The best New Year’s Eve destinations to ring in 2022

You might be going home for the holidays. But what about the new year? Get out of town and get a head start on your 2022 resolution to “travel more”. From ‘Champagne Powder’ branded skiing in a mountain town in Colorado to pint-tasting in party pubs in London to a well-timed meteor shower in Alaska, the best New Years destinations of 2022 are hosts. perfect for the new year. Each offers a lot of R&R so you can start 2022 on the right foot.

1. Steamboat Springs, Colorado: Champagne Powder Skiing and Hot Springs

In the northwest corner of Colorado, Steamboat Springs eschews the luxury brand that is synonymous with many ski resorts. Instead, he embraces his Old West roots and takes pride in his athletic prowess. (The region produced more winter Olympians than any other city in North America). Steamboat’s snow, however, is quite sophisticated: the ‘Champagne Powder’ has a below average water content, which means it’s airy like champagne bubbles and is suitable for New Years Eve skiing, before to saber this real bottle of champagne.

Steamboat also organizes an annual meeting New Years Eve Snowcat and Torchlight Parade, which features snowcats adorned with Christmas lights parading down the mountain in a flying V-formation flanked by ski school instructors with torches. After the descent, fireworks light up the sky. After a few days on the slopes, direction Strawberry Park Hot Springs for a restorative bath in the whirlpool of nature. Airbnbs are your best accommodation bet, like this one condo at the foot of the slopes, corn Large steamboat is close to the base of the ski area and has a few hot tubs.

2. Hella, Iceland: New Year and colorful northern lights

In Iceland, Christmas is just a warm-up to the holiday season. Icelanders love New Years Eve and they celebrate it with community bonfires and lots of fireworks, which light up the darkest time of the year. Join in the festive celebrations in Reykjavik, the capital and cultural center of Iceland. Formerly a concert hall and arts center, the Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Center is now a comfortable hotel. He also has an impressive collection of vinyl records ranging from Icelandic pop to Motown. You can borrow records and portable record players to listen to in your room.

Extend your vacation in Iceland by leaving the city for the south of the country for a stay at Ranga Hotel, which has a clear dark sky perfect for viewing the colorful Northern Lights. From here, access the best winter adventures in the land of fire and ice, like snowmobiling on a glacier, fat biking on a volcano, or climbing frozen waterfalls. Read our comprehensive guide to South Iceland here.

3. Grass Valley, CA: Speakeasy Drinks and hiking trails open

The Holbrooke, a Gold Rush-era hotel in northern California, recently underwent a major renovation. Here you can sip whiskey in an amber-lighted underground bar with a tunnel that once connected the historic gold mines. Grass Valley is located approximately 60 miles northeast of Sacramento and sits past the front porch of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The foothills are dotted with trails that offer many options for New Years Day trips.

Weather permitting, the Pioneer Trail is a 24 mile mountain bike trail that offers 3,400 feet of elevation gain; the 4 mile Hoot Trail branch is full of jumps and berms. Or go on a mostly secluded hike along the 20-mile South Yuba Trail, which features consistent inclines and scenic river views. Before hitting the trails, refuel at that of Tofanelli. The breakfast place has 100 omelets on the menu.

4. London, England: Champagne bars and Christmas markets

For those leaning into the holiday season and enjoying warm traditions this time of year, London ticks all the boxes. Sparkling toast in one of the city’s champagne bars, such as the 10-seater London Call Bar by Moët & Chandon which was designed to look like one of the city’s famous telephone booths. Eat raclette and drink mulled wine at the city’s Christmas markets which run until January; they range from large productions to the picturesque markets of Trafalgar Square and the surrounding area.

Soak up the canopy of lights dazzling Regent Street as you dive into quintessential British pubs for pints of ale. Strap blades to your feet and skate under the twinkling lights of one of the many ice rinks in this cheerful city. You also have your choice of Michelin starred restaurants here. There are French dishes at Galvin to Windows overlooking Hyde Park or modern Chinese cuisine like Peking duck and caviar in Hakkasan.

Do the Mayfair Townhouse in central London your home port. Fifteen Georgian townhouses have been combined to create this stylish hotel. Rooms come with free mini-bars of drinks and treats, plus thoughtful extras like plush bathrobes, heated bathroom floors, and towel racks. There’s even an Oscar Wilde book left on your nightstand during the turndown service. (The Mayfair Townhouse is located on Half Moon Street in London, which is the setting for Wilde’s famous play “The Importance of Being Consistent.”)

