Much of the country has been dealing with cold temperatures, snow, and ice this winter. Whether you live in a city like Washington DC, where the city shuts down with 5 inches of snow, or you live in Lowell, MA, which on February 19 was the snowiest city in the US with 103.9″ of snow, chances are you might be looking for ways to beat the winter blues. While some seek out warmer temperatures to get a brief reprieve from the cold and snow, others look to get right out in it. Here are a few ideas worth sharing from the MyUntangled Life bloggers.
Kat
One of the most beautiful places I have been in winter is the Mount Washington area in New Hampshire. The historic Mount Washington Resort is absolutely stunning. While there, you can enjoy many different winter activities at Bretton Woods. My family used to cross-country ski on their gorgeous trails, but there is alpine skiing as well. If skiing isn’t your thing, they have snowshoeing, tubing, sleigh rides, and dogsled rides too. You (almost) won’t notice the cold while you are taking in the scenery.
Emma
Like many cats, I don’t like the cold. Give me a sunny patch any day. Right about now I would like to be hanging out with the cats at Ernest Hemingway’s house in Key West. They have the run of a warm, sunny, garden and lots of visitors to give them pets. It sounds purr-fect to me.
Michelle
I have to say, experiencing the different seasons in New England is really a treat. But this past winter has been just a little too much for me. I have been dreaming of warmer weather and how can you not think of the Hawaiian Islands when doing so. I have never been there but I have heard nothing but great reasons why everyone should go once in their lifetime. From snorkeling with sea turtles, to pineapple tours in Maui, or visiting the USS Arizona, how can you not find something for everyone?
Ruby
My dad used to live in a place called Lowell. I didn’t spend a lot of time there myself, but the greatest thing about it was the human dogsled race during their annual WinterFest. It’s about time you all got to work doing the pulling and letting us dogs have some fun for a change! Anyway, I was sad to read that this year the race was almost cancelled when WinterFest was delayed because of too much Winter!? I don’t live around there anymore, but if you do, cheer on the hounds for me.
Joanne
As a recovering New Englander, I was happy to miss the Blizzard of 2015. I am old enough to remember the Blizzard of ’78, but I was a kid so I thought all that snow was fun. The seriousness of cars stranded on Route 128 was lost on me. Nowadays, I can appreciate the devastation that comes with a blizzard. I also prefer the milder winters of my new home of coastal North Carolina. Still, I would love to experience the winter temperatures of the Southwest. During an upcoming winter I would like to visit the beautiful states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada. I have always wanted to explore the plants of the Sonoran Desert. A stroll through the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix sounds perfect to me. I can only imagine the beauty and wonder of the New Mexico landscapes that inspired artist Georgia O’Keeffe. I look forward to visiting the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe. The name Valley of Fire State Park suggests warmth to me. An amateur photographer, it would be cool to capture the red sandstone and petrified wood of Nevada’s oldest and largest state park.
Jake
I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m a fan of Google, and yes, I did chase the Google Street View car around Oak Island North Carolina. But anyway, I’m also not sure if I’ve mentioned that I hate to fly and travel just simply stresses me out in a major way. The problem is, though I hate to travel I absolutely love seeing new places and experiencing different parts of the world. There’s something still in the newish phase going on at Google Maps called Views. Essentially, these are user-submitted 360 degree panoramic photo sets that Google is referring to as “photo spheres”. You can upload them to Google Maps and then folks like me can just simply transplant themselves anywhere on the globe by staring at them in complete and utter awe. Soar above the city at the top of the Taipei 101 Observatory, experience the Northern Lights in Finland, fall in love with Paris at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and you can even go underwater…it looks warm down there!
