10 Unusual Winter Travel Destinations You Might Not Have Considered
If Winter Is Your Season, These Destinations Are For You
Want to beat the winter blues by hopping on a plane somewhere, but don’t know where to go? Usually there are two kinds of winter travelers: the one who escapes the cold and spends a week on a beach in the Caribbean, and the one who embraces the cold and spends a week hitting the slopes of an infamous ski resort.
Maybe it’s time for something more unusual this winter. Skip the tropics and forgo the winter destinations we’re all familiar with. This year, explore one of these captivating destinations that you might not think to visit in the wintertime.
A sprinkling of snow on the ground only makes these sights and cities more magical and you’ll be sure to have an experience few others have.
Tokyo, Japan
Japan might not be big on Christmas, but they know how to make winter amazing. The Imperial Palace and Gardens in Tokyo look spectacular in winter, and the emperor’s birthday happens to fall on December 23, so it is a great time to visit.
Then there are multiple winter festivals, such as the Sapporo Snow Festival. If you’re up for a day trip and looking for things to do in Tokyo, you can head to Jigokudani Monkey Park, for the best winter activity you will ever experience: watching monkeys bathe in hot pools.
Chicago, USA
The Windy City becomes a snowy city in winter, and it is all the more lovable for it. If it gets cold enough, Lake Michigan can partially freeze over, which is a truly wondrous sight.
You can take in the city’s stunning architecture while zipping around an ice skating rink with your kids in Millennium Park. You can sip hot chocolate while strolling down Michigan Avenue marveling at the Magnificent Mile Holiday Lights Festival.
And, when the cold becomes too much, you can warm up in one of the many excellent restaurants in the city.
These famous movie locations make for great vacation destinations.You'll see where your favorite movies were made and take in some breathtaking scenery!
Plitvice National Park, Croatia
A popular summer destination, you might think Plitvice National Park is an unusual winter travel vacation. The beauty of Plitvice’s waterfalls is not diminished in cold weather, though. On the contrary, if the waterfalls freeze over it only adds to the fairy tale nature of the park.
What makes a trip here in winter even better is that the park is almost deserted: you will have the majestic beauty of the cascading lakes and waterfalls almost to yourself.
