What do American consumers like to do in winter?

The US has already entered its second pandemic winter, this time coupled with ongoing supply chain issues and the highest inflation in three decades. But is that going to stop consumers from planning their winter leisure time activities? The latest YouGov data shows it will not.

For starters, a substantial proportion of adults in the US say they prefer visiting their friends and family during winters (40%). A similar share of audience also tell us they prefer to go to the movie theatre (38%).

With the ongoing holiday season, it’s not surprising that going out for shopping falls third on the list for US consumers (36%). Next in the popularity stakes is watching indoor performances (32%).

For some, wintertime is also about staying healthy – as three in ten consumers tell us they prefer working out during this time of the year (31%). A close share of adults also like to go walking (27%).

Officials in the US now remain wary about holiday travel surging to pre-pandemic levels. Our data shows that a quarter of American adults like to travel during winters (24%), suggesting consumers’ underlying appetite to head out and explore places. Drilling deeper into the data suggests that this is most pervasive among 45-64-year-olds (18-29: 24%; 30-44: 23%; 45-64: 26%; 65+: 19%).

Close to one in five like to go to a concert (18%) or sightseeing (18%). A notable proportion of adults prefer attending sporting events (12%) or to play some themselves (11%) during winter. Winter outdoor performances are favored by 8% of US adults.

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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race. Learn more about Profiles.