Now that gas is affordable and holiday lights are twinkling from the East Coast to L.A, it is the perfect time to hit the open road, for a road trip! Once you’ve got your car winter ready, drive on with confidence through these five amazing winter wonderlands.Alaska: Northern Exposure - This 226-mile, out and back will make you feel like an Ice Road Trucker. An hour north of Anchorage on the Glenn Highway, stop off in the Mat-Su Valley to Nordic ski on the 10K trail system designed by Olympian Bill Spencer, in the middle of 8,060-acre Government Peak Recreation Area.
Oregon: Christmas Tree Capital of the World - Let it roll through the “Christmas Tree Capital of the World.” From Portland, take the Mount Hood Scenic Byway 1.5 hours on I-84 and U.S. 26 to Timberline Lodge. Top off the day with a sleigh ride through the snowy, historic streets of Government Camp before holing up in a king-size fireplace suite back at the lodge.
New York City & Pennsylvania: Norman Rockwell Countryside - Shop your way through Williamsburg, SoHo, and Fifth Avenue, skate around the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center, then exit onto I-80 to drive 348 miles northwest through Norman Rockwell countryside before stopping in Ellicottville, for a few runs at HoliMont, the largest private ski resort in North America. Warm up with hot chocolate under the town’s three-story Christmas tree, then turn south on U.S. 219 bordering the evergreen forests of Allegany State Park to the Relais & Chateau Lodge at Glendorn, which has its own ice-skating pond, sledding hill, cross-country ski trail network, and secret ice fishing spots stocked with walleye. No need to worry about catching a chill. The lodge has 43 fireplaces.
New Mexico & Colorado: Soak and Ski - It will be hard to extract yourself from the silver coin margaritas, green chile stew, festive farolitos, and wafts of burning piñon pine drifting through Santa Fe, but the early-season skiing at Wolf Creek Ski Area, which gets an average dump of 430 inches of snow per year, is worth it.
Nevada & Utah: New Year’s Eve in Zion - Watch the Bellagio fountains dance to “Santa Baby” and catch La Reve at the Wynn in Las Vegas before bombing 244 miles northeast on I-15 through the dry desert to the high cliffs of Zion and spooky hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Burien Toyota
15025 First Avenue South
Burien, WA 98148
(206)243-0700
http://www.burientoyota.com/