Thursday, October 1, 2026
Athletes don’t need to go home when it rains or snows this year – they can take it indoors at their local sports arena.
Sports like running, tennis, pickleball, basketball, and volleyball can grudgingly be played in a light sprinkle, or as some jokingly call it, liquid sunshine. However, nobody is going to play any of those sports in slushy snow, outside of a social media stunt.
While online influencers make content, you can make gains in your sport of choice or find a new one at one of the local indoor sports facilities this winter.
Invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith at the International YMCA Training School, now Springfield College, in Springfield, Massachusetts, basketball was meant to give students a sport they could play during the harsh Northeastern winters.
More than 130 years later, it has become one of the most popular indoor sports, not just in the United States, but worldwide. The Mukilteo and Mill Creek YMCA locations have swimming, basketball, and volleyball year-round, with leagues forming regularly.
Mukilteo YMCA: 10601 47th Pl. W, Mukilteo.
Mill Creek YMCA: 13723 Puget Park Dr., Everett.
For those looking to test their agility or want their kids to stop doing parkour in the living room, a trampoline and obstacle arena might be up your alley. Both Elevated Sportz Trampoline Park and Event Center and Sky Zone also have challenge courses and dodgeball.
If you’re looking to sign up a child for gymnastics, Gymagine has classes and playtimes available.
Elevated Sportz: 18311 Bothell-Everett Hwy, Suite 140, Bothell.
Sky Zone: 24000 Van Ry Blvd., Mountlake Terrace.
Gymagine: 3616 S Rd., Suite B3, Mukilteo.
The winter may be cold, but that doesn’t mean the many lakes in the area will freeze thick enough to skate on. The Olympic View Arena offers figure skating and hockey for both youth and adults, with no risk of falling through the ice.
Olympic View Arena: 22202 70th Ave. W, Mountlake Terrace.
Pickleball is a silly name, but it has some serious fans. Invented in 1965 by Washington residents Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, the game is played with a paddle, like table tennis, but also incorporates elements of tennis.
Pickleball courts are one-quarter the size of a tennis court, but you still need to be prepared to move quickly.
Pickleball Kingdom: 3115 196th St. SW, Lynnwood.
Bellevue Badminton: 3616 South Rd., Building D, Mukilteo.
Side Out Pickleball Center: 2716 119th St. SW, Everett.
The Pacific Northwest boasts some of the most beautiful mountains, but during the winter, be prepared for ice climbing, assuming the passes aren’t snowed in. Rather than driving out to Snoqualmie Pass, Leavenworth, Mount Baker, or Mount Shuksan, consider driving to Lynnwood instead.
Vertical World is an indoor climbing gym offering a range of youth and adult activities and classes. So rather than needing to pack your climbing gear and hope the weather holds up, you can climb in a climate-controlled room in a T-shirt and shorts.
Vertical World: 12300 Beverly Park Rd., Lynnwood.
The FIFA 2025 World Cup is right around the corner, and if you’re a soccer fan – football to the rest of the world – you may want to summon your inner Lionel Messi or Clint Dempsey on an indoor field.
Arena Sports offers not only a soccer field, but an arcade and a rope and zip line course as well. For those focused on only playing soccer, TOCA Football offers leagues, classes and camps for youth and adults.
Arena Sports: 13500 Bothell-Everett Hwy, Suite A, Mill Creek.
TOCA Football: 18021 Alderwood Mall Pkwy, Lynnwood.
If you ever wondered what it’s like to be inside a pinball machine, Wallyball is the sport for you. Created in 1971, Wallyball combines volleyball and racquetball, allowing players to use the walls in their shots.
The Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion is one of the few locations in Snohomish County that offers Wallyball, along with racquetball and pickleball.
Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion: 5303 228th St. SW, Mountlake Terrace.
Don’t let the weather get you down. Get out (or in) there!
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