Are you baking in the summer heat? Here are some of my favorite winter travel ideas to help you cool off!

Winter Wonderlands?

On one end of the winter travel scale are the destinations that are at the height of their visual appeal and atmosphere as colder temperatures arrive. These places magically come to life in the winter, via natural or man-made means. 

Traditional mountain or ski destinations such as the Alps stand out when it comes to natural scenery at this time of year. Even if you don't participate in winter sports yourself, it can still be quite fun to just spend time in these villages just drinking in the atmosphere (and a lot of hot chocolate). 

Closer to home you could experience the enchantment of Yellowstone in the winter. It's definitely a more challenging time to visit America's first national park in terms of logistics and planning, but a visit in winter would be unforgettable.

Another popular winter season escape is to enjoy a river cruise through some of Central Europe's most charming towns and cities, decked out in their finest twinkling holiday attire for four to six weeks each winter. Each destination on these itineraries has its own Christmas market (some actually host multiple markets all over town), with typical regional handicrafts, live music, local culinary specialties, and piping hot beverages like gluhwein to ward off the chill. You can enjoy the delights of this special holiday period while still taking in all of the year-round sights of these areas. Cruises along the Rhine, Moselle, and Danube are the most popular for these Christmas markets, but we are now seeing holiday-themed offerings for the waterways of Belgium and France as well. 

Some people love to travel the rivers during Thanksgiving week or Christmas week together with their extended families, and no one has to cook that big meal. Or there may be others who want to get away from the holiday stress of home--on the ship all your needs are attended to! Even the ships themselves are festively decorated at this time of year to complete the picture.

Or...if you're feeling expeditionary and adventurous, how about an Antarctic cruise!? There may be no other place on earth that rivals this particular icy and snowy majesty. You'll want to do this during the southern polar region's summer, no doubt, when there are chances to see additional areas that are impossible to reach at other times of the year. 

Too darn hot?

At the other end of that winter travel scale are the places where the summer weather is too unpredictable or too unpleasant. Certain regions can be fairly warm--or oppressively hot--all year round. So timing is everything. 

Our northern hemisphere winter can be the ideal period to experience countries like Vietnam, Thailand, or India because temperatures and humidity levels can be slightly more comfortable. Although the winter can be a high demand period with correspondingly higher prices, many feel the tradeoff in the weather is worth it. 

While some mountainous areas of northern India can be a bit chilly in winter, this is still considered an ideal time to go. You may want to avoid certain specific winter holidays such as Diwali in India or Tet in Vietnam due to the peak season crowds and prices, or you may actually prefer to be in the locales for the celebrations. But you definitely don't want to be in these destinations during monsoon season, usually May through October!

South America also offers some possibilities for the winter. In this perennially warm-to-hot category is Colombia, and we had planned to enjoy a cruise on the Magdalena River in January 2025. This again would be a destination in which you might enjoy some nice warm weather in the middle of winter, but at a time when it is still quite pleasant. Due to ship construction delays, we will have to postpone this one until January 2026, but stay tuned for updates.

And the Goldilocks "just right" version?

How about those places that are temperate all year round? These can make a terrific trip any time of year, but as a relief from a cold winter at home, they're perfect.

Of course, there are countless tropical and semitropical locales where you might like to escape for a week, just to soak up the sun and hear the sounds of the surf. But how about a destination like Costa Rica? You can definitely enjoy the beach, but the outdoor opportunities are many, from canoeing and kayaking to hiking to ziplining and more. Costa Rica has worked hard to manage its ecological treasures and you may also be able to encounter wildlife of many kinds, especially tropical birds and monkeys but also sloths and frogs. The winter is the dry season and definitely the best time to go.

If you're a regular reader of this newsletter, you already know that I'm a big fan of Mexico City as well. Its climate is ideal almost year round, but is especially nice in the drier winter months. CDMX offers the same vast array of art, culture, history, music, and cuisine that any popular European destination, and it's a lot closer for many of us.

What about something a little farther from home? I spent the first week of February in Nice, France and I must say the Côte d'Azur is just about perfect as a mild winter destination. It's stunning no matter what the temperature may be, and there's plenty to keep you busy in the area. Wonderful small museums, excellent cuisine, great walks and hiking, spectacular coastal scenery--and the towns and villages of the region are very well connected by train so it's not necessary to rent a car. The week I was there we enjoyed pleasant highs in the upper fifties and clear blue skies to match the azure waters--not too shabby, and we even managed to miss an ice storm back in Texas. 

2023 Updates

I have now cancelled the two extra rooms I had for Luxe Loire and Brilliant Bordeaux. I may still be able to add a couple of clients to our small group, but this will be on a space available basis only. This nifty five star property is quite small so please contact me right away if you would like to join us. There are still a few cabins left for the cruise.

As for the Danube in November, remember that the $1500 AmaWaterways discount is now ending and my extra Vienna hotels rooms will be released this Friday. I can hardly describe how wonderful this same trip was a few months ago, and it's only going to be better this time with the addition of the Hungarian wine tour package.

2024 Updates

Vietnam and Cambodia in January? Sold out.

Amsterdam in March? Five places sold with a tentative reservation for two more, but we need a minimum of six confirmed guests to move forward. I will keep this trip open until August 15th or until it sells out. This will be a rich and varied City Break in a classic destination. So if you've been thinking about this one, I invite you to contact me with any questions you may have and then to secure your room.

And Istanbul in May? This trip can accommodate a maximum of thirteen guests--literally--that's all I can seat in the minibus. Twelve of those seats have already been sold. Who will be the last lucky client for our City Break at The Crossroads of the World...The Pearl of the Bosphorus...truly a city like no other? Going, going, gone!

Up next...

I'm now working on Summer/Fall 2024 Small Group Trips, along with a slate of private client trips that also stretch into next year.

Next month I should have a brochure ready for a short getaway in late June 2024 to Québec City, with its lovely Old World charms (and its hills and stairs and cobblestones!).

This will be followed by a two week trip to Greece in September 2024. I hope to include some scenic hikes on a couple of the islands as well as visits to important historic sites and archaeological museums, possibly a cooking class, a winery visit...As with many Mon Voyage trips, I try to offer a little bit of everything to keep us all active and engaged. You can expect info on this trip around Labor Day.

If either of these trips is a priority for you, let me know that you want to be on the sneak peek list.

Lastly, if you are thinking of private travel for 2024, my book is already filling up--do reach out soon to get on my schedule for next year and beyond.  

A la prochaine,