Now that autumn is coming to a close and the temperatures are continuing to drop, we’ll need to find a new series of travel destinations to go to! Between going from a warm tropical destination in order to get away from the cold to traveling somewhere with amazing views of the winter landscape. Keep posted, we’re going to go through 5 of our favorite winter destinations!

Lake Tahoe, United States


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Lake Tahoe is an amazing place to visit either in the winter or the summer. This area is a famous skiing and snowboarding destination as well as has phenomenal restaurants and gorgeous views. Even if you spend your time admiring the mountains from the comfort of your cabin, you know that your time is well spent!

In order to get to Lake Tahoe, you’ll need to fly into a nearby airport and drive, and it’s a little far. The closest airport is the Reno–Tahoe International Airport (RNO) which is pretty well serviced by all major American airlines (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines). Once you arrive at RNO, the major city/town nearby (South Lake Tahoe, California) is about an hour and 15 minutes away. Because of this, it’s recommended to rent a car. You can check some rentals and loads to get there via the StaffTraveler app!

Once you finally get here, you must go skiing. One of the most beautiful scenes is to see the lake and mountains in the distance as you’re going down the slopes! There are many ski resorts around the mountain and they’re all pretty phenomenal just be prepared to spend some money as the area isn’t cheap!

Cartagena, Colombia


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A nice way to get away from the cold of winter is to head to a tropical climate! Cartagena is a great option to forget the woes of winter and enjoy nice temperate weather.

Colombia has so much to offer and this city is a famous city to visit. Between the history, architecture, food and the ability to relax on a beach, there’s enough to do here to forget about the cold! Also, depending on the amount of time you have, you can also head eastward to the beautiful region of Santa Marta. This city is the first Spanish settlement in Colombia and is famous for its nature and for the ruins nearby making it a worthwhile adventure for your stay in Cartagena.

A food that you must try here is the national dish: Bandeja Paisa. This dish is a staple of those who have come to Colombia and is a wonderful example of the delicious food there!

We’ve recently covered Cartagena in a blog post here and you should read it! We go deep into the details of which airlines fly there as well as how to get around, what to do there, when to go, and what to eat. It’s a great read for anyone who’s contemplating heading over to Cartagena!

Vancouver, Canada


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The next city on our list is Vancouver, British Colombia. This charming city is known for being close to nature notably the skiing and snow sports in the winter as well as for its seafood and fishing!

The city has one major international Airport, namely YVR. This airport is a huge hub for Air Canada making it a bit easier to get to than some of the other entries on the list. Also, if there are no nonstop options you can connect in any major city in the United States or Toronto. There are a lot of ways to get to Vancouver but you should check out the StaffTraveler app for some details!

Fishing is a popular activity in Vancouver and one of the most famous and delicious fish native to the region is salmon. Known for its strength and how tasty it is! You can look up some fishing opportunities with this company! For salmon fishing, February is the best time of the year to go but fishing is a great option when coming by!

Depending on the time of winter, Vancouver has a Christmas Market which has a ton of shops that feature a wide array of products for sale.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil


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While the northern hemisphere is experiencing winter, the southern hemisphere is going through summer. This makes it a pretty opportune time to head over to Rio de Janeiro. We’ve actually had one of our favorite writers, Simone, cover a trip to Rio in his 24 Hours in Rio de Janeiro blog post from earlier this year. Here, he provides a complete itinerary on how to spend your time in Rio. You must read his post for some great recommendations in Rio!

Since the weather is so nice, hiking is an excellent option for a passtime! Hiking up to the Christ the Redeemer statue is a great way to see the city and admire the famous satute. On top of that, the weather here is great to take a trip to the beach. The beaches here are famous across the world and the view across the water is among the most iconic in the world!

Another iconic item from Rio is feijoada, a bean stew that has beef and pork inside of it. It’s definitely an experience for someone who has never had it or anything like it before! Personally, I love this dish and wish I could have some right now…

Zurich, Switzerland


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Like before, we’re saving the best for last and Zurich is what I’d say is the best winter getaway! Zurich is a beautiful mountain city in Switzerland that borders a lake. This city embodies what a classic winter city looks like and the activities that are available make it a wonderful destination for the winter!

Getting out to Zurich is a little convenient given that the cities major airport (ZRH) is the hub for Swiss International Airlines. Swiss International Airlines flies to over 100 destinations across the world, each of which goes to ZRH. Although they are a great option to head to Zurich, there are many other airlines that fly to Zurich and you can get an idea of how to get there by using the StaffTraveler App!

This city has some amazing traditions one of which being candle dipping at Bürkliplatz. Here you’ll have an opportunity to make your own candles, a Swiss tradition! Best of all, this experience can often be found in Christmas Markets all over the country! Nothing really holds a candle to a winter getaway to Zurich.

In the colder months, such as January and February, the snow is great over Zurich and this makes for some pretty amazing snowboarding and skiing. Even better, the temperature allows for some Ice skating which is some great fun! When you’re done being cold outside, there are spas and fondue which the Swiss are famous for along with their national dish, Rösti.

Winter starts soon, have you made your travel plans yet? If not why not try some of these options and check your loads on the StaffTraveler app today!

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