7 Winter Nature Escapes
Experience amazing coastline, wildlife, the aurora borealis, Yosemite, and more.
Winter destinations can be difficult to choose. There are many exciting places that are either at their best or only available in winter, but going somewhere in its off-season so you can enjoy it without massive crowds is incredibly alluring. Whatever your preference, the West is full of beautiful destinations that are perfect for a winter getaway.
If you’re looking for winter-specific trips, you can hide away in a cabin in the snowy forest of Arizona’s White Mountains. Or for fans of nature, if you head over to the Chupadera Mountains in New Mexico, you’ll get to see the seasonal migration of the sandhill cranes, And of course, traveling to Alaska to see the Aurora Borealis is never not a life-changing experience.
For taking advantage of the off-season, national parks are always a good choice. Yosemite and Death Valley are famously crowded, but in winter they’re nearly empty, covered in snow, and free of the intense summer heat. The Pacific Northwest is also in its off-season during the winter, meaning places like Astoria, Oregon, and Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula are much easier to visit.
Wherever you end up, you’ll be surrounded by the impressive vistas and awe-inspiring landscapes that have drawn people to the West for centuries.
Try These Getaways
Get Cozy Along the Pacific in Astoria, OR
Yellow-slickered fishermen mix with just a sprinkling of iPad-toting tourists in this small riverfront town with San Francisco–steep streets. Winter is a lovely time to visit, as rain can actually be romantic when paired with thundering surf—and fresh, crisp beach walks when the storm breaks. Plus, in the off-season, you’ve got the typically packed place to yourself—particularly fine stretches of sand with towering dunes, uninterrupted ocean views, and some of the most impressive storm watching anywhere.
28 Miles of Sand all to Yourself
Within easy reach of Portland and Seattle, Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula is arguably one of the most visited oceanfront spots in the Northwest. In the summer, that is, when elbow-to-elbow crowds jostle for a glimpse of Jake the Alligator Man, and traffic idles bumper-to-bumper on the “World’s Longest Beach” (as an iconic, if not quite accurate, sign proclaims). In the off-season, though, this windswept peninsula—from the mouth of the Columbia River to the oyster-rich Willapa Bay—is all yours. As empty and awesome as the clear, cold day in 1805 when explorer William Clark declared, “Ocian in view! O! the joy …”
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Bosque Del Apache, Seasonal Bird Migration
Bird-watching has its detractors, but those detractors probably haven’t seen a skyful of sandhill cranes angle into a pond at sundown, legs unfurled like landing gear, and hit the water as the sun drops below the Chupadera Mountains.
Welcome to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
Catch One Heck of a Light Show in Alaska
Tack this on to your life list: The Aurora Borealis. Think of it as the ultimate holiday lights display―a spectacle so soul stirring that people see the lights and actually start cheering.
More: Aurora Borealis
Explore Yosemite Without the crowds
Half Dome looks damn good in white. Stomp around the snow―and see another side of the West’s most famous national park.
More: Yosemite in Winter
Hide Away in Greer, Arizona
Luxurious in a rustic-cowboy kind of way, Hidden Meadow Ranch offers a snowy serene stay in Arizona’s White Mountains. Or choose one of 9 more of our favorite romantic cottages from Colorado to Kauai.
More: Top 10 romantic cottages
