The Best Winter Destinations - Ultimate Snow Holiday Bucket List

Last Updated on 8th May 2024

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The Best Winter Destinations – Ultimate Snow Holiday Bucket List

Autumn and winter have always been my favourite seasons. From the cosy, crisp autumn nights spent drinking hot chocolate and watching Harry Potter to seeing the first snowfall of the winter season and family gatherings for Christmas, it quite literally is the most wonderful time of the year.

Unfortunately here in the UK, we don’t always get the “perfect” winter and our snowfall usually turns to sludge within a matter of hours, but thankfully there are many places in the world that are idyllic for a snow holiday.

Whether you’re looking for a romantic couples getaway to the likes of New York or France, or you’re looking for a winter holiday that’s better suited towards families such as Finnish Lapland or Canada, I’ve put together my top winter destinations below that are perfect for your snow holiday bucket list.

Canada – best winter destinations

Canada is a place that’s been at the top of my life bucket list for years now and it’s definitely a place that should be on yours too.

I’ve spent endless hours researching Canada holidays and I literally cannot wait for the day that we can embark on an epic road trip across Canada.

I want to visit everywhere from Banff to the Canadian Rockies to British Columbia, Quebec and Montreal and more. Basically, I just want to spend a good while exploring as much of the country as possible, and preferably during the winter season as I’ve heard that it’s one of the most beautiful winter destinations in the world!

Norway

I’ve only ever been to Oslo in Norway for a few days, but I can totally vouch that it’s an awesome place to add to your snow holiday bucket list. We were lucky that not only had it snowed a tonne before we arrived in Oslo, but it also snowed a lot while we were there so we got the chance to experience the magical winter wonderland.

Be sure to head over to Hovedøya island on a little island hopping excursion while you’re in Oslo, especially if it’s just snowed as it’s the most peaceful and beautiful place!

Finland

Finland, in particular Finnish Lapland, is yet another place that’s been recommended to me many times over the years as one of the best winter destinations in the world.

While it’s a place that’s usually more associated with families with young kids who want to visit Santa, the magic of Christmas is never lost on me so I just know that I’d adore Finland in the winter. I can imagine staying in a cosy cabin with snow all around and if we managed to see the Northern Lights while we were there, that would literally be a dream come true!

Iceland

Speaking of the Northern Lights, for Matt’s 21st birthday, I surprised him with a trip to Iceland for a few days where we did an incredible Golden Circle tour and a Northern Lights excursion.

The Golden Circle tour was absolutely unreal and we saw so many incredible natural wonders, including geysers, waterfalls and remarkable snowy mountains. Unfortunately, the Northern Lights part of the tour didn’t quite go to plan as it was pretty cloudy so we didn’t really see them properly, but I’m already desperate to head back to Iceland for a country-wide road trip so hopefully we’ll get to see them next time we’re there!

Alaska – best winter destinations

My longing to visit Alaska probably started when I first watched The Simpsons movie when the whole family runs away to live there and while I’m sure it’s not quite how The Simpsons portray it to be, after doing some “real life” research about Alaska, it’s still a place that’s on my snow holiday bucket list.

I’d love to visit the state’s magnificent mountains, feisty fjords and glorious glaciers and explore its national parks. The cold also doesn’t really bother me too much (as long as I can wrap up warm!) so the minus temperatures would actually be a ~warm~ welcome to me, providing that I have somewhere incredibly cosy to stay!

Russia

St Petersburg and Moscow look absolutely beautiful during the winter months and while I’ve heard that it can get ridiculously cold, I think it would be worth it for all the festive beauty.

With activities such as ice skating, sledging and snowmobiling, not to mention how stunning the cities look in the snow, I think Russia is a perfect winter holiday destination.

Japan

Japan is home to over 500 ski resorts and while at the time of writing this post I still haven’t been skiing (we were supposed to go to Austria back in January 2021, but a little thing called Covid happened…), I am still desperate to go one day and I reckon that one of Japan’s hundreds of resorts would make for the perfect snow trip.

There are also plenty of hot spring baths, beautiful light displays and not to mention the fact that the winter is supposedly the best time to see Mount Fuji in all its magnificent glory; count me in!

