While we often view summertime as the best season to explore the world, winter can offer even more incredible sights. Even with low temperatures, winter travel offers snowy vistas, sled rides, and even trips to luxury ski resorts. Each of these five incredible travel spots will bring your winter to the next level, making you forget all about those sunny summer plans.
1. The Ice Hotel
Sweden has an incredible lodging site known as the Ice Hotel. This frosty sojourn originated as an art gallery called “Artic Hall.” It was built from frozen ice and snow taken from the Torne River in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. In the past, when tourists traveled to visit the art gallery during busy seasons, they slept in the gallery due to a lack of available lodging accommodations. As this tradition of visitors wishing to sleep in the icy palace grew, Yngve Bergqvist developed his idea for what would become known as the Ice Hotel.
Each room showcases gorgeous ice-based architecture, built annually. Furthermore, they keep the rooms warm enough to ensure guests’ comfor (in addition to the hotel offering toasty sleeping bags). If you are looking for a winter vacay outside the norm,check out this Swedish spot.
2. The Northern Lights Village
Europe has much to offer when it comes to gorgeous winter excursions,including the Finnish Lapland. This village allows you to peek at the Northern Lights from your very own bed, either in a wood cabin igloo or glass igloo.
The northern lights are caused by solar wind ejected from the sun as it interacts with the Earth’s atmosphere. Typically, you can see them in regions such as Alaska, Iceland, and Scandinavia.
These glass igloos have modern furnishings, thus making this a luxurious stay to remember. Additionally, the glass roofs are also heated, ensuring that ice, snow, and frostcannot harden on the glass surface and obstruct aurora borealis viewing.
3. Ice Caves in Juneau, Alaska
Though venturing abroad can be exciting, you don’t necessarily need to leave the country to enjoy a wintertime adventure. Juneau, Alaska is brimming with wintery activities, including exploring one of its many ice caves. For safety purposes, you can best enjoy this excursion with a knowledgeable tour guide.
These ice caves offer glowing blue tunnels, found in glaciers like Kennicott and Matanuska. They form when water from glaciers melts, carving temporary caves thatcan change in appearance and even vanish within a season. Their intense blue color is caused by ice being extremely compressed over the centuries. As long as you’re safe, you’ll enjoy checking out these icy sites for blue views like no other.
4. New York City
While we often associate New York City with crowded subway stations, bagel-munching business folk, and touristy trips to the Statue of Liberty, don’t sleep on this American city. In the colder months, the big apple turns into a winter wonderland. Feel free to wander around a snowed-over Central Park or grab a friend and some skates at Rockefeller Center.
Additionally, if you want to avoid the cold temperatures, go museum-hopping and enjoy New York City’s wealth of cultural and historical artifacts. The MET Museum displays incredible artwork and relics ranging from ancient times to modern day. And if you want a yummy hot chocolate to go with your wintery New York day, stop by Glace NY for a toasted marshmallow hot chocolate worth bragging to your friends about.
5. Lucerne
If you want to travel abroad for the wintertime, there are few places more magical than snowy Switzerland. Known for its preserved medieval architecture, Lucerne is located amidst snowcapped mountains. This creates a gorgeous backdrop for strolling through the wintery cobblestoned streets.
Take a scenic boat ride on Lake Lucerne, visit snowy Mt. Rigi, or shop at an Old Town Christmas market. While indoors, heat up with some yummy raclette or a chocolatey fondue before watching one of their incredible ice skating shows. And be sure to stroll on the historic Chapel Bridge, which looks like a medieval winter wonderland in the cold season.
Whether you’re voyaging near or far, this list offers wintertime fun for everyone.
What are your favorite winter travel spots? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo by Luah Jun Yang on Unsplash
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