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.