These Mountain Towns Dazzle In The Wintertime

While many people dread the first snowfall when cold weather hits, others feel that a sprinkling of snow can make certain places even more appealing. These mountain towns are a sight to behold in the wintertime. Some might even say they're magical.

Ashland is an underrated gem in southwest Oregon nestled at the base of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges. If you're looking for a charming post-pandemic trip, head to Ashland to explore the city's coffee shops, bakeries, restaurants, dispensaries and local wineries.

Bethel, Maine, is the most beautiful mountain village in the state. The village opens up right to the dazzling White Mountain National Forest. 

Bisbee, Arizona, is a quaint Victorian mining town that looks like an image in a history book. Sitting at an elevation of 5,300 feet in the Mule Mountains, Bisbee has a colorful collection of historic homes, shops, saloons and restaurants. 

Breckenridge, Colorado, is a popular skiing destination in the winter that also has miles of snowshoeing and fat-biking trails, as well as scenic paths for family sleigh rides. The city's adorable Main Street is dotted with boutiques, galleries and restaurants. 

The Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, area is surrounded by more than 55 lakes, but Lake Coeur d'Alene, with its snow-capped mountains, is ravishing. 

Located in the Alps near where France, Switzerland and Italy meet, the French village of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc hosted the very first Winter Olympics in 1924 and has been world-renowned ever since. The town sits beneath Mont-Blanc, the highest peak of the Alps.

Its mountain location is part of what makes Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the state's most romantic destination. Lake Leatherwood City Park, along with the scenery of the surrounding Ozark Mountains, makes Eureka Springs a beautiful wintertime town.  

This famed Alaskan mountain town is just 36 miles south of Anchorage along the scenic Seward Highway. Girdwood is located in the foothills of the Chugach Mountains and offers plenty of unbeatable views. 

Perhaps the most famous mountains in China are the Huangshan Mountains, or Yellow Mountains. The mountains are located in the Anhui Province of eastern China. Their striking rock formations, twisting pine trees and sky-piercing peaks were frequently depicted in traditional Chinese paintings. Located in the mist-shrouded foothills, Hongcun is filled with historic Ming and Qing Dynasty architecture.

Jackson, Wyoming's most coveted attraction is Grand Teton National Park, which, when dusted with snow, turns particularly stunning. 

Under a dusting of snow, Bled, Slovenia, looks like a winter scene from a fairy tale. The majestic, medieval Bled Castle stands on a cliff above a blue glacial lake. 

Leavenworth, Washington, is one of the most magical Christmas towns in America in part because of its Currier and Ives postcard charm. The village has Bavarian architecture with a stunning backdrop of the Cascade Mountains. 

Mammoth Lakes is one of the most popular ski resorts in America for good reason. Mammoth's high elevation means superior snow conditions for skiing and snowboarding. 

Famous for hosting the Sundance Film Festival and the 2002 Winter Olympics, Park City, Utah, has a one-of-a-kind après-ski culture with a small village vibe. 

One of the most picturesque towns in Alaska, Seward is a coastal city that glistens in the winter. Known as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward is nestled between Resurrection Bay and staggering, snow-capped mountains. 

Sugar Hill is a small town in New Hampshire's White Mountains with a population of less than 600 people. 

Telluride is a charming village tucked in Colorado's Rocky Mountains. It was formerly a Victorian mining town. In the wintertime, the city looks like a scene from a snowglobe. 

Located on New Zealand's South Island, the town of Wanaka sits between its namesake lake and the island's Southern Alps. Because it's located in the Southern Hemisphere, Wanaka's peak winter season runs from June to August with plenty of fluffy snow.

Whitefish serves as the gateway to one of the country's more underrated national parks, Glacier National Park. Portions of the famed scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road are open depending on snowfall. 

Zermatt is a storybook town that sits below the iconic Matterhorn peak in the Swiss Alps. Cars aren't allowed in town, so horse-drawn sleighs, buses and electric taxis are the only methods of transit, which only heightens the glamour. The Matterhorn is just one of many majestic mountains you need to see in your lifetime.