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bucket lists
Every Activity You Need to Put on Your Winter Bucket List
photo:
skipwithgrace
Looking for a little inspiration for your winter bucket list? Hi, hello. You’ve come to the right place. We know exactly where you’ll want to make snow angels, drink fireside cider, go bobsledding (no experience required), host a snowy gathering and simply cocoon yourself in big, warm blankets this winter. We’ve got some of the best snow-covered mountains and hills on this winter wishlist, and we’d love to see you out there enjoying all that fresh and crisp, cool air.
Reporter: Alyssa Brown | Location: Levin Iglut
Reporter: Alyssa Brown | Location: Levin Iglut
Photo:Benjamin Savary
Take a Train Ride Through the Swiss Alps
Switzerland
All aboard the Glacier Express! This luxury train line passes through snow-capped mountains and small alpine towns, giving folks on board a chance to see some of the world’s most beautiful winter terrain.
Photo:Tina Hoang-To
San Luis Retreat Hotel & Lodges
Avelengo Bozen, Italy
This luxury lodge in South Tyrol has bucket list written all over it. Stay warm in the indoor pool while overlooking the winter wonderland just outside. Add in the treehouses and chalets you can stay in and you have a winter trip for the books.
Photo:skipwithgrace
View the Northern Lights From Bed
Kittilä, Finland
This Finnish getaway is home to a collection of all-glass igloos that you can sleep in while awaiting the Northern Lights. Be sure to book a few nights’ stay, in hopes of a perfectly clear and dark night.
Photo:Christopher Reeves
Go Bobsledding at Olympic Park
Park City, Utah
Make all your childhood fantasies of joining the Cool Runnings bobsled team come true without ever stepping foot in Jamaica. Pay a visit to the 2002 Olympic bobsled track in Salt Lake City and you can hop aboard an actual bobsled with a pilot and a couple of friends along for the ride.
Photo:Taikavasara Photography
Stay in a Glass House & Spot the Northern Lights
Köngäs, Finland
Book a glass house at Northern Lights Ranch and be prepared to experience a wintery, celestial getaway. Located just above the Arctic Circle, this spot is unaffected by light pollution and provides the ideal conditions (on a clear night) for viewing the Northern Lights.
Photo:Beth Squire
Go Winter Glamping
From igloo huts in Quebec to glass treetop houses in Finland, there are so many ways to enjoy winter’s snowy glory. Cozy up in a warm bed and stargaze from under your cozy blankets at any of these frosty glamping spots.
Photo:Michel Verdure
Go on a Cruise to Antarctica
For the ultimate trip of a lifetime, hop aboard a cruise ship to Antarctica and spend your days in the wild winter landscape most people have only ever seen in photos. You’ll make your way through Drake Passage, Antarctic Sound, the peninsula and the South Shetland islands all the while spotting whales, penguins, polar bears and so much wildlife.
Photo:Nathan Mueller
Explore Midway Ice Castles
Midway, Utah
Wander into these ice castles filled with icicles and prepared to be awed by the scale of this experience. If your kids are fans of Frozen, they won’t want to miss out on this Utah adventure.
Photo:Holly Coleman
Stay in an Eco-Luxury Snow-Covered Pod
Monthey, Switzerland
Head to this dreamy Swiss Christmas village for a stay in snow-covered geodesic domes. The best part? This experience, while totally immersive in the landscape, is minimal impact and eco-woke.
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Photo:Johny Goerend
Wilderness Dinner Party
Sweden
Deep in the winter wilderness of Jukkasjarvi, sits a warm and welcoming cabin where you can host a dinner party with your loves. Enjoy a candlelit three-course dinner before heading outside to gaze at the starry skies.
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learn morePhoto:Giorgio Possenti
Experience the Blue Lagoon
Grindavík, Iceland
You can get a massage or facial while floating on the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon. Surrounded by volcanic landscape and mossy grounds, the Retreat Hotel is a luxurious hideaway in an otherworldly place.
Photo:Beth Squire
Go Dog Sledding in Finland
Rovaniemi, Finland
Set in a very snowy scene of Finland, this arctic treehouse hotel offers a comfy, luxurious stay in suites that overlook freshly coated trees and powdered grounds. Here, you can go for a dog sledding jaunt into the pristine white forests.
Photo:Paulina Holmgren
Go Ice-Seeking With Your Squad
Sweden
Grab a group of your snow bunny friends and book into an ice hotel where you can spend your days exploring nearby glaciers and ice caves. Go for a wintery hike, test your skills on snowshoes or just hang by the hot tub.
Photo:Graham Padmore
Have a S’mores Party
Host a fireside gathering, indoors or out, and set up a tricked-out s’mores bar with all the fixings. Challenge your friends to a s’mores competition and see who wins for the best flavors, best assembly and most gooey presentation. Get the how-to →
Photo:Åke Eson Lindman
Stay in an Off-Grid Cabin on a Norwegian Island
Norway
Set on a Norwegian island just south of the Arctic Circle, this gorgeous cabin is one you can easily rent out for a winter getaway. Spend your days kayaking the coastal waterways and spend your nights warming up by the fireplace.
Photo:Juvet Hotel
Stay in a Norwegian Glass Cube
Valldal, Norway
Tucked away in the beautiful Norwegian landscape of the fjord, this glass cube hotel on stilts is major winter bucket list goals. If you love snowy adventures and modern architecture, Juvet Hotel should be at the top of your list.
Photo:Kim Sing Theatre
Build a Blanket Fort & Watch Holiday Movies
Throw on your coziest holiday PJs, build a blanket fort and cuddle up for a holiday movie marathon. Be sure to get pizza delivered too, somewhere between watching Elf, A Christmas Story or The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Photo:Paulina Holmgren
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Host an Iced-Out Retreatlearn more
Blow your friends’ ideas of winter wonderland away with a gathering, retreat or wedding in the hinterland of Sweden’s far north. Located just above the Arctic Circle, Ice Hotel Jukkasjarvi sits among 450-million-year-old mountains, glacial rivers and towering taiga forests. Here, you and your crew can sip champagne out of ice glasses, dine on ice blocks and slumber in art-filled igloos.
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profile Photo:Leighton Smith
Experience Alaska by Rail
Take an overnight train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks, with views of towering Denali spotted along the way. Have a little more time on your hands? Opt for the weeklong journey that focuses on seeking out the Aurora Borealis in all its glory.
