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.
Quality Carz and More LLC
6210 Middle Ridge Rd Lorain, OH 44053
(440) 960-2279
http://qualitycarz.com