It's easy to fall in love with a city when the weather is balmy and the sun shines until 9:30, but there are many places that don't have the luxury of perfect weather year round. What are some cities that have truly embraced the cold-weather lifestyle and use the chilly season to their advantage? Whether it's an embrace of winter outdoor sports to great holiday celebrations to mastering the art of coziness, let's hear it for the cities that make the most of their snowy locations!
Burlington, Vermont. There are about six ski mountains within a one hour drive (including some of the best on the East Coast), some of the best craft beer available, great restaurants, and fantastic live music.
As an added bonus, Montreal, one of North America’s best cities, is only an hour and a half away.
Winter doesn't really exist in the Bay Area, but it's easy to get to Tahoe or Mammoth for weekend ski trips. That's where I've spent the majority of my winters. But they're not really cities.
In terms of other cities I've been to in the winter, I found Boston to be the most pleasant.
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The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
Hiking across the lake in the early morning to get to work - often a challenge in the blowing snow to keep my bearing and hit Memorial Union.
one very memorable morning I found the statue of liberty out there.
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Harry C - Urbanize Chicago- My Flickr stream HRC_OakPark
The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either. B Franklin.
The most memorable for me was Berlin just before Christmas a few years ago. The Christmas markets are great there, and worth a visit. London is also pretty fun during the Christmas season.
It's on my bucket list to visit Scandinavia during the winter. If it weren't for the pandemic, I might have done it this year.
If skiing is your wintertime activity of choice, Salt Lake City has about 10 ski resorts within an hour's drive. Also, downtown and Temple Square are very nice around Christmastime.
I've rarely been to any "wintery" places in the winter. I've been in the Sun Belt in the winter, mainly.
One place that comes to mind when I think of a place that I enjoy in the winter is Ellicottville, NY. It's a nice little ski town in the mountains south of Buffalo.
Quebec City is hard to beat, as far as North America goes. Montreal is pretty close.
For American cities, I'll second Burlington and throw in Portland. Maine does winter well in general, and Portland's Old Port neighborhood in particular is about as "magical winter brick-and-gas-lamp cityscape" as you'll find in the US. Boston's North End and Beacon Hill also have this vibe, but Boston on the whole can quickly deteriorate into "dirty road salt/sand-stained snow mound hell" fast.
If we're talking specifically Christmas, then I don't think you can beat New York. New York elevates Christmas, and Christmas elevates New York.
__________________ "There's two kinds of men in the world. Those who have a crush on Linda Ronstadt, and those who never heard of her." - Willie Nelson