8 Top Snowy Destinations for Winter Activities
From wild natural park excursions to scenic cultural stops, these eight snowy destinations will transport you to your very own winter wonderland.
Planning a vacation to remember doesn’t have to mean beach trips or tropical escapes. In fact, it’s worth flipping the calendar and traveling when you’re guaranteed frosty temperatures and thick, fluffy snowfall. Luckily, you have plenty of options for the kind of wintertime retreat that would make even Currier and Ives jealous. From the UNESCO-listed scenery of Banff National Park to the North Pole–style attractions of Lapland, here are eight places that are best explored during the coldest months of the year.
Lapland
Finland
For a true winter wonderland experience, you’ll want to aim for the North Pole — and Lapland, Finland’s northernmost region, is about as close as you can get. By day, you can go on a husky safari through the subarctic wilderness, visit a reindeer farm, and even meet jolly old St. Nick at the Santa Claus Village. And by night — which lasts for some 18 hours during the winter — you can bundle up to eat in an ice restaurant before turning your eyes to the heavens and taking in a kaleidoscopic Aurora Borealis show.
St. Petersburg
Russia
St. Petersburg is known for its regal splendor, and it’s true that its colorful onion domes and imperial palaces look even better when frosted with a light coating of snow. Enjoy an old-fashioned exploration of Russia’s cultural hub when you travel through the city by horse-drawn sleigh, or go for a dog-sledding excursion before warming up with mulled wine. And when those Baltic temperatures get a little too fierce, head indoors to wander the Hermitage Museum (housed in the aptly named Winter Palace), or even see The Nutcracker at the Mariinsky Theatre, where it first premiered in 1892.
Banff
Canada
Banff’s UNESCO-listed scenery — from its Rocky Mountain peaks to its azure lakes and sprawling glaciers — is impressive enough on its own. But this national park also happens to be one of North America’s top destinations for winter sports enthusiasts. The region’s three main ski resorts (Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, and Norquay) offer perfect powder and steep slopes, while backcountry skiing and waterfall ice climbing present their own challenges for intrepid types. Alternatively, for a gentler way to discover Banff’s scenery, travel by a one-horse open sleigh (and feel free to whistle along as you go).
Want more snowy winter destinations? Head to Viator for the full article.
Author: Claire Bullen
Claire Bullen is an award-winning food, drinks, and travel writer and editor who has lived and worked in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Paris, and London. She is the author of The Beer Lover’s Table: Seasonal Recipes and Modern Beer Pairings, and the editor at GoodBeerHunting.com. Her writing has also appeared in Time Out New York, The Daily Meal, Pellicle Magazine, and beyond.
