The Ultimate Winter Vacation Bucket List
Winter can be a truly magical time, even aside from the holidays. The air is crisp, there's snowfall that creates tranquil, shimmering scenery, and there's a distinct festiveness in the air that you won’t find at any other time of the year.
It's true that the cold, winter weather can sometimes pose challenges, but that doesn't have to stand in the way of you enjoying the season! This year, consider creating a winter vacation bucket list focused on unique, only-in-winter activities. What are you waiting for — start checking things off!
Lace up the skates for a family ice skating adventure
Ice skating is a quintessential winter activity for all ages! It's fun, affordable, and a wonderful way to make family memories, and best of all, you can typically just show up and skate without any hassle. Many (but not all) rinks offer skate rentals and "skate helpers" for the youngest skaters, making this family activity a breeze.
In the Edmonton area, there are several outdoor ice rinks open during the winter with public spaces that are sprinkled around the city. Come out and make the most of the winter season on ice!
Strap in for a day of snowboarding or skiing the mountain
One of the best ways to enjoy the great outdoors in the winter is by hitting the slopes. Whether it's on skis, a snowboard, a sled, or in an inner tube, this is one action-packed winter activity!
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is renowned for its world-class winter sports on Mount Mackenzie. More specifically, it's home to the longest vertical descent of any ski resort in North America, champagne powder snow (very light, dry snow) which many regard as the best snow for skiing. Even if you're a newer skier, Revelstoke has plenty to offer everyone. Those who are more experienced on the slopes can try the true bucket list experience: heli-skiing. Selkirk Tangiers Heli-Skiing is headquartered in our Revelstoke hotel, Coast Hillcrest Hotel, and includes free shuttle service to and from the slopes.
Enjoy an evening viewing twinkling lights
While this beloved winter tradition is popular at Christmastime, experiencing the magic of twinkly lights can still be enjoyed well into the winter in many places. Those staying at Hotel 116, a Coast Hotel this holiday season can enjoy impressive light displays at Garden d’Lights through December 31st and Snowflake Lane Presented by the Bellevue Collection through December 24th.
Guests at the Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel can check in with the Wenatchee World Holiday Lights Map to see where the best light displays in the Wenatchee Valley are located. Wenatchee is also a half hour from the adorable Bavarian town of Leavenworth, famously known for its Christmastown Village of Lights display up through most of February.
Find a local hill or mountain for sledding and tubing
Snow tubing and sledding are the perfecta winter activities if you’re looking for a little thrill in the snow. Many ski mountains have their own operating tubing hills that include lifts and a place to grab a warm cup of hot cocoa afterward. Snow Town Tube Park at Harper Mountain Ski Hill in Kamloops is a family favourite in the area. The park has lit runs for night time fun and even has concessions and a bonfire to warm up those cold fingers! The Vancouver metropolitan area features several amazing parks, including Grouse Mountain Sliding Zone, Mount Seymour Toboggan and Snow Tube Park, or Gnarly’s Tube Park at Cypress Mountain.
Of course, it should go without saying that if you know of a perfect hill in your local community for sledding, do your homework to make sure it isn't on someone's private property. Community parks can be fantastic places to find sledding and tubing hills, and they're open to everyone!
Snowshoe excursions, fat biking and snow biking
Maybe you’re not much of a skier or snowboarder, or perhaps there's someone in your group who isn't. Snowshoeing is a great alternative for those looking to get outside in the winter and enjoy the fresh air! If you've never done it or even seen it in person, it may seem a bit foreign, but it's actually quite approachable — it's essentially just walking or hiking in snowshoes! Canmore is an excellent place to try snowshoeing for the first time, with several groomed trails in and around town and plenty of shops offering rentals.
Are you still looking for something a little more challenging and exciting? Give fat biking, or also called snow biking, a go! Even when there's quite a bit of snow on the ground, you can still enjoy exploring on two wheels.
Not every place is well-suited to fat biking; you definitely want to have some open space to really maximize the experience. The Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park is a great place to try it out, as the centre maintains several groomed single-track trails. Trail lengths vary from 0.7 km to 4.7 km, making this easy for anyone to try!
Check items off your winter bucket list with Coast Hotels
Wherever your winter adventures take you, there's a good chance that a Coast Hotels property is nearby. With nearly 40 hotels to choose from throughout the US and Canada, plus a central focus on all things Refreshingly LocalTM, Coast makes a great basecamp for working your way through your winter bucket list.