subject: Best Winter Holiday Spots [print this page] Best Winter Holiday Spots Best Winter Holiday Spots
Winter holidays are an excellent way to get through those cold winter months. After all, what better way is there to survive the ice and snow than by embracing it, sometimes literally. There are a wide variety of activities which are great for this season including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and dog-sledding. Fantastic resorts will allow you to participate in all these great pursuits.
The west coast of Canada is an excellent place for a brief jaunt in the winter. Spread across the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, it has a huge array of resorts which you can head to for snowboarding and skiing. Particular highlights include Whistler, Banff, Lake Louise and Big White all of which have amazing snow, great resort towns and a fun-loving ski culture. Canada is a thoroughly cold country and its people have certainly adapted to this weather this has led to a wide variety of fun activities that you can do here aside from skiing and snowboard. Snowmobiling is very popular pursuit, as is cross-country skiing; for something very special you can try bobsledding at the Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta.
Skiing has a very unique and delightful culture built around it indeed, the sport evokes images of mulled wine, fondue and delicious food. To get a great taste of this you should head to one of France's many fine ski resorts. Places to highlight include: Chamonix, Val D'Isere, Tignes, Val Thorens and Meribel all of which have vast expanses of piste that are great for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. If you are not into carving up the slopes it is well worth checking out this area anyways: it has some beautiful chalets, bars and restaurants which evoke a wonderful, distinctly European, wintry feel. There is nowhere better to wait out the winter than in one of these charming resort towns.
For something a bit different you should head far up north to Lapland. This area is cold, dark and packed full of great activities. Go for a ski in the day then trek out to see the Northern Lights at night. You can also go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or strap yourself to a pack of eager huskies and embark on a dog-sledding safari. There are also great activities for children and you can visit reindeer farms, husky kennels and even see if Santa is about.
Many people dread the coming of winter and see it as a time to hide away, work and pray for the advent of spring. This is a shame as it is a great time to head out on budget holidays to some of the great winter wonderlands around the world. These trips are great for adventure minded individuals or families looking for a wide variety of activities to amuse their children it is always a great idea to get your kids started early on skiing or snowboarding. These fun activities are best learned whilst young, and will provide them with endless fun throughout their lives.