New York City

New York is my favourite city in the world and it’s a place that I’ve been lucky enough to visit in every season of the year. While I adore it at literally every time of the year, it’s arguably the best in the winter months when you get to experience ice skating in Central Park, the magic of the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center and the eclectic atmosphere of Times Square.

While it’s not always guaranteed to snow in New York City, meaning that it can’t quite be classed as an ultimate snow holiday bucket list destination, it is a sensational place to visit during the colder months, which makes it one of the best winter holiday destinations on this list.

Switzerland – best winter destinations

My only experience with Switzerland so far is landing at Geneva airport and then driving straight into France so it’s still a place that I need to explore more of.

In recent years, I’ve become infatuated with the idea of a ski holiday in the Swiss Alps; alpine lodges, yummy hot chocolates, learning to ski, delicious fondue, après ski and more – what sounds more perfect than that?!

Austria

As I mentioned above, we were supposed to visit Austria at the beginning of this year and when our plans fell through, I was truly gutted as I’ve wanted to visit Austria for a long time.

It’s home to some of the best ski resorts in Europe, as well as amazing Christmas markets in cities such as Vienna , Hallstatt and Innsbruck; I literally can’t wait to experience the magic in some of these places hopefully very soon!

France

While France might be more synonymous with summer holidays, it’s also a great winter holiday destination as well. Places such as Morzine are perfect for ski lovers, whereas the romance of Paris is idyllic for those seeking a more city-focused winter break.

The food in France is also unparalleled all year round, but I imagine that the winter months make French food really come to life and I’m already drooling just thinking about decadent desserts, lush pastries and warm, crunchy baguettes.

Scotland

Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities in the UK, especially so during the winter months when the Christmas markets descend on the city.

We’re actually planning a Scotland road trip in November or December and while it’s sure to be cold, the allure of the dramatic landscapes in the Scottish Highlands and places such as Loch Ness, Glen Coe and along the NC500 will make braving the cold temperatures more than worth it.

Czech Republic – best winter destinations

Prague is one of my favourite European cities for a little weekend break and our visit in November 2018 was absolutely incredible.

Unfortunately, it didn’t snow while we were there, but it was still utterly magical nevertheless and I’d like to spend more time in Prague when the Christmas markets are in full swing, as well as Brno, which is also renowned for being a brilliant winter break destination.

Slovenia

Slovenia looks like a truly ethereal winter wonderland during the winter months, especially the likes of Lake Bled and the stunning city of Ljubljana.

There are also ample opportunities to enjoy skiing in winter in Slovenia, so maybe once I’ve had a few lessons and got the hang of it, I’ll be ready and raring to get on the slopes in the Julian Alps.

Sweden

Sweden’s beautiful cities such as Stockholm and Gothenburg are incredible places to visit at any time of the year, but they’re arguably best enjoyed during the winter months when you get to experience the Christmas markets, all the yummy food and the gorgeous Old Town in Stockholm.

There are also plenty of other awesome winter activities to enjoy in Sweden as well, including ice fishing, dog sledging, ice skating, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and of course, the chance to see the fabulous Northern Lights if you’re lucky! Sweden is also renowned for the famous Icehotel which looks positively magical and an absolute dream place to stay; definitely a bucket list-worthy hotel!

New Zealand

New Zealand’s winter falls on the other side of the year as most of the rest of the world, so while you won’t be experiencing Christmas in the snow in NZ, you will experience an epic winter wonderland in June, July and August.

Our incredible 3 months house sitting and travelling in a campervan in the South Island was during New Zealand’s winter months and let me tell you, there are very few places on earth that compare to some of the South Island’s sights during the winter.

Places like Milford Sound and Mount Cook come alive during the colder season and while it can mean that the roads are a little trickier to navigate, if you’re lucky enough to escape road closures and reach some of these marvellous destinations, you will certainly be in for a treat.

Antarctica – best winter destinations

Contrary to popular belief, it actually snows very little in Antarctica, so while you might not get to see the magic of snow falling on this epic continent, you certainly won’t be without the wonder of a spectacular wintery landscape.

Very few people understand my obsession with wanting to visit Antarctica, but it’s a place that’s been on my bucket list for a number of years now and even I myself can’t really explain why I’m so desperate to visit. An Antarctica cruise is definitely something I want to do one day, once I’ve saved up the £10,000+ it costs to visit 😉.

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