From snow sculptures in Japan to winter tours of Yellowstone, travelers seeking snowfall have a ton of options.
Travel to some of the snowiest places on Earth, including Lake Louise in Banff National Park—both located in Alberta, Canada. It’s just one of 10 places snow lovers should consider visiting this winter.
Scottish peaks, Finnish wonderlands, a Japanese city, and U.S. national parks are destinations tourists can be confident of seeing snow in the Northern hemisphere this winter, weather experts say. Although snowfall is difficult to accurately predict, these scientists warn, that historical data and seasonal trends have identified locations where travelers may bet on a white winter.
The Pacific Northwest and Upper Plains are the U.S. regions with the best chance of below-average temperatures this winter, says Erica Grow Cei, meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Above-average precipitation, meanwhile, is most likely in the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes region. “Combining these two factors, the odds favor snowfall in the northern Rockies,” Grow Cei explains.
Beyond the United States, meteorologists have highlighted attractive locations in Canada, Japan, Scotland, and Finland as being reliably snowy each winter. Here are nine U.S. and international destinations recommended by weather experts for a frosty holiday getaway.
The capital of Finland’s Lapland region, Rovaniemi is an entryway to the Arctic Circle and home to adventurous winter activities such as Husky sledding through the forest.
Rovaniemi, Finland
Rovaniemi is among the world’s most evocative Christmas destinations. Two enchanting spots skirt this picturesque, northern Finland city, decorated by wooden chalets which each winter become cloaked in snow. A few miles north of Rovaniemi, the capital of the Lapland region, are entrances to both the Arctic Circle and Santa Claus Village.
That latter site is the “official” home of Santa Claus. It is also a key tourist attraction, where visitors can meet reindeer, see the post office which receives children’s letters to Santa, and peek inside his gift workshop. Tourists to Rovaniemi can touch snow from late November to mid-April, says Kaisa Solin, spokesperson for the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Cold temperatures and clear skies make conditions ideal for catching night sky events such as the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) seen here over the Arctic SnowHotel in Rovaniemi, Finland.
Sapporo City, Japan
Sapporo is so confident of a white winter that each February it hosts the Sapporo Snow Festival. This city of 2 million people in northern Japan received 153 inches of snow in 2023, and 187 inches the previous year, says Andrew Coombs, spokesperson for Japan National Tourism Organization.
During its festival, from February 4 to 12 next year, hundreds of snow sculptures embellish three separate locations—Odori Park, Tsudome, and Susukino. Some are simple snowmen built by local children. Others are elaborate artworks featured in the festival’s International Snow Sculpture competition. By night, many are lit in a vivid array of colors. Festivalgoers can also enjoy snow slides, live music, and snowboarding exhibitions.
Lake Louise, Canada
Remarkably beautiful in the summer, Lake Louise may be even more photogenic when layered with snow. In December, alone, more than 27 inches of snow typically falls on this glassy, turquoise lake in south-western Canada, according to the Parks Canada Agency.
Snow dusts the serrated mountains and alpine forest which hem this heavily visited natural wonder of Banff National Park. It also lines the upmarket chalets, resorts, and restaurants of adjacent Lake Louise Village. Many tourists use this tiny, charming settlement as a winter hub for hiking and skiing in the surrounding, white-flecked wilderness. Less adventurous visitors can skate in the village’s outdoor rink or take a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow.
Cairngorm Mountain, Scotland
Although infamous for grey skies, the UK typically receives limited winter snowfall. Except for in Scotland, its most northern and mountainous country. Scotland has eight of the UK’s 10 snowiest locations, according to the United Kingdom Meteorological Office, including the number one placeholder, Cairngorm Mountain.
For 76 days each year, on average, snow covers this adventure sports hub. Cairngorm rewards winter visitors with skiing, hiking trails, and memorable views of the surrounding Scottish Highlands. The UK’s highest altitude restaurant, the Ptarmigan, sits at 11,807 feet on Cairngorm Mountain and can be reached by a funicular expected to reopen this Christmas. Winter snow also coats the nearby town, Aviemore, where tourists cocoon in cozy pubs and cottages in between their mountain adventures.
Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt may be the prettiest town in Europe’s most scenic nation. Switzerland’s dramatic blend of frosted peaks, plunging valleys, flowered meadows, and spruce-wood chalets reaches its zenith in Zermatt. Crowning the Alpine splendor that envelops this ski town is the unmistakable, spiky outline of the Matterhorn.
Both that famous mountain and Zermatt itself will be laden with snow this winter, says Elias Zubler, spokesperson for the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology. Zermatt’s 224 miles of speedy slopes satisfy skiers and snowboarders. Many more tourists come to witness the Matterhorn’s majesty, hike mountainside trails, and wander Zermatt’s picturesque streets, filled with boutique hotels, warm cafes, lively bars, art galleries, and souvenir shops.
For a snowy vacation destination, skiers, in particular, should consider visiting Zermatt, Switzerland—home to the temporarily closed Restaurant Paradise, which usually offers views of the 14,691-foot Matterhorn.
Yellowstone National Park, Montana
Some 150 inches of snow per year drop on the peaks, prairies, canyons, and rivers of Montana’s Yellowstone National Park. Montana is in the Northern Rockies, one of five U.S. destinations on this list predicted to have favorable conditions for snowfall this winter. The NOAA’s forecast is welcome news for tourism in Montana, especially its sublime wilderness destinations.
Yellowstone’s iconic hulking bison and majestic elk can be spotted amid such frosted splendor during snow coach tours of Yellowstone. Follow this up by raising your core temperature with a dip in mineral-rich Yellowstone Hot Springs in Gardner, a town by this park’s northern entrance.
Anchorage, Alaska, US
While snow is limited to lofty locations in many parts of the U.S., Alaska’s low-lying city is blanketed by white for several months each year. More than 130 inches (10 feet) of snow dropped on Anchorage last winter—a figure which almost broke this city’s record.
This winter, tourists can use Anchorage as a base for snowy spectacles. None is more distinctive than dog sledding. Go mushing, where a dog pack pulls your sled through the snow, or savor a faster-paced sledding experience on a glacier. The latter locations are accessed via helicopter or light aircraft flights from Anchorage, which offer memorable views of frozen Alaska.
Mount Rainier, Washington State, US
Few locations in the Pacific Northwest are more inundated by snow than Mount Rainier, a magnificent 14,440-foot peak about 50 miles south of Seattle. Between 500 and 900 inches of snow typically land on its slopes each year, according to the U.S. National Park Service.
By summer, Mount Rainer draws tourists with its wildflower spectacle. By winter, visitors are attracted to its frozen waterfall, forest hikes, wooden cabins, wellspring spa, mountainside restaurants and bars, scenic gondola rides, and the largest ski resort in Washington State, Crystal Mountain.
Syracuse, New York State, US
Bordering the Great Lakes region, which is predicted to have heavy winter precipitation, is one of the snowiest cities in the U.S. Syracuse may not feature on the bucket lists of many tourists to New York State. But its appeal spikes in winter due to an attractive, frosted appearance from an average of 115 inches of annual snowfall.
Once this white shroud descends, tourists can tackle the gentle slopes at Syracuse Golf & Ski Center. They can also ice skate on the outdoor rink at Clinton Square, a photogenic plaza decorated with a giant Christmas tree and ringed by heritage buildings. Visitors should not miss planning a winter trip around Syracuse’s seasonal festivals, such as the 11-day, family-friendly Winterfest in February, which features fireworks displays, treasure hunts, sled races, live music, and food trucks.
Breckenridge, Colorado, US
Fresh powder lines Colorado slopes each winter and beckons visitors to strap into skis and snowboards. Dominated by the Rocky Mountains, this state is one of the top winter sports destinations in the U.S. Many of the country’s top ski resorts are perched high in Colorado, including Breckinridge, which has five peaks of up to 12,000 feet: Crested Butte, Stevens Pass, Seven Springs, Paoli Peaks, and Whistler Blackcomb.
This quaint town has the advantage of providing visitors with more than fine slopes. Its origins as a Gold Rush settlement in the 1800s provide Breckinridge with its unique history and distinctive appearance. Bursting through its white, snowy curtain is a rainbow palette of heritage buildings. Collectively, they house more than 200 cafes, bars, distilleries, breweries, shops, and live music venues, which satisfy and entertain tourists in between their adventures on the slopes.
Cre: National Geographyic
