Best places to visit this winter

While some may wish to escape the cold at this time of year, others like to embrace it. Here are some best places to visit in winter that become even more so once winter arrives. 

Whitefish, Montana, USA 

When you really want to get away from it all, this little ski village is ideal. There’s lots to see and see on Big Mountain, which is home to lively stores and a ski resort. You can see some magnificent views of the mountain reflected in their state lake from the correct vantage point. But it’s their annual winter festival, which incorporates the lesser-known sport of joring, that draws the crowds. It involves a horse and rider pulling a skier along an 800-foot horseshoe-shaped course while the skier jumps and swerves around slalom gates.

Lake Tahoe, California, USA 

The stunning scenery of Lake Tahoe is stunning all year, but it reaches its pinnacle in the winter. The city also features hot springs, magnificent vistas, and a thriving nightlife, in addition to over a dozen ski resorts. Skiing, nature hikes, and bird watching are just a few of the winter activities available to visitors. If all else fails, make a snowman. Lake Tahoe gets about 125 inches of snow each year, so if all else fails, make a snowman.

Gullfoss, Iceland 

The Gullfoss waterfall is located in southwest Iceland, in the Hvtá river canyon, which is fed by Langjökull, Iceland’s second largest glacier. It’s stunning in the summer, but it’s much more so when it partially freezes over in the winter. The seas acquire bright colours of blue and turquoise, while the ice and snow accumulate on the rocks. The water drops around 100 feet in two stages and is enclosed by a canyon wall of nearly 200 feet. While there isn’t much more to do in the area than gaze at the waterfalls, most visitors agree that the trip is well worth it to enjoy the unspoiled natural splendor.

Svalbard, Norway

You can’t get much higher than this small mining village, which is located between the 74th and 81st parallels. It’s one of the world’s northernmost populated locations, making it a great place to see the Northern Lights. Because of its position, the town also experiences a phenomenon known as Polar Night, which occurs between mid-November and the end of January and occurs when the sun never rises and the sky is only a bright blue twilight. Because of the lack of sunlight, your chances of seeing the aurora borealis are increased. Even if you don’t catch it (it’s notoriously impossible to anticipate when it’ll happen), there’s much to see in the surrounding area, thanks to the big mountains and polar bears.

Lake Bled, Slovenia 

The Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia are home to this beautiful pool of water. Bled Island, which is surrounded by the lake and includes various buildings, including a church that conducts a large number of weddings each year, is surrounded by the lake. In fact, carrying the bride up the 99 steps of the church’s tower to ring the bell at the top is considered good luck. The lake turns a frosty blue in the winter and reflects the neighboring snow-capped mountains on its surface. Skiing is available in the vicinity, as is a visit to the nearby Vintgar gorge, which contains numerous waterfalls, pools, and caves.

Mammoth Cave  National  Park, Kentucky, USA

Mammoth Cave is the world’s longest known cave system and one of the best places to visit this winter. The sophisticated system, located in the center of Kentucky, provides a warm sanctuary while the earth above begins to freeze. The park provides a number of cave excursions, and because tourists slow down in the winter, you’ll be able to see this geologic wonder with a lot smaller group than you would be with the rest of the year.

Lake Baikal, Russia

It is generally not a good idea to visit Russia in the winter. However, some may be enticed to take the danger merely to see the views of Lake Baikal, also regarded as the “Sacred Sea” by the indigenous peoples of the region. The world’s deepest freshwater lake is a popular tourist destination all year, but in the winter, it transforms into a 12,200-square-mile ice rink. In regions where the water hasn’t frozen over, dog-sled and snowmobiling activities are available, as well as ice diving and rafting.

Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japan

The Jigokudani Monkey Park is Best places to visit this winter, which is located in Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, receives considerable snowfall for around four months of the year. There are lots of hot springs to warm oneself in despite the cold. This isn’t a well-kept secret, especially among monkeys: In the winter, snow monkeys are known to visit the valley and swim during the day. Visitors may look at the steam vents, which spray hot steam into the air, in addition to seeing monkeys kick back.

Midway, Utah, USA

In the winter, the small village immediately west of Heber City is a beautiful spot to visit. It’s one of the best places to visit this winter. Skiing, horse-drawn sleds, and breathtaking scenery are all available. Year-round scuba diving in the 90-degree waters is possible thanks to a geo-thermal caldera. The ice castles made by teams of artisans each year are undoubtedly the most popular attraction. The vast and intricate structures, which were built with 20 million pounds of ice, may

Kirkjufell, Iceland

Kirkjufell is a mountain that appears to have been plucked from a fairytale. This oddly shaped mountain is lovely in the spring, but once covered with snow, it becomes quite stunning. It’s a popular subject for nature photographers, but it’s even better in person. After that, head to Grundarfjörur, a little village with a population of only 900 people.

Abisko, Sweden

Abisko is home to Nordic fauna (plenty of reindeer!), a dynamic national park, and, most importantly, frequent aurora borealis sightings. Dog sledding, ice fishing, and telemark skiing (traditional downhill skiing on cross-country skis) are popular activities for both locals and visitors.

Perito Moreno, Glacier, Argentina

With good reason, this glacier is a popular tourist destination. It’s one of just three expanding Patagonian glaciers, and it’s found in Los Glaciates National Park. The enormous glacier is three miles wide and sinks to a depth of 558 feet. There is a glacier cave at the northern end of the massive block of ice that travelers can see. Some people choose to go on boat cruises to get a better view at the deep blue ice.