Luque, who is from Alameda, California, was there to learn how to drive a sleigh herself. “It’s awesome. I mean you have a lot of power in your hands so it’s a little bit scary too.

The journey there sets the stage for a special evening. You will board an open-air sleigh hauled by snowcat machines for a 15-minute ride to the cozy cabin glowing in the snowy night.

Tyler State Park in Newtown is hosting horse-drawn sleigh rides dubbed “jingle rides” on several days throughout December. The horses come from A Better Way Farm to take you on a lovely 30 ...