Is It Okay To Travel In Winter? Here Are the Pros And Cons

When most people think of a vacation, they think of a beach, a fruity drink with an umbrella in it, and more sun than you’ve ever seen ever in your life. It’s not very often you hear about somebody venturing out into the winter, especially when it’s brick cold and snowing.

Winter is usually a time to curl up into a hibernation state and watch your favorite shows. But not going out and exploring the world during the winter leaves out a whole world of beautiful landscapes and unique activities. Traveling in winter definitely has its pros and cons. Here’s a short list to help you make an informed decision.

Let’s start with the pros.

Winter is fun. Let’s not lose sight of that. The excitement while packing up your gear, and going on a winter travel is an irreplaceable feeling. Making snow angels and having snowball fights is some of the best fun you’re going to have. Also, the snow provides an insanely convenient backdrop for pictures due to the albedo effect on light. Here are some other reasons:

Almost every destination has its own culture built around the season. You can find dishes, and clothing, and all sorts of cool stuff that only pop up during the winter months.
You get to dust off those thick jackets you had in storage for months on end. Winter is the time to bundle up. And if you’re a fashion conscious person, this season is the perfect time to put together an outfit you know you wouldn’t be able to the rest of the year.
Skiing and snowboarding, for obvious reasons, can only play out in the winter. It’s the only time you get to pull out the skis and hit the slopes. Lift tickets can be pretty inexpensive if you buy ahead. And this is the perfect chance to brush up on those skills you let rust over the other three seasons.
What people remember most about winters is the smell of everything. When it’s cold outside, all the typical smells drop off. The air is arid and frozen. You don’t smell anything. That is, until someone hands you a hot cup of cocoa or you see a chimney keeping a fire.

Now, the cons.

It’s not always the safest:

If you don’t travel during the winter very often, you probably don’t have adequate clothing to keep you warm. You’d have to go out and buy new clothes that you might not even wear more than once or twice.
Roads are the site of more deaths than any other specific spot on earth. Now, add ice and darkness to it, and you have a recipe for something strange and dangerous. Black ice and inexperienced driving are the leading cause of death during the winter months. People who don’t have that experience often do not know how to handle the wheel in these situations.
Much like motorcycles, if you haven’t practiced skiing for a while, try to stick to the smaller slopes. It’s a bit of an ego-hit, yes. But it’s better to be safe than hit a tree. It happens more often than one would think, and it almost always has to do with someone miscalculating or being overconfident on the slopes.

Traveling during the winter can be a fun and beautiful experience for you and your whole family. If you’re not used to driving or maneuvering around snow, that’s okay. But be sure to take extra caution while doing so. Aside from that, enjoy the gorgeous landscapes and the hot cocoa.