Planning to come to Hocking Hills this winter with 18 people? The week between Christmas and New Year is the best time to gather the whole family: grandparents, parents, teenagers, and maybe even a couple of toddlers! Then the forecast turns to snow, or two days of cold rain. What do you all do?
The good news is that this is the question our lodges were built for. Indoor activities in Hocking Hills start right at the property, with a game room, a family room, and one table for everyone. And if your family wants a change of scene, downtown Logan is about 6 miles away. It has museums, workshops, and axe throwing, and most of them are just a short drive apart. Here is how I would plan a snowy day, a rainy day, or a whole weekend of both.
Why Snowy and Rainy Days Still Work for a Big Family in Hocking Hills
Winter is the quietest season on the trails. The crowds that fill Old Man’s Cave in October are gone, and the waterfalls often freeze into columns of ice. December usually brings the first real snow, and a rainy weekend can arrive in any month. Either way, a family of 18 gets the park almost to itself.
One thing to note is that winter days are short and the roads can be slick. Sunset comes before 6 PM, so a hike needs to start by early afternoon. Hocking Hills State Park stays open all winter. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources posts trail conditions on its park page, so check it the morning of your hike.
For a group this size, I would plan one outdoor morning and treat the rest as indoor time. That takes the pressure off the forecast, and nobody feels cheated if the snow keeps falling. If you are still choosing a trip length, see our guide to how many days you need in Hocking Hills.
There are also two winter dates worth planning around. Christmas in Ash Cave lights the cave on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 5 to 7 PM. The annual Hocking Hills Winter Hike is scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027. It runs about 6 miles; it is free, and ODNR publishes the details closer to the day.
The Lodge is the Plan: Indoor Space for 18 at The Woodlands
Our two lodges sit next to each other on Morris Road, about 6 miles and 11 minutes outside downtown Logan. Both were set up so a large family can spend a whole day inside without feeling crowded. The spaces that matter most are the game room, hot tub, kitchen, dining table, and family room. Here is how each one works for a group of 18.
I will use Magnolia Grove Lodge as the example, because it sleeps 20 across 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Woodland Lodge sleeps 18 across 5 bedrooms, 13 beds and 3 bathrooms, and I will note where it differs.
Ping Pong, Air Hockey and Pop-a-Shot in the Game Room
The walkout basement at Magnolia Grove Lodge is where a snowed-in family spends most of its day. The game room has ping pong, air hockey, pop-a-shot, bocce ball, and cornhole. There is also a shelf of board games and children’s books. Two 75-inch TVs sit side by side, so the football game and a cartoon can run at the same time.
That mix matters when three generations share a house. The teenagers can run a ping pong tournament while the grandparents keep score, and the toddlers get a corner of their own. Nobody has to leave the building to have a full day.
Woodland Lodge has its own game room with ping pong, shuffleboard, pop-a-shot, air hockey, foosball, and darts. It also has an in-home theater room, making it the better pick for movie night.
Cooking for 18 in the Kitchen
Snow days turn into cooking days, and so do rainy ones. The Magnolia Grove kitchen comes fully stocked with an oven, dishwasher, microwave, and a full-size fridge and freezer. Dishes, cookware, and baking essentials are there, along with coffee, creamer, sugar, salt, and pepper.
My suggestion for a big family is to assign one meal to each household. Each one cooks once and sits down as a guest the other times. Woodland Lodge has two refrigerators, which helps when four families arrive with their own groceries. If you would rather eat out, our post on family dining in Logan, Ohio lists restaurants that seat 18.
One Table for the Whole Family
Meals are where a reunion actually happens, so the table count is worth checking before you book. At Magnolia Grove, the dining table seats 14 to 16 and the kitchen island seats 4. That puts all 20 in the same room for dinner.
Woodland Lodge seats 22 across a 12-person dining table, a 4-person breakfast bar, and a 6-person sunroom table. The sunroom table is a quiet spot for a puzzle or a card game while dinner is cooking.
Evenings by the Electric Fireplace at Magnolia Grove
Once the little ones are down, the family room at Magnolia Grove is where the adults land. It has an indoor electric fireplace and a 65-inch TV with cable and streaming. There is no wood to haul in and no fire to tend, which is a relief at the end of a long day.
