Winter Wonderland: The 5 Most Magical Destinations

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac – Québec City, Canada: Within the walls of Old Quebec, overlooking the St. Lawrence River, the delightful Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac is within easy access of the over-the-top and spectacular Québec Winter Carnival; the celebration—one of the world’s largest, complete with night parades, a masquerade ball, snow sculptures, sleigh rides, an ice canoe race, and snow slides—dates back to 1894 and occurs late January through mid-February.

Image courtesy of Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac

Amangani – Jackson, Wyoming: This idyllic wintertime nirvana and its surroundings, not far from Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, present myriad outdoor attractions during the colder season, from downhill and cross-country skiing (the resort’s ski lounge can be found in nearby Teton Village; Jackson Hole averages 400 inches of snow annually—piling up to 10 feet in the mountains) to snowmobiling and snowshoeing to half- and full-day dog sledding. Another highlight—horse-drawn sleigh rides into the National Elk Refuge (Amangani calls its dinner sleigh rides a “winter highlight”). Sounds like a winter fairytale to us.

Image courtesy of Amangani

Ice Hotel – Jukkasjärvi, Sweden: What could be wintrier than Sweden’s Ice Hotel? Situated nearly 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the world’s first hotel constructed of snow and ice attracts 50,000 visitors each winter, who flock to this fantasyland made of 1,000 tons of Torne River ice and 30,000 tons of a snow-ice mixture affectionately dubbed “snice.” Very cool.

Image courtesy of Flickr, Creative Commons; photographer: bjaglin

The Whiteface Lodge – Lake Placid, New York: The Whiteface Lodge in the former two-time Olympic host city of Lake Placid is a winter playground with rustic-chic charm: Not only does it enchant with its Adirondack-style design, but it also entices snow lovers with offerings like the Winter Games Experience Package, which includes two Olympic passports for entry into most Olympic venues, from the speed skating oval to the jumping complex to the museum.

Image courtesy of The Whiteface Lodge

Tschuggen Grand Hotel – Arosa, Switzerland: Tucked into a hillside, the five-star Tschuggen Grand Hotel sets the tone for winter magic with breathtaking views of the Alps and easy access to snow-driven pursuits like snowboarding, ice skating, and skiing via its futuristic-style railway, the Tschuggen Express. The express runs directly to the ski region of Arosa; new to the alpine property is a cable-car connection to and from the Arosa and Lenzerheide ski resorts, allowing for nearly 140 miles of snowy slope access.

Image courtesy of Tschuggen Grand Hotel