Indie Travel Challenge – Week 4 – The Ideal Winter Trip

Me and my mittens at the Inukshuk, English Bay - Vancouver Winter Olympics

This week’s post for the Indie Travel Challenge is all about winter travel and what I think makes for the ideal winter trip.  I’m a pretty open and shut case when it comes to this.  One word: WARMTH.  Basically, I don’t do cold.

This is pretty funny considering I grew up in St. Louis, went to grad school, and started my career in Chicago.  Those places are synonymous with cold.  Believe me, walking to the el stop in -40 degree windchill was not the fun part of living in Chicago.  My feet were iceblocks, my bones hurt, and it took an act of congress to get me outside my apartment.  Those are the reasons I went to college in Texas and moved to Atlanta – I not only wanted to be in a warmer place, I needed to be in a warmer place in order to function!

Cue the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  I have a friend who was a venue manager in Whistler and another who lives in Seattle.  I had never been to Vancouver.  I am a sports freak.  Ergo…this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.  I spent 12 days checking everything out and let me tell you, it was A. MA. ZING.  Even the 12 hours I spent standing in 34 degree wet, snowy weather to watch the bobsled races was well worth it.  (if you ever go to Vancouver, make sure to stay at Light Heart Inn Bed and Breakfast - Greg is a fantastic host and a mean mean cook!) 

I definitely surprised myself with that winter vacation.  Although my ideal winter vacation is one where there’s sun, sand, water, and friends involved, the 2010 Winter Olympics were probably my favorite winter vacation ever.  A new place, new experiences, friends, sports, and the world in one place.  What could be better?

What’s your ideal winter vacation?  Any awesome places you recommend?