8 Vacations for People Who Love Winter Activities
Updated: Dec. 12, 2018
When the temperatures drop, don’t run away from the cold, embrace it with one of these perfect winter wonderland vacations (no skis required).
See an ice-skating show at Madeleine Hotel
Telluride, Colorado is famous for skiing — they have everything from Alpine to Nordic to back country. But right outside this gorgeous Madeleine Hotel is a massive ice-skating rink with rentals (hockey skates and figure skates) as well as lessons, shows and even special DJ nights. To minimize travel anxiety, make sure you do these 6 little things.
Try snow tubing at Montage Deer Valley
Sure, you know Park City, Utah has some of the best skiing in the country, but the popular Montage Deer Valley resort also has its own snow tubing park. The tubing hill has a magic carpet feature to scoot you back up the hill as well, and the park is open from 2 p.m. until dusk. Nearby, you’ll also find sleigh rides, a toboggan-style alpine coaster and a winter zip line across the snow. These are the best places to travel every month of the year.
Sip winter’s sweetness at the Ice Wine Festival
This chilly January festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake, can reach temps of 40 degrees below zero but, as long as you can feel your fingers and toes, you can sip ice wine — made from frozen local grapes — from the ice bar in the town square. When you’re ready to warm up, sign up for a vineyard tour and go from winery to winery sipping and tasting small food pairings. Here are 13 ways to stay active outdoors and enjoy the Canadian winter.
Light up the night at the Taj
Here’s one perk you would never expect from an urban hotel: the Taj in Boston has 40 guest rooms with their own wood-burning fireplaces and a fireplace butler to build the perfect blaze for you. You can pick whether you prefer cherry or oak and, best of all, the property has a menu of s’mores and hot chocolates to choose from, plus a hot toddy that’s made with honey from the hotel’s own rooftop hive. These Almond & Smoked Salt Blondies are perfect if you’re craving something sweet and salty.
Bowl on ice at the American Club
In the courtyard of the Tudor-style American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin, you can try your hand at bowling on outdoor lanes made of ice. There’s also Bavarian Curling, and patio heaters to keep you comfortable while you challenge your friends. The courts stay open through March and require 48-hour notice for reservations. Here’s the gear that will make your boring workouts way more motivating.
Sleep on ice at the Hôtel de Glace
The unforgettable Hôtel de Glace in Quebec City is made of ice and offers fantasy one-night stays from December through March. Sign up and you get a sleeping bag-topped bed and a back-up room at a nearby hotel for when you want to warm up. They even have packages that include ice cider cocktails and dogsledding. These Instapot dinners are the perfect way to eat clean and stay warm this winter.
Celebrate maple at the Au Pied De Cochon Sugar Shack
Come to this restaurant in St. Benoit de Mirabel, Quebec from mid-February until the beginning of May, which is sugar season, for a multi-course dinner celebrating maple sugar in a farmhouse that’s usually surrounded by snow until the spring thaw. The dishes change, but desserts often include maple cotton candy, maple rimmed coffee and maple taffy you roll in a plate of snow. Want to make a full weekend of it? The restaurant even has its own five-bedroom cabin you can rent. Check out these 25 reasons why cutting back on sugar can actually benefit your health.
Hit the hills at Lake Placid Lodge
The Adirondacks in New York are a winter wonderland, once the home of the winter Olympics, and has everything from bobsledding to tobogganing, dog sledding, ski jumping and ice-skating. At the end of the day, check out one of Lake Placid Lodge’s famous snow bonfires, best admired with hot cocoa and s’mores. Here’s why you should book Switzerland for your next winter getaway.
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