While many families look toward the summer months in order to take their vacations because of school schedules, winter travel has become increasingly popular over the past several years. Whereas winter vacations were once reserved for ski trips or beach vacations down south, cultural tourism is increasing in popularity in both summer and winter.
Today’s travelers are realizing that winter is not as busy as summer for tourism. Therefore, going to cultural destinations means fewer crowds to contend with. Often, hotels run specials with discounted rates, making travel more affordable. For years, retirees have been well aware that winter is an ideal time to hit the road with the RV, but now others are beginning to see that this option is open to them as well.
One growing travel trend is referred to as “Nomadic Sabbaticals.” Given that it is estimated that half of the workforce in 2020 will be freelance and the percentage of homeschooled children is rising, winter tourism among families is now increasing. Family gap years, unschooling — each of these trends is on the rise. As a result, travel has become part of a family experience that is not reserved for summer alone (CN Traveler 2019).
Here are some tips to help you plan and enjoy your winter travels:
- Plan, plan, plan. Regardless of your destination, you need to keep an eye on average temperatures and weather developments. Here in the Inter-mountain west, for example, road closures can happen with little notice, so you need to pay close attention to the latest weather conditions;
- Look into discounts from hotels, cultural attractions, even restaurants. Many of these establishments offer specials in the off-season;
- Think about traveling to destinations that you may not otherwise consider. Don’t avoid a cold-weather destination during the winter simply because you may not like winter sports. Wyoming is beautiful in the winter and even if you don’t ski or snowboard, there are many wonderful attractions and festivals across the state no matter the season;
- The fun of cultural tourism is that you get a deeper appreciation for the region you are visiting. History, heritage, and a sense of place is on display in museums, cultural centers, historical societies, as well as local events throughout the year;
- For those traveling with children, these destinations can provide educationally enriching experiences for the entire family.
Wyoming is a lot of fun in the winter!
For sports enthusiasts as well as those who love cultural tourism, our state has something for everyone. Here at the Carbon County Museum we are open all year, as are many other museums in our county. Come and visit us, and get your West on!
Photo by Elizabeth Wood courtesy of the Carbon County Visitors Council