This is the quiet hour of the day. The snow falls outside, the game room has gone still, and the grown-ups finally get to talk.
Hands-On Workshops for All Ages, at the Lodge or Nearby
When the family wants a project to work on together, there are three options. Hocking Hills Paint Parties comes to the lodge, and Hocking Hills Candleworks and Jack Pine Studio are nearby. All three work for mixed ages, and all three need a call ahead for a group of 18.
Hocking Hills Candleworks
Hocking Hills Candleworks lets your family pour its own soy candles, choosing among about 170 scents. The workshop takes about an hour and sits inside the Christmas Treasures shop on Ilesboro Road. It is a calm option for grandparents and younger kids on the same afternoon.
Reservations are required, so call (740) 385-9537 before you go.
Jack Pine Studio Glassblowing in Laurelville
Jack Pine Studio is a working glass studio where your family can watch artists shape molten glass. The live demonstrations are free during open hours. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the studio also runs make-your-own classes, including a glass ornament class listed at $60. In December, that ornament goes straight on the tree.
Winter hours run Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Call 740-332-2223 to confirm Sunday hours and class sizes before you bring 18 people.
Games and Competition in Logan
For the competitive side of the family, Logan has an escape room, an axe-throwing hall, and a bowling alley. Each one caps its group size, so here is how the numbers work for 18.
Hocking Hills Escape Games
Hocking Hills Escape Games on South Spring Street runs one 60-minute room, The Great Heist, at $25 per person. Each game takes 6 players. For a family of 18, book three back-to-back slots and turn it into a tournament.
Games run by appointment Thursday through Sunday. Call (740) 603-4842 to reserve.
Axe Throwing at The Hungry Buffalo
Bury the Axe at The Hungry Buffalo on Grey Street is a good fit for the teenagers and adults in the group. Lanes cost $15 per person per hour, with a maximum of 6 throwers per lane. Eighteen people means three lanes, and groups over 6 must reserve in advance.
Throwers must be 18, or 16 with a parent, and must wear closed-toe shoes. Weekday sessions start at 4 PM, with earlier slots on Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant upstairs makes it easy to feed everyone afterward.
Bowling at Scenic Lanes
Scenic Lanes on West Hunter Street is the classic rainy-day fallback. Open-bowling hours are limited, mostly weekends, and the lanes are sometimes booked for private parties. Call 740-385-3879 before you load up the cars.
Museums and Quirky Stops Near Downtown Logan
Four indoor stops sit within a few miles of each other. Two are downtown: the Hocking Hills Children’s Museum and the Columbus Washboard Company. Two sit on State Route 664: the Paul A. Johnson Pencil Sharpener Museum and the Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center. Together they make a full day for a group that wants to walk around and stay warm.
Hocking Hills Children’s Museum
The Hocking Hills Children’s Museum on West Main Street is built for the under-10 crowd. Climbing structures, pretend play, and hands-on exhibits keep little ones busy while older relatives sit nearby. Admission is $10 for non-residents and free for children under 12 months.
Hours are 10 AM to 4 PM most days and noon to 4 PM on Wednesdays. The museum also rents private two-hour blocks for up to 30 guests, which suits a family of 18 well. Check the website for holiday closures in late December.
Paul A. Johnson Pencil Sharpener Museum
The Pencil Sharpener Museum sits in a small outbuilding at the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center on State Route 664. Thousands of sharpeners line the walls, collected by one man over a lifetime. It is free and takes about 20 minutes.
The Welcome Center is open Monday through Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 5 PM. Call 740-385-9706 to confirm winter hours. It is also the best place to pick up a paper trail map.
Columbus Washboard Company
The Columbus Washboard Company on East Main Street is the last washboard factory in the United States. Guided tours start at 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM and run about 35 minutes. Adults pay $8; children and students pay $5.
Tours need a minimum of 4 people and must be booked ahead, so call (740) 380-3828 for a group of 18. It is a short, easy stop for the older members of the family.
Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center
The Old Man’s Cave Visitor Center is about 6.7 miles, or 10 to 15 minutes, from both lodges. The exhibits cover the geology, wildlife, and history of the gorge. It is a good way to see the park on a day when the trails are iced over.
The center is open daily 10 AM to 4 PM, subject to seasonal changes, and admission is free. The gift shop closes at 3 PM.
