We all know that winter weather can be woolly. But during these cold months, it’s always best to embrace everything that the wild world has to offer. Here are six places in the U.S. where you can experience nature’s winter wonderlands.
Gaze at the Northern Lights in Fairbanks
Andy Witteman
You never forget the first time you see the Northern Lights flashing and dancing in the sky. A pretty city set on the big bends of the Chena River, Fairbanks, Alaska, sits a little below the Arctic Circle. With long winter nights and a location right under the auroral oval, it’s one of the best places to encounter this phenomenon—stay a few nights, and you’ll almost certainly experience the awe.
Feel the Heat in Steamboat Springs
Teri Virbickis/Shutterstock
More than a mile high in the mountains, right near the Continental Divide, people have been enjoying the geothermal warmth in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for centuries—indigenous populations and homesteaders alike. So named because the bubbling reminded settlers of a steamboat, you can enjoy the springs in Old Town or head out to nearby Strawberry Park for even more pools.
Look for Wildlife in Yellowstone
Green Mountain Exposure/Shutterstock
Vast and legendary, America’s first national park is 2.2 million acres of Western wonder. In addition to soaring geysers and roaring waterfalls, you’ll find literally hundreds of animal species here. You will encounter free-roaming herds of elk as well as the largest public herd of bison in the United States. If you’re lucky, you could spot grizzly bears, wolves, and cougars, plus moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats.
Take a Tropical Retreat in Hana
Courtesy of Hana Maui Resort
Sometimes, you just need to trade all the snow and cold for a Hawaiian retreat. The Road to Hana will take you there. Starting from Kahului, winding through 620 curves and across 59 bridges to the far side of Maui, the drive will take you to another world. Hike through lush rain forest and swim beneath waterfalls. Then, bed down at Hyatt’s Hana-Maui Resort, where you can enjoy a lava-rock massage before slipping off to sleep in a bungalow set on a volcanic beach.
Ride a Dog Sled in Lake Placid
(Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (Lake Placid))
There’s nothing like riding on a dog sled. Your happy team of four-legged friends bounding and barking, pulling you along, and the smooth runners of the sled below your feet gliding through the snow. In the Adirondacks of upstate New York, you can mush right from Main Street in Lake Placid, where the dogs will transport you across the white surface of Mirror Lake.
Sail With Whales in Monterey
Todd Cravens/Unsplash
Whales are wonderfully unpredictable. Slapping their fins, diving deep, showing their flukes, and even breaching, hurling their huge mass in the air. Every encounter is a wonder—a meeting with a massive, intelligent being—and the deep underwater canyon attracts many different kinds of whale species. You can get out on the water and experience them all winter long on Monterey Bay, California, one of the world’s best places for whale watching. Thrill to the antics of these massive mammals, then head to Old Fisherman’s Wharf for some excellent seafood.
