We all have our own ideas of the perfect winter getaway. For some people, it’s a tropical beach, far from the snow-covered driveway. (Whenever I say I miss snow, living here in Texas, my husband says, “That’s because you never had to shovel a driveway.” Which is true.) For some, it’s atop a ski mountain, or curled up by a fireplace on a cold, cold night.

What’s your dream winter escape?

That’s the topic for today’s threefer and our guest writer is Claire Walter, who has been writing about skiing and travel for years. She’s also blogging every which way, with blogs about travel, Colorado food, and Colorado bargains. She jokes that she’s “a travel writer who rarely leaves my time zone. People from all over the world come for our silky snowy, gorgeous mountains and great climate. I’m here to welcome them.”

Winter doesn't get much better than this. Photo courtesy Colorado Ski Country USA

For me, the ideal day is snow underfoot and sun overhead. Fortunately, the Colorado Rocky Mountains provide an abundance of both. I’m, equally happy on downhill skis, cross-country skis, and snowshoes, and if I had ever mastered snowboarding, I’d probably love that too.
I used to live in the Northeast where winter days were often gray, and where snow turned quickly to slush on city streets and to near-ice on the ski slopes. I lived in Colorado for two years before I stopped skiing with my toes curled in my boots to feel that I was holding on to the hardpack. Now I expect soft snow underfoot, cornflower-blue skies overhead and the sun shining down.–Claire

A winter beach is gloriously empty. Photo by alisonpavlos via flickr (Creative Commons license)

A good thick sweater is essential. Long johns, too. But–and sun worshippers are sure to call me crazy for it–I prefer visits to Jersey shore beaches (and other cold-in-the-winter locales) when everybody else is on the ski slopes. Though I enjoy a good Italian ice and a day of body surfing during high season, there’s something beautiful about a beach that’s empty and slightly somber. Winter waves are a powerful sight to see. I love watching the season’s intrepid surfers take them on. And did I mention the beaches are empty?–Jenna

My husband and I snowmobiled from Cody, Wyoming to Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone National Park. I don’t particularly enjoy snowmobiles. They’re too loud, smelly, and fast for me and I always feel just one attention lapse away from disaster. Still, the scenery and experiences (including a terrifying race with a buffalo) we had on this 50-mile route were once-in-a-lifetime extraordinary. We ended that long day at the hotel where we rented a room and a private, outdoor hot tub. As we soaked away the day’s exertions, snow started falling, like stars from the night sky. I’d do it all again in a minute.–Sophia

Tags: Colorado, jersey shore, mammoth hot springs, New Jersey, rocky mountains, skiing, winter getaways, Wyoming, Yellowstone