Movies, Music and Art in Nelsonville and Logan
Once the museums are done, there are three evening options nearby. There’s also Movies 10, a 10-screen cinema, Stuart’s Opera House is a historic theater, and the Bowen House is a small gallery.
Movies 10 in Nelsonville
Movies 10 on US-33 in Nelsonville is a 10-screen theater with an arcade. It is the easiest answer when the whole family wants the same thing at the same time. Showtimes are posted weekly on the website, and the holiday releases land right when a big family is in town.
Stuart’s Opera House
Stuart’s Opera House is a restored 1879 theater on the Public Square in Nelsonville. Concerts run through the winter. Rhonda Vincent and The Rage are listed for Friday, January 8, 2027. Check the current schedule before booking tickets for a group.
Bowen House Cultural Arts Center
The Bowen House on North Market Street in Logan hangs a new exhibit each month and hosts small concerts. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday, 2 PM to 5 PM, February through December. The Celebration of Trees fills the house with decorated trees in early December. It is generally closed in January.
How to Split 18 People Across a Snowy or Rainy Day
A family of 18 rarely wants to do one thing. The easier approach is to run two or three activities at once and meet back at the lodge for dinner. Here is one way to split a wet winter Saturday.
Morning. The grandparents and the toddlers go to the Children’s Museum, which opens at 10 AM. The teenagers and parents book the 11 AM Columbus Washboard tour. Both are on Main Street, so the cars park once.
Afternoon. Everyone meets at the Welcome Center for the Pencil Sharpener Museum and a trail map. Then the group splits again, and the adults take three lanes at Bury the Axe while the kids head back to the game room.
Evening. Everyone sits down to dinner at one table. Afterward, six people head for the hot tub and the rest settle into the family room by the fireplace. Nobody has to drive anywhere.
The places that take 18 without splitting are the Children’s Museum, the washboard tour and the paint party. Escape Games and axe throwing cap at 6 per game or lane, so plan on three rounds. Everything else here is call-ahead.
What Guests Say About Staying In at The Woodlands
Guests who spend a day in tend to mention the same rooms. Dylan stayed at Woodland Lodge with a group and summed up the indoor spaces this way:
“The home provides entertainment and relaxation in every way possible. I highly recommend this place for a single family as well as multiple families.”
Dylan, Woodland Lodge guest
He named the game room, the media room, the hot tub, and the fire pits as the reasons. Those are the same spaces a family of 18 leans on when the forecast turns. They are the reason the lodge itself is the plan.
Indoor Activities in Hocking Hills Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Winter is the quietest season on the trails, and the waterfalls often freeze. The lodges at The Woodlands are built for days inside, with game rooms, hot tubs, and one table for everyone.
The Children’s Museum rents private blocks for up to 30. The Columbus Washboard Tour and Hocking Hills Paint Parties take large groups by booking. Escape Games and axe throwing run 6 per game, so plan three rounds.
Yes. Magnolia Grove Lodge has ping pong, air hockey, pop-a-shot, bocce ball, and cornhole. Woodland Lodge has ping pong, shuffleboard, pop-a-shot, air hockey, foosball, and darts, plus an in-home theater room.
Hocking Hills State Park stays open all winter. Trails can be icy, so check ODNR trail conditions and start by early afternoon. Both lodges are about 6.7 miles from the trailhead.
About 6 miles, or 11 minutes. Most of the indoor activities in this guide are in or near downtown Logan.
Woodland Lodge sleeps 18, and Magnolia Grove Lodge sleeps 20. The two lodges sit next to each other. Groups over 20 should email stay@thewoodlandstoday.com before booking.
Plan Your Winter Stay at The Woodlands
For a family of 18 that wants one roof and a plan for every forecast, start with Magnolia Grove Lodge. It sleeps 20 with 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Woodland Lodge next door sleeps 18 and adds the theater room. Our guide to large group cabins in Hocking Hills helps you choose between them.
Check Availability Now at book.thewoodlandsathockinghills.com. Every stay gives back. At Magnolia Grove Lodge, 5% of each booking goes to the Ronald McDonald House. At Woodland Lodge, guests choose where their 5% goes: Special Olympics, St. Jude, or the Columbus Humane Society.