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Winter Vacations

Switch up your holiday itinerary this year with a winter vacation. There are many appealing things about traveling during the winter months: Popular attractions are devoid of summertime tourists, trains are less crowded and, of course, the scenery is amazing. Plains and prairies are blanketed with freshly fallen snow, and mountain peaks are dressed in their winter white. All of this paired with ice-encrusted rivers and frozen lakes make for some of the most incredible sights to behold. The best winter vacations highlight the beauty of the landscape while also capturing the spirit of the season.

Visit alpine towns chock-full of winter activities, such as Banff or Jasper in the Rocky Mountains of Canada or the resort cities of the Swiss Alps. In these destinations, skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing are among the most popular ways to savor the winter scenes. Ride a snow train from Chicago to San Francisco or Seattle for a look at the ever-changing vistas of winter as you travel between states. Take a train trip past the Arctic Circle to watch the Northern Lights play across the sky in places like Alaska and Scandinavia. A winter holiday may also venture to Europe, where traditional Christmas markets fill the air with spiced aromas and the joyous sounds of festive music.

Winter holiday destinations do not have to be cold, though. Rather, travelers have the option to escape to warmer havens to soak up the sun and leave the cold far behind them. These trips combine thoughtful train itineraries with ocean cruising to destinations like Hawaii and the Western Caribbean. Winter vacation ideas are as diverse as the travelers that set out upon them.

Our customers love our Winter Tours tours

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland in Winter

30 Apr 2024

CHRISTOPHER JOHN MORRIS

“For context, we live in New Zealand and booked to do this trip in March 2020, but Covid got in the way. We thought that was it, we'd never get to go. We were given a credit by Vacations By Rail (VBR) as many other companies did. Then, for global, cost and personal reasons, we could not do this trip until this year. Now I have to say, VBR went above and beyond to keep the dream alive. Their team (Hilary, Charles, Gabrielle and others) were very supportive and got us on tour in March 2024 and it was just fantastic. The itinerary was very well planned, presented and easy to follow. It gave us time and options along the way. The 15-day SwissPass, SBB (Swiss Rail) and their SBB App were the magic that unlocked so many things to do. We used it heaps in Zurich and the surrounding regions where we had 6 days. We used it to visit museums, take Lake Cruises, Trains, Buses and Trams everywhere all included. A free tour of Chillon castle in Montreux (great to do, get the audio guide) etc... The hotels were great. Zurich, Old Town, Hotel Wellenberg great location and staff, Zermatt Alpenhof, brilliant, was the best we stayed in. Great hotel, luxury, location and restaurant (ask them to pick you up from the station, good to know). Same at the Crystal in St Moritz, give them a call. Interlaken Royal St George was pure luxury. Beautiful place. And many more. All an excellent experience. As you can see we really enjoyed this trip and have nothing but praise for how VBR looked after us for four years and then with their excellent tour, meticulous planning and great choices of destinations and hotels. And all by email and a few calls from Chicago 13,000kms away. Thanks again. We couldn't ask for more and will remember this one for quite a long time. Chris & Helen Some things we learnt along the way; - Switzerland shops and supermarkets are shut on Sundays except for small grocery stores, cafes, pubs and restaurants etc - If you are travelling in March/April just think about the impact Easter may have on your travels and day. Otherwise, great time of the year to travel. Not too many tourists and skiers. Not weather extremes either - Ask the hotels about pickups from stations. - Check the local attractions in and around Zurich. Some great places to see - The Zurich Tourism office in Zurich's Hauptbahnhof is very good and well worth a visit for ideas and savings, oh and free WiFi as is SBB - Have some change as they charge for the public bathrooms, 2CHF. Many have PayWave.

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Grand Canyon Railway Rails to the Rim Adventure - Los Angeles

28 Apr 2024

cindy galindo

“Great adventure. Exciting way to see the countryside. New perspective

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Cuisine & Culture: Rome, Florence & Venice

23 Apr 2024

DEBORAH RHODE

“Our experience on the Cuisine & Culture tour gave us the best vacation we've had. Communication, documentation and responses before the trip were always prompt. Transfers and escorts were timely and invaluable since we had minimal knowledge of the language and transportation customs. The guides were high quality, friendly and very accommodating. Hotels in Rome and Florence were wonderful. However, the hotel in Venice was not quite as good. In all the combination of tours and unplanned down time that Cuisine & Culture scheduled was just right. I would highly recommend the Superior package for first time travelers to Italy.

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Grand Canyon Railway Rails to the Rim Adventure

21 Apr 2024

Dave Plassmeyer

“All rail staff is to be commended for the jobs they do. Everyone is very helpful and friendly .

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Classic Coast to Coast by Rail

16 Apr 2024

BEDWARD DUNLAP

“This can be expensive for some people. Maybe you should offer discounts to older travelers.

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Alaska Northern Lights & Aurora Train

15 Apr 2024

TERESA ALLUMS

“Aurora lights another amazing beauty of the Lord. The Yurt experience was great.

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Cuisine & Culture: Barcelona, Madrid & Seville

13 Apr 2024

STEVEN FELIX BECK

“The travel arrangements were great. All airport/train station to and from the Hotels were spot on. Private tour guides were first rate.

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Winter in the Rockies

11 Apr 2024

Helen Adams

“This was a great trip; the hotels were beautiful and we loved the overnight train! Just the right amount of coordination by Vacations by Rail so that our time was our own but all of the transportation details were arranged conveniently and expertly. This was our second Vacations By Rail trip, and we will definitely take more of them as we are big train travel fans.

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Anchorage & Talkeetna Northern Lights Getaway

05 Apr 2024

JAMES ANTHONY HORN

“The staff was very professional and knowledgeable about the northern lights. We gathered a lot of information from them. Great staff.

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Winter Vacations

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