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Winter Holidays

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 Canyon Railway Rails to the Rim Adventure

28 Mar 2020

Raymond

“This was a great trip and a wonderful experience

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Canadian Snow Train with Jasper

21 Mar 2020

CES

“The Canadian Snow Train with three nights in Jasper was just spectacular! We always wanted to take a train across Canada and this one filled the bill. This trip takes you through five Canadian Provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. I highly recommend doing this trip in winter because the snow just makes everything so beautiful and you are sitting on the train just taking it all in, not even wearing a coat! The three nights in Jasper was also wonderful and yes, you will need a coat but not as many layers as you might think. Yes, it is cold but it is a dry cold and not the damp coldness we have in the east.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Winter in the Rockies

06 Dec 2019

PATRICIA

“Train trip was interesting-food was very good. Hotels were lovely. It was very cold but the recent snowfall made the scenery seem like winter wonderland. I would recommend it to friends

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Berlin, Prague & Vienna

23 Aug 2019

Bryan Zielenieski

“Awesome experience! I will be sure to use your services again!

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Coast Starlight Experience

16 Aug 2019

Lynn S

“Vacations by Rail was great to deal with. Our travel advisor was Suzanne who was both personable & knowledgeable. Our issues were not with Vacations, but rather with Amtrak.We did 2 trips back to back, which included hotel stays. The hotels were high end & wonderful. We would not hesitate to deal with V by R again, & have already recommended them.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Grand Canyon Railway Rails to the Rim Adventure - Los Angeles

30 May 2019

Pat

“the Grand Canyon train was a blast because our car steward was so funny. AS with any natural formation, we had weather that was not perfect. snow and fog one day. one day fine.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Canadian Snow Train

26 Apr 2019

Cathleen

“I already did.

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Winter Escape to the Grand Canyon - Chicago Round-trip

27 Dec 2018

Mary F, Ashland, OR

“My friend and I meet up each year for a trip. This was so different than our usual driving trip. We had so much time to catch up (she lives on the east coast, I on the west).

Collected by Vacations By Rail

Empire Builder Experience - Chicago to Seattle

19 Dec 2018

Leslie A, Myerstown, PA

“We loved being able to sit back, relax and watch the world go by. My husband and I were both able to enjoy the scenery. The Swift Current Boat trip wasn't so exciting but probably worth taking.

Collected by Vacations By Rail