Don’t get left out in the cold! Keep reading to get winter travel tips for maximizing your safety and enjoyment while traveling in cold weather.

Travel during the winter can be daunting, but it’s actually quite an underrated time to travel. There are ample benefits to winter travel; fewer crowds, cheaper accommodations and expenses (outside of holiday travel), and magical snow-covered vistas. Knowing the winter travel tips necessary to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience is essential. Here I am sharing my top winter travel tips for a successful cold weather trip:

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The first thing every traveler should do when planning a winter trip to a new area is to check the forecast! Nothing ruins a hike faster than an unexpected rainstorm, even more so in winter. Make sure you know what to expect before heading out on your adventure by checking your favorite weather app and ensuring the weather matches your activity. 

Be sure to also check for any local events that might be happening such as festivals, markets, holidays, or winter time closures. Winter time is chock-full of holidays and festivals celebrated by cultures around the world. These events are amazing ways to immerse yourself in local customs and cultures while making memories that will last a lifetime.

Staying flexible is one of the most important winter travel tips when planning your trip. We cannot control the weather, so it is important to build flexibility into your travel plans by including activities that can be done on more than one day, regardless of weather. These can be activities like checking out the local restaurant scene, attending a local indoor event, or even a quiet rest day at your accommodation with a good book. Ensuring you have a back-up activity or two can save you a lot of grief and frustration when the weather takes an unexpected turn.

Another one of my essential winter travel tips is to pack wisely for any trip you plan to take. This includes researching the weather and terrain of the locations you plan on visiting during the winter months. As a traveler originating from the Pacific Northwest, I cannot emphasise enough how important layering is when planning to be out in the cold weather. This means a good quality down jacket or insulated, waterproof jacket, a or lighter underlayer or sweatshirt, and a good base layer like a moisture wicking long sleeve or thermal undershirt (I recommend wool!). See all of my winter clothing recommendations here! Additionally, ensuring that you have a good pair of gloves and some waterproof footwear can be a lifesaver when the snow starts piling up.

In all the excitement of getting out into the snow, don’t forget the travel essentials! Most people don’t consider things like dehydration and sunburns when it’s cold and wet outside, but it’s easy to become dehydrated when hiking in the cold. Additionally, the snow and ice reflect the sun and can give a nasty sunburn even in the dead of winter, so don’t forget your water bottle, a hat, and sunscreen! Also, sunglasses are a must when driving or hiking in the snow. The reflection coming off of snow and ice can make even a cloudy and gray day unbearably bright. Speaking of cloudy weather, it tends to get dark fast during the winter months, so make sure you always have a good flashlight, headlamp, or lantern with some extra batteries so you’re not caught in the dark.

Another expert winter travel tip is to prioritize travel safety with regards to transportation. Make sure to get your personal vehicle inspected prior to traveling if you plan to drive. This includes ensuring your brakes are in good condition and things like wiper fluid are topped off. If you are planning to drive your own vehicle or a rental, be sure to check the requirements for the roads you’ll be traveling on to see if 4-wheel drive or chains are required for that time of year. 

Regardless of if you’re planning to drive yourself or make use of other transportation, make sure that you have planned out your route with at least one back-up or alternate route in case of closures due to weather. It’s always a good idea to download a map that includes the area you are traveling in to insure you won’t be unable to navigate if you lose service. Finally, plan for delays. Winter weather can change quickly and can result in road closures or traffic due to accidents. It’s important to budget extra time so that you don’t miss out if delays strike without warning.

It’s important to enjoy your winter travel by making yourself as comfortable as possible, that’s why some of my favorite winter travel tips include ways to warm up on a cold day. One way to bring the warmth and cheer along with you is to bring a thermos full of your favorite hot drink (mine is hot chocolate!) with you to warm you up between activities. Another is to pack some hand warmers. The chemical heat packs that you shake to activate are ideal since they’re small and can be slipped into a pocket or the inside of your jacket to help keep you warm. 

An often overlooked item to bring along is a small travel humidifier. While not necessary for keeping you warm, a humidifier can help your skin and sinuses cope with the dry cold of the outdoors and the dry heat of the indoors. Along with your sinuses, your skin can also be dried out going from hot to cold and back again. Make sure you pack your preferred lotion to prevent dry and cracked skin when venturing into the cold.

A winter travel tip I often struggle with, but is no less important, is to plan for rest and recovery. Whether you are snowshoeing through the forest, hiking up a mountain, or perusing the stalls at a holiday market, the cold saps your energy faster than you’d think. To avoid burnout and exhaustion, make sure you are planning some restful activities to complement your more active ones. Check to see if there is a local hotspring you can visit to warm up (always pack a swimsuit!), catch a play or performance at a local theater, or treat yourself to an indulgent day of local cuisine.

Tap HERE or below to get my FULL winter packing list – all of the essentials I listed in this blog plus a few extra items:

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