5. Quebec, Canada: fondue and all-inclusive skiing

Truly a winter wonderland, The Massif de Charlevoix is about 1h30 from Quebec in the Charlevoix region. It is also home to the ski area with the highest drop east of the Rockies. But part of what makes skiing so spectacular here is the breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River stretching out in front of you as you slide down the slopes. The mountain has 53 trails and a remarkable off-piste playground.

Club Med Quebec (which has alpine resorts in Europe) debuted in Canada this winter. It opens an all-inclusive resort with unlimited ski-to-door access in the region. Stays include lift tickets and group ski or snowboard lessons if someone you are traveling with needs an upgrade. Or join a workshop to learn mindfulness techniques while skiing or one focused on mastering unpredictable terrain. The resort also has three on-site restaurants where you can enjoy local fare, like fondue and maple candy, and your afternoon is covered in this all-inclusive package. Treat yourself to a spa treatment like a Nordic facial or a deep tissue massage with shea butter.

6. Denali National Park: Meteor Show Watching and Snow Cave Caving

Here, to surpass even the most spectacular fireworks display, the annual phenomenon known as the Quadrantids. It is a bright shooting star that is best seen from Alaska Denali national park. Get your wishes aligned for 2022 because in this shooting star performance of Gemini and Quadrantids, the skies sparkle with up to 200 meteor showers per hour. Peak showers this year are from mid-December to the first week of January. Prime time is 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

the Chalet Sheldon– so far from the grid, it is only accessible by helicopter – is an exclusive place to watch this heavenly spectacle thanks to the region’s thin troposphere and little to no light pollution. Beyond stargazing, other extraordinary winter adventures include caving in snow caves and gourmet picnics on glaciers. You can even find everything you need to build your own snow cave. Staying here, however, is the ultimate splurge, with rates starting at $ 47,000 per couple for three nights.

7. Denver, Colorado: Spa Vacation Enriched With Beer

Combine your love for beer with your New Years wellness aspirations at The Beer Spa in Denver. On arrival, help yourself to a beer from the Beer Wall in the Relaxation Lounge. Then it’s time to go: retreat to a beer therapy room to soak in a hot tub bubbling with hops, barley, and an antioxidant-rich herbal blend that changes monthly. (It’s mistletoe in December and olive leaves in January). From the cosmetic mini bar, take home some hop infused beard oil or oatmeal body lotion.

While on vacation in this true beer town, discover the locals’ favorite breweries. Jagged mountain craft brewery, which is known for its adventurous and flavorful beers made with ingredients that fall under the “who would have thought” category. Cerveceria is a Mexican-style microbrewery. Stay in the vibrant RiNo district at Catbird Hotel. It has one of the best rooftops in town (i.e. a perfect perch for watching fireworks). The hotel also has an equipment room with bicycles and boards to borrow.

Or book a room at The Crawford Hotel, which has rooms suspended above Union Station, Denver’s Fine Arts Station. The hotel offers The Beer Spa package, which includes soapy extras like seasonal beers in the room to be enjoyed after check-in, baths in the private beer therapy room at the nearby spa, a ride to spa in the hotel’s Tesla, and more.

8. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Cigars, whiskey and kayaking in the bioluminescent bays

For those who prefer sand to snow, head to Puerto Rico to celebrate the New Year. The waterfront Condado Vanderbilt is just steps from the Atlantic Ocean. The hotel strikes a balance of historic elegance, but with modern amenities. Pair full-bodied cigars with premium whiskeys in the on-site AVO Lounge. The cigar menu features luxury brands like Davidoff from Swiss manufacturer Zino Davidoff and a selection of cigars from the Romeo Y Julieta Vintage series so you can indulge in a festive smoke.

Night owl adventurers can kayak the bioluminescent bays that glow at night. The water is full of dinoflagellates which emit a bluish flash when agitated. The high concentration of this marine plankton can cast enough light to read a book. On New Years Day, which happens to be National Bloody Mary Day, order the hotel’s signature Bloody Martini, loaded with veg but still watered down.

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