This weeks theme is Winter Plans: Snow or Sand?
Travel Talk on Twitter, also know by its hashtag #TTOT, is one of the largest Twitter chats for travel. Each week a group of hosts answer a range of travel related questions. The chat runs weekly on Tuesday at 9:30 AM/PM GMT. After each session we collect the best and most helpful answers in this TTOT recap to prevent them from getting lost in the twittersphere.
Q1: Do you prefer a snow or sand destination for winter travel? Tell us your reasons!
Since I live next to a beach, a holiday means going to non-sandy places & snow is perfect once in a while – @anuradhagoyal
Definitely snow. I’m a winter person and hate (yes, hate) summer. So I’d rather go somewhere snowy for winter travel – @thewandererblog
Always sand! Because who doesn’t love a never ending summer ? – @Ilanaontheroad
Winter = snow Summer = sand Embrace the seasons :) – @biggsytravels
how about both – a week on snow & a week on sand? Winter is so long you can easily do both – @SLOgirlAbroad
HOT HOT HOT! 17 trips to Barbados when I suffered through Washington, DC winters. That says it all, right?! – @todayInIreland
SNOW!!!!! I’ve very rarely get snow where I live, so it’s a childhood dream come true – @natpackertravel
Q2: How do you plan your winter holidays each year? Do you have a winter destination that you visit regularly? Or do you like to mix it up?
Living overseas, my winter travels usually include travelling home for Christmas to see family, then something exciting for New Year or Chinese New Year. Last year, I jumped into the North Sea in the Netherlands! There was sun and sand, but it was chilly! – @WayfairerTravel
I don’t really travel for winter as I’m usually working. When I do, it’s only for a couple days over Christmas so I go to Ottawa (Canada) to visit my grandparents and relatives. It’s a beautiful drive with all the snow – @thewandererblog
I like to vary my winter travel plans. My choice depends on where I’ve been just prior. Oftentimes I find myself in a winter cold famous city that I avoided during busier times. Nothing like being the only one in the courtyard of the Louvre or Piazza San Marco – @SonjaSwissLife
I like to go somewhere different every year. I usually look at places that have the best Christmas markets and then look at which one I can get the cheapest flights for – @weather2travel
I like to see different places. Although I do like to visit Cairns on a winter break. Maybe it’s because I spent many of my childhood holidays there, but it definitely is a special place for me. – @Fiona_Whiley_23
I try to go skiing for about 30+ days each winter, so where there is good snow I try to go – and I prefer to stay in Europe/ here up North if possible. – @hendrikmorkel
Q3: Is the weather a major factor for you in choosing a winter travel destination? If not, what is?
I DO book flights based on potential weather issues. For example would pay more NOT to fly through Chicago in the winter…. But definitely to fly somewhere HOT! – @todayInIreland
Instead of the weather I would say the FACILITIES and sights available even in extreme weather. When I take my mom on a trip to a cold place I need to consider stuff like, when I’m skiing, what can she do? Are there shopping malls, cafes, museums where she can visit? – @takemomalong
Not really, other than maybe looking for the potential for snow. But mainly I look at places I really want to go and where I can go cheaply. – @natpackertravel
Weather isn’t a big factor when choosing a winter destination. There is something fun to be found in either a snow or sandy destination. It all demends upon your mood. – @StevenOnTheMove
Depends on the destination and what there is to see and do there. Seeing springtime sakura in Japan was incredible, but I’d love to return to see Hokkaido in the snow, Japanese castles in autumn foliage and Okinawa for a summer beach holiday – @WayfairerTravel
Weather is important but since we can’t know how it’ll be precisely, it’s better not to make it major in one’s decision-making. Even to get to a warm climate, we may have to cross through severe winter weather that could impact our hot sun beach winter holiday. – @SonjaSwissLife
Q4: Do you have a winter travel nightmare story? (blizzards, cancelled flights, etc.)?
On a flight back to the UK in December there was such thick fog it was zero visibility. The pilot announced we’d have to do a special landing… the cloud was so thick I didn’t even know we were on the ground until I felt the thump of wheels on the runway! – @WayfairerTravel
Christmas flight late to Frankfurt: runway repairs revealed undetonated WWII bombs. Connecting flight also late to US but agents refused to let us board. They’d given away our seats (they had overbooked dramatically, this would save them $) Forced overnight – @SonjaSwissLife
It was at the end of winter, flying from Melbourne to Sydney and there were severe thunderstorms in Sydney. We were able to land, but we couldn’t get to the terminal because the ground crew had to evacuate the tarmac. Sat there for hours. – @Fiona_Whiley_23
Around February time there was a lot of snow in the UK, lots of trains were cancelled so the ones running were totally overcrowded. Our train broke down and I had to sit on the train floor near the toilet for 4.5 hours with no food/water and barely enough room to move! – @adventuresginge
First ever trip. Snow in Europe caused my connection to London to be late. So I missed my flight to Thailand. Put on flight next day, bags weren’t. So first ever trip, arrived a day late without bags. Why I love travelling is beyond me when that was my first experience. – @natpackertravel
Once drove with my folks ten hours Towson, Maryland to Findlay, Ohio for Christmas. A blizzard hit! Took 15+ hours, no hotel rooms available, crawled along the turnpike. Fear every mile. HATE winter driving! – @todayInIreland
Q5: Have you experienced winter festivals (such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year, Carnival, etc.) in other places? How did they compare to winter festivals where you live? Where did you go or have thought about going?
New Year in New York – tiring. Very tiring and never again in Times Square. Also Xmas in Mexico. Completely different. Main event is on Christmas Eve, everything is open on Christmas Day. – @natpackertravel
I went to Berlin just before Christmas two years ago and I was blown away by how amazing their Christmas festivities are out there. The Christmas markets and decorations are just on another level compared to the UK. Such a festive atmosphere and great eggnog!!! – @weather2travel
Living in HK, I was excited to experience Chinese New Year, but it was not quite what I expected – like Xmas, it’s a time to spend with family and loved ones, so other than a glitzy brand-filled parade and red packets of lai see (my bonus), it was rather subdued. – @WayfairerTravel
I always enjoy a good Carnival in Europe. Different from the Americas. Background culture is more pagan with older histories. #Switzerland celebrates in every major Catholic city. – @SonjaSwissLife
I didn’t plan on going to Malta for Mardi Gras, but once I was there it was impossible not to join the party! – @terryanzur
- Melvin – @TravelDudes
- Mallory – @MalloryOnTravel