Paris, France
Photograph by Thierry Chesnot, Corbis Paris is at its most Parisian in winter. Without the crowds, there’s space to linger over a morning café crème and croissant at Le Bar du Marché and wander through the Louvre. The low tourist season means some lower rates too. Several museums and monuments offer free admission on first Sundays (November-March), and the first of the biannual Soldes (state-mandated, six-week sales) begins on January 8. The nationwide discounts (up to 50 percent or more in every store) are designed to make room for the upcoming season’s wares. The sales return in June, but by then, so will the crowds.
When to Go: December-March; Les Soldes, January 8-February 11; several Christmas markets (including Champs-Elysées, Saint Germain des Prés, and Montmarte) remain open through January 5 or 6.
How to Get Around: Buy a Paris Visite card online for unlimited multiday bus, metro, tramway, and RER (commuter rail) travel in either zones 1-3 (the city and close suburbs) or zones 1-5 (which includes both CDG/Orly and Versailles airports).
Where to Stay: November to February is low season, so it’s easier to find a room at the intimate Hotel Relais-Saint Germain. Each of the 22 rooms is named and styled after a different author connected with Paris, such as Balzac, Hemingway, Joyce, and Proust. The hotel, comprising side-by-side townhouses, is a short walk from the Louvre and a block from the Odeon metro station, particularly helpful when it’s raining or cold outside.
What to Eat or Drink: Les Papilles takes the stress (and guesswork) out of ordering in French. The retour du marche (seasonal market menu) is set daily, so make a reservation and arrive ready for whatever chef Bertrand is preparing (like potato leek soup, poached cod, and blue cheese and dates). The venue (a delightful combination of bistro, wine shop, and grocery) and price (about $42 for starter, main course, cheese, and dessert) add to the comfort level.
What to Read or Watch Before You Go: Woody Allen’s romantic comedy Midnight in Paris (2011) was filmed entirely in the city.
What to Buy: Scoring the best Soldes bargains requires planning and patience. Arrive with a short wish list of Parisian luxury items (Longchamp tote, Repetto flats, Hermès jacket), identify a few shops that carry what you’re hunting for, and be willing to wait—but not too long. Prices and inventory get lower with each passing week, so if the item you want is in short supply, you may want to shop early and pay a bit more.
Cultural Tip: Indoor spaces (restaurants, shops, cafés) tend to be smaller and more intimate in Paris than in the U.S. Instead of complaining about the tight quarters, embrace the coziness and esprit de corps—and remember to use your “inside” voice.
Helpful Links