Things to do this snowy weekend in Denver

DENVER (KDVR) -- Even with several inches of snow on the ground and more to come in the Denver weather forecast, there are plenty of things to do this weekend.

Thursday and Friday are Pinpoint Weather Alert Days as snow and rain continue. The heaviest snowfall is expected to fall Friday afternoon and into Saturday morning.

By the end of Wednesday, some areas of Denver had accumulated four to eight inches of snow. By Saturday morning, the Pinpoint Weather team expects up to an additional eight inches to fall on top of that.

It's a good weekend to stay warm and cozy inside, but it's also a good weekend to get outside and enjoy the fresh powder. Either way, Coloradans will want to prepare for a snowy weekend before temperatures warm back up next week.

Here are some things to do this weekend:

Go sledding or tubing

You don't have to head to the mountains or know how to ski to enjoy the snow this weekend with several inches of snow across the Denver metro area.

You could break out your sleds and tubes or find a piece of cardboard and bring it to the nearest hill to go sledding.

If you need ideas for where to go sledding, look no further — earlier this year, FOX31 compiled a list of some of the best places to go sledding and tubing in the metro area according to viewers.

Ski areas and ski resorts opening

A handful of Colorado's many ski areas and ski resorts are open for the season or opening this weekend, including:

• Arapahoe Basin
• Breckenridge Ski Resort (opens Friday)
• Copper Mountain Resort (opens Friday)
• Eldora
• Keystone Resort
• Winter Park Resort (opens Friday)
• Loveland Ski Area (opens Saturday)

Watch some sports

Several Colorado sports teams are playing this weekend, and with football teams away, it's a great chance to enjoy sports from the warmth of your home or perhaps a sports bar.

The Denver Nuggets have home games at Ball Arena this weekend, facing the Miami Heat on Friday at 7 p.m. and the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at 6 p.m. There are still tickets available on Ticketmaster for both games as of Thursday morning.

The University of Colorado Buffaloes are on the road to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. Mountain Time and the game will be broadcast live on FOX31.

The Denver Broncos will be on the road to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at 11 a.m. Mountain Time. The game will be broadcast on CBS.

The Colorado Avalanche will face the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday at 9 p.m. at Ball Arena. Tickets are still available on Ticketmaster as of Thursday morning.