4 Excellent Winter Adventures

You don’t have to be stuck inside when winter comes. There are plenty of places to warm up or enjoy the cold, snowy weather. These are 4 of the best winter getaways.

1. Namibia, Africa:

 

(photo credit: jries)

The coast of Namibia features mysterious shipwrecks, shifting sand dunes, and a wide variety of seabirds and migratory species. The coast kisses the South Atlantic Ocean and stretches for close to 1,000 miles.
The summer time in Namibia runs between November and April and it’s a popular time to visit the Namib Desert. The days are often damp, foggy, and a little cool, but at least they’re usually dry. The most popular seaside spot is Swakopmund and you can take a short flight to view the shipwrecks that are stuck in the sand as well as skeletons of whales at the isolated Skeleton Coast National Park.
The Sandwich Harbour Lagoon is a remote marine sanctuary that’s surrounded by huge sand dunes and is also a popular site. Another good spot is Walvis Bay Lagoon which is the home to thousands of flamingos. You can also kayak out into the water here to get close up look at seal colonies and dolphins over at Pelican Point. If you’d like to explore the wilderness there’s nowhere better than Sperrgebiet National Park, which is close to 5.5 million acres in size.

2. Fernie, British Columbia, Canada:

 

(photo credit: ateabutnoe)

Canada’s a winter wonderland once the snow hits and the Fernie Alpine Resort is one of the most popular locations in British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies area. This region is known locally as Powder Highway because of the dozens of snowboard and ski resorts. It’s basically a 500-mile loop where you can enjoy the snow hills.
At 3,550 feet, Fernie is home to the largest vertical hill in the Rockies. Fernie also has 140 marked ski runs and 2,500 acres of alpine bowl skiing in 5 separate bowls. The ski resort and nearby mountain have been used in many Hollywood films due to their sheer beauty.
There are several types of accommodation here and the resort will be celebrating its 50^th birthday in 2012. Most weekends throughout the winter feature special events and festivals. The closest airport is in Cranbrook, which is about 60 minutes from Fernie by car.

3. Lake Placid, New York, USA:

 

(photo credit: foqus)

The Winter Olympics may not be taking place again until 2014 in Sochi, Russia, but they’re always on in Lake Placid, New York, home of the 1980 and 1932 Games. Visitors to this wonderful winter site can experience what it’s like to be a top-class athlete by zipping down the town’s slick bobsled runs with a professional brakeman and driver in tow.
You can also try out cross-country skiing, speed skating, and rifle shooting on some of the Olympic sports sites. This makes it an ideal location for people and families of all ages. There are family games to be enjoyed which recreate the Olympic atmosphere. This starts with the torch run and winds up with a realistic medal ceremony. Some of the events included in this tournament are snowboarding, skiing, hockey contests, curling, and target shooting.

4. The Antarctic Peninsula:

 

(photo credit: liamq)

The midnight sun is present in the Antarctic Peninsula during the austral summer. The temperature rises to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit and the wildlife is very active at this time of the year. It might be the highest, windiest, driest, and coldest continent on earth, but it’s a super place to visit between November and March.
Cruises head here from Ushuaia in Argentina, which is the southernmost city on the globe. While onboard you should be able to witness penguin chicks and seal pups that make the Falkland Islands their home. When you pass South Georgia, which is a sub-Antarctic island, you’ll be sailing by the wandering albatross as well as millions of breeding birds.
Antarctica doesn’t consist of any countries, but there are some research scientists busy at work down there. It is home to several types of penguins though along with orca whales and leopard seals. There are some tours which enable you to kayak between icebergs and hike across the ice-covered land to visit the penguins.

6 of the World’s Best Oceanside Views

With the world being covered in so much water it means there are thousands of locations in it where you can get some breathtaking ocean views from the land. These are among the best destinations on the planet for amazing views of both the land and the mighty oceans.

1. Scotland, St. John’s Head, Hoy, Orkney Islands:

 

(photo by paul_stephenson)

If you head to the charming island of Hoy and then venture to the northernmost spot, you’ll see the highest sea cliff in Britain, which is known as St. John’s Head. It’s home to some rough waters and can be quite a trek to reach the base of it.
If you don’t feel like hiking it you can get some excellent views from the local ferry which sails from Scrabster over to Stromness. If you reach the cliff when the sun goes down you’ll see some beautiful shades of red reflecting from it. If you take the ferry you’ll also be able to witness a 450-foot tall sea stack known as the Old Man of Hoy.

2. Spain, Son Marroig, Mallorca:

 

(photo by jurvetson)

There’s some exceptional scenery around the town of Son Marroig on Mallorca’s lovely north coast. There’s an old property here which dates back to the mid-1800s which features some great sweeping vistas that hang over the dramatic Na Foradada peninsula. The views are fantastic since there’s a 60 foot hole in the middle of the peninsula. There’s a museum at Son Marroig, which is the start of a two-mile route to Na Foradada.

3. Portugal, Sagres:

 

(photo credit: shawnnap)

The beautiful Portuguese city of Sagres is famous for more than its beer. It’s the most southwestern point in mainland Europe and the bay here offers some tremendous views of the Atlantic Ocean. The area is quiet adventurous, romantic, and historical. Prince Henry the Navigator headed to Sagres in the 1400s and opened the famous School of Navigation.
This is where cartographers and sailors learned their crafts before exploring the world’s seaways and navigating a route to India. It’s a small city that’s best explored by foot and Cape St. Vincent is just a stone’s throw away from the bay.

4. Ireland, Dun Aengus, Aran Islands:

 

(photo by majad3v)

This destination is home to one of the most amazing cliff forts in Europe. The fort consists of 3 semicircles which have been constructed with ancient stone walls. The cliff that it sits on is about 330 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. From the court of the fort you’ll be presented with some fabulous views of the distant Connemara coast and a small island named Inishmore.
You can reach the fort by ferry from several locations including Rossaveal, and Doolin. The main town on Aran is the picturesque Kilronan.

5. Mexico, Mirador Escenico, San Carlos:

 

(photo by merlinvx)

The gorgeous ocean lookout of Miarador Escenico is located just a few miles down the road from wonderful San Carlos. The views peer across the Gulf of California which features a volcanic hill that dramatically reaches out of the water. There are also several pretty isolated coves, including Playa Piedras Pintas.
When reaching Mirador you should also see some interesting marine life such as whales, pelicans, and dolphins. You can head out into the Sea of Cortes in the gulf by kayak and explore the scenery. Fishing boats can also be rented in San Carlos. Most people head there for fishing and sailing between the months of November and May.

6. Iceland, Látrabjarg:

 

(photo by rwhgould)

The Westfjords are known as the most isolated area in Iceland. Here you’ll find an amazing bird cliff that’s filled with a huge colony of razorbills. It’s also the westernmost point in Europe and the Latrabjarg cliff can be found here. It’s close to nine miles long and just over 1,450 feet in height. There are some white sandy beaches below and the Snæfellsjokull glacier can be seen sticking out of the misty waters. Latrabjarg is about 35 miles from  the charming village of Patreksfjorour.