter, even if I don’t bother with a heavy coat. I almost never wear a hat unless it’s snowing or in the single digits.
You’ve already received really good advice above. My only addition is get some of those disposable hand warmers. They activate in the air and last about 8 hours. Keep them in your pockets or in your gloves. They can make a world of difference.
Not sure if it was said but most of our heat is lost through extremities, including our heads. Wool socks and gloves are great, but a winter hat goes a long way in keeping the body warm.
Okay, thanks. Feeling better about this. I was reading a lot of “parka or bust” recommendations elsewhere. The kids are not well padded and I antipate buying a fair amount of hot cocoa. But smartwool/base layers/hats/gloves? That we can do.
No one has said anything about fun cafes near the colleges you tagged, so here are some suggestions I found online:
Near Carleton College, you can try The Buzz Coffee & Cafe, which offers waffles, sandwiches, and vegan options.
Near Denison University, you can visit Little Arrows Play Cafe, which is a non-profit organization that provides a safe environment for children and parents, or Union Cafe, which is a popular restaurant and bar lounge with a variety of food and drinks.
Near Dickinson College, you can check out Cafe Magnolia, which serves a range of appetizers, salads, soups, desserts, and seafood items, or Tomato Pie Cafe, which is known for its signature dish of tomato pie and other casual fare.
Near Kenyon College, you can enjoy Wiggin Street Coffee, which features bowls, gyros, flatbreads, and coffee, or Kenyon Inn & Restaurant, which offers more elegant and intimate dining.
Near Macalester College, you can stop by Dogwood Coffee - East Lake, which serves hand-crafted coffee, espresso, and tea, or May Day Cafe, which has vegan cookies, scones, and rotating vegan meals.
Near Oberlin College, you can try The Feve, which is a cozy spot for breakfast, brunch, and burgers, or The Local Coffee & Tea, which is a family-owned cafe with organic and fair-trade products.
Near Saint Olaf College, you can visit The Buzz Coffee & Cafe, which is the same as the one near Carleton College, or Bruegger’s Bagels, which bakes up authentic New York style bagels and sandwiches.
If it’s snowy/rainy I’d take some waterproof shoes! If you aren’t used to the cold, you could take some handwarmers (the kind sold for skiing). Definitely dress in layers and take hats and gloves.
no specific food suggestions, but we found asking at the admissions office and also asking the tour guide was an easy way to make conversation and also
get recs that are popular with students and also options of where to go when parents are paying.
I live in the PNW, so not frigid but cold and wet for many months of the year. I swear by merino wool baselayers and merino socks (I actually wear the merino socks all year round). I"d wear these under jeans and under a fleece or other sweater. Costco sells low cost brand called Segments but REI has their own brand, as well as Smartwool. A hat/beanie also necessary for all. ETA - I also agree with UTmeritseeker about getting warm coats for everyone - thrifted or borrowed would certainly work. When my daughter and I toured New England colleges in February 2020 (11-15 degrees) we wore thin long johns under our clothes as well as down jackets over. This was cold for us and also helped her decide that NE winters were not for her.
If you can’t wear wool, don’t fret (I live in New England and don’t own one garment that is wool because I can’t wear any kind of wool anything). Just pick something warm! And remember, you will likely be going in and out of buildings…or can do so.
Layers are your friend. Yesterday it was 60 here. Tuesday we could get 6-9 inches of snow.
21F high in the day means it might be in the teens or lower if you are doing a morning tour.
I live in the Northeast and we had the appropriate attire. But let me tell you, every minute outdoors of that morning at JHU, in about 13F, was torture. On one of our visits to PA, we froze in about 17F while visiting Lafayette. Yes, you will have to get between buildings and to and from parking areas, etc…
If your child is likely going to attend college in the Midwest, can I suggest you just buy her a good warm winter coat? And maybe you can borrow one from somebody for your trip? I like layers too, but it will be winter. I wouldn’t fiddle around with jackets and raincoats when what you really need is a warm winter coat. Hats and gloves not optional of course. Warm socks too.
Go to a thrift store and buy real winter coats for anyone going on the trip. It won’t jinx anything and you will be very grateful to have them. You don’t need to buy a new $400 jacket, but you definitely want a real winter coat. If you never need them again you can send them back to the thrift store. We will also be in the same general area next week (see you at Macalester on Monday!) and are taking warm down jackets.
If you are freezing in the wrong clothes, it will seem colder than it should and will sour you all on the schools.
[adding: and it will feel even colder to you coming from a warmer climate. We are taking real coats and we are coming from somewhere with temperatures similar to those in the midwest]
For me, it comes down to how windy it is. I MUCH prefer 10 F with no wind to 30 and very windy. Or 33 and damp.
When we moved from Texas to Maine, I bought and was given lots of very warm sweaters. I quickly realized they weren’t practical because I got too hot inside. I prefer lighter weight long-sleeved shirts and then I can layer if needed. I hate being hot.
I ran for years, including during the winter. One of the biggest challenges, after navigating ice, was to not overdress.
Even in Maine, I wear my warmest coats only a handful of days. The climate change is remarkable - I don’t think I’ve seen below zero on our thermometer once this year. We broke a record yesterday for the warmest temperature for the date, low 50s.
You just want to make sure the kid is warm enough so they don’t automatically say “no way.” We ARE having the warmest winter on record in MN and there is no snow on the ground! Never seen that before in February. But you’re right, the forecast next weekend is more normal, chillier temps. I like the thrift store idea, although there might not be any in the thrift stores where you are. Would lend you something for your MN portion, if that were feasible! PM me if you’d like to discuss that, but you’ll need for Ohio too so idk if it works. If you already have long underwear bottoms, they do make a big difference in how warm you feel, so paired with lighter outerwear, might help. If you have lighter weight down jackets, you might be ok if there’s room for layers underneath, paired with winter hats and gloves.
