Top 10 Best Winter Trips 2012 #Part2

Antarctic Peninsula

Photograph by Keenpress, National Geographic

The austral summer season along the Antarctic Peninsula brings intense midnight sun, bearable temperatures (20°F on average), and bountiful wildlife encounters to the world's coldest, windiest, highest, and driest continent. November to March, multi-week group expeditionary cruises to the ice-free coastal zones
typically depart from Ushuaia, Argentina—the world’s southernmost city. Tours may include stops to view seal pups and penguin chicks on the Falkland Islands and the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, home to 30 million breeding birds, including the fabled wandering albatross. There are no countries in Antarctica, which is managed under a 1959 international treaty. Primary residents include a small cadre of hearty research scientists; Adélie, chinstrap, and gentoo penguins; killer whales, or orcas; and Weddell and leopard seals.  Naturalist-led tours, such as those aboard National Geographic Explorer, offer kayak trips around icebergs, shore treks amid thousands of penguins, and spectacular ice field hikes. Changing wind, weather, and water conditions dictate daily itineraries; so stay flexible, and dress in layers (protected by a waterproof, windproof outer shell) to adapt quickly for any adventure.

Miami, Florida

Photograph by Paul Spinelli, AP

White-sand beaches, a white-hot restaurant and club scene, and nonstop festivals attract sophisticated snowbirds to South Florida’s “Gateway to Latin America” each winter. Greater Miami-Dade County’s population is 65 percent Hispanic or Latino, giving the international arts, fashion, and entertainment hub a distinctive—and culturally rich—Latin vibe. January 13-15, retro-hip Miami Beach hosts Art Deco Weekend with lectures, guided tours, and a street fair along Ocean Drive amid the world’s largest (800-plus buildings) collection of Art Deco architecture. February’s highlights include the outdoor Coconut Grove Arts Festival, February 18-20, bringing more than 330 artists and craftsmen to the laid-back beachfront community and the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, February 23-26. Emeril Lagasse, Duff Goldman, and Rachael Ray are among the celebrity chefs headlining four days of classes, cooking demonstrations, parties, and tastings. March 2-11, 70,000 attendees are expected at the Miami International Film Festival showcasing new international and Ibero-American films, filmmakers, producers, and talent at venues throughout the city.

Fernie, British Columbia

Photograph by Henry Georgi

Fernie Alpine Resort rises out of the Kootenay Rockies region at the epicenter of British Columbia’s “Powder Highway,” a 530-mile loop with over 50 ski and snowboard operators. A new Polar Peak Lift to the summit gives Fernie the biggest vertical in the Rockies at 3,550 vertical feet, the most marked ski runs at 140, and the most alpine bowl skiing at 2,550 acres over five bowls. The resort and adjacent historic mountain town are favorites with Hollywood producers, serving as backdrops for films ranging from Inception to Disney’s Santa Pups, scheduled for release in November 2012. Private slope-side lodging (including the same cabin—and hot tub—featured in the cult hit Hot Tub Time Machine) offer convenient ski-in, ski-out access to Fernie’s legendary powder. The resort celebrates 50 years of skiing in 2012, and most winter weekends bring special events like the Kokanee Snowdreams Festival, January 28-29. The raucous, nonstop deck party features live DJs in the Plaza Glacier Beer Gardens and the Fernie Famous Hula Hoop contest. Save travel time by booking flights directly into the Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook, an hour’s drive from the resort.

Palm Springs, California

Photograph courtesy Gregg Felsen

The Coachella Valley’s stark desert landscape and 350-plus sunny days inspired “Desert Modernism,” Palm Springs' steel-and-glass-on-the-blocks design aesthetic. Located 110 miles southeast of Los Angeles, the all-season arts, culture, and outdoor recreation destination is home to the nation’s largest concentration of sleek, mid-century modern architecture. Landmarks include visionary Swiss architect Albert Frey’s Movie Colony Hotel, a favorite hideaway of Hollywood celebs from the 1930s through 1960s. Step inside Frank Sinatra's 1947 Twin Palms retreat and other retro-cool residences during Modernism Week, February 16-26, the city’s annual celebration of mid-century modern design, history, culture, and architecture. Events include lectures, a Vintage Airstream and Trailer show, and inaugural public tours of The Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands. Located in nearby Rancho Mirage, the retreat encompasses the new, 15-acre Sunnylands Center & Gardens, plus (hidden behind miles of tall pink-brick walls) the historic 200-acre estate where late U.S. diplomat and philanthropist Walter Annenberg and his wife, Leonore, hosted the likes of Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Bob Hope, and Queen Elizabeth II.

Sledding, Preda-Bergün, Switzerland

Photograph courtesy Peter Fuchs

The 3.7-mile Preda-Bergün cross-country toboggan course is Switzerland’s first and Europe’s longest floodlit sled run. Take the Rhaetian Railway to the tiny village of Preda (about 20 minutes from St. Moritz and three hours from Zurich), rent a wooden sled at the train station, and hold on tight for the exhilarating plunge down the closed Abula Pass road from Preda (5,900 feet above sea level) to the finish at Bergün (4,484 feet). The icy course winds through towering pine trees and past tidy Swiss farms and villages. Periodic total darkness adds to the adventure and danger. Wear a ski helmet and goggles for safety, and watch for riders pitched off their sleds on hairpin turns. Snowmaking equipment helps ensure a full season of sledding, but check weather conditions and operating hours before making the train trek to Preda. Combination rail-and-sled daily passes cover unlimited train trips back to the starting point in Preda, so scope out the course—and panoramic views of the surrounding glaciated Alpine peaks—with an initial daytime run. Source Article

#Part1