The best day trip from Östersund is Åre, Sweden's premier ski resort, less than an hour west by train on the Mittbanan line. In winter, Åre is a full Alpine ski resort with pistes ranging from gentle beginner slopes to challenging off-piste terrain, multiple lift systems, and a resort village with a lively après-ski scene. The mountain rises to 1420 metres and holds snow reliably from December through April. In summer, Åre becomes a mountain biking and hiking destination, with the lifts carrying bikes and walkers up to the high terrain. The combination of Östersund as a base — larger, with more cultural content — and day trips to Åre for skiing makes a good winter itinerary.
The broader Jämtland mountain region offers further possibilities. Storsjö-Kapell and the wild country to the west along the Norwegian border is excellent hiking territory in summer and can be accessed on day trips by car. The Tännforsen waterfall, Sweden's widest waterfall at around 60 metres, is about 90 km west of Östersund near Åre and worth a stop. For those interested in Sami culture, the village of Undersåker near Åre has connections to the reindeer herding communities of the region and occasionally offers cultural programmes.