With so much travel going on, you certainly aren’t going to want to wing it when it comes to planning your vacation.
Two out of three Americans are planning on traveling this winter. That’s an increase of 4 percent from last year.
Continue reading and we’ll show you the best winter travel destinations for 2019.
Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Canada is an excellent winter travel destination, especially for Americans. The locals are known to be friendly and helpful and the country is full of natural beauty.
Plus, thanks to the weakness of the Canadian dollar, everything is basically 25% off over there!
One of the best places to travel to in the winter in Canada is Banff. Banff is a resort town in Alberta. It’s a 90-minute drive from Calgary and the drive is totally breathtaking.
There are all sorts of cool activities to do while visiting Banff so you won’t get bored. Those activities include ice fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating on a pond.
Just make sure that you dress for the cold.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Many people agree that the best time of year to visit Yellowstone National Park is in the winter.
Starting in early November, most of the park roads become closed to regular traffic. This means that most roads are only accessible to “oversnow” means of transportation such as cross-country skis or guided snow coach and snowmobile tours.
You’ll experience much smaller crowds compared to those in the summer. And you’ll get to stare in awe at the many frozen lakes, steaming geysers, and snow-blanketed forests.
After you go on a ranger-led nature walk or snowshoe trek at Yellowstone, feel free to mosey on down to Jackson Hole. At Jackson Hole, you can go out and hit the ski slopes at one of their several mountain resorts. You can lodgings ranging from classy hotels to cute log cabins and also enjoy the hip ski scene.
Lapland, Finland
Few destinations offer a magical holiday travel experience like Lapland, Finland, the country’s most northern region. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to witness the beautiful Northern Lights.
You can also go and check out actual reindeer farms and the world-famous Santa Claus Village. Lapland offers the ideal mix of outdoor adventure and winter wonderland. This is the perfect place to help get you and the family in the holiday spirit.
An added bonus is that the flights to Lapland are usually extremely cheap. That’s because it’s still rather unknown to most tourists yet there are still plenty of awesome things to do like dog sledding, ice floating, watching the Northern Lights, and snowmobiling.
Pasadena, California
Pasadena puts on their much loved Rose Parade every year on the first of January. This parade includes huge floats, beautiful horses, and marching bands.
There are all sorts of other cool events going on this week too including Deco Week. This is when you and your friends can volunteer to put flowers on the floats.
There’s also Bandfest which showcases the marching bands that came from all over the world to partake in the parade.
Plus, there’s the college football Rose Bowl which is always a fun time. But you have to act fast. Tickets to these events sell quick!
And while you’re in the state, feel free to purchase some dispensary packaging too while you’re at it.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Pretty much everyone loves The Netherlands. And much of that is thanks to their beautiful architecture, comfort food, and canals. And even if you miss the snow, the city is still picture-perfect.
Also, when the temperatures get really cold and the canals freeze over, it’s a great opportunity to get some ice skating in. And the holiday markets will be bustling too.
The flights from major US cities to Amsterdam are usually very affordable. This is great, especially considering how the city is way less crowded in the winter anyway.
Be sure to check out the Amsterdam Lights Festival which has several installations.
The winter is also the season for oliebollen. These doughy balls of goodness are what beignets are to the city of New Orleans.
Other cool things to do in Amsterdam are street art tours and museum tours at places like the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt, Switzerland is one of the prettiest cities in all of Europe. It’s a great place to both relax and partake in all of your favorite winter activities.
The city is also car-free. So you park in a nearby town and then get on the train to Zermatt.
It’s an ideal place for anyone who’s interested in shopping, skiing, and just taking in the landscape. It’s so perfect you might even think you’re inside a giant snowglobe.
Bryce Canyon, Utah
One of the defining features of Bryce Canyon is the red rock hoodoos that stand in the badlands under bright blue skies. Although Bryce Canyon is beautiful at any time of year, it really shines in the winter when the land is lightly covered in white snow.
There’s also plenty of solitude this time of year compared to the crowded tourist areas in the summer.
The Importance of Knowing the Best Winter Travel Destinations
By knowing the best winter travel destinations, and what to do when you actually get there, you’ll be better prepared when it’s finally time to go on vacation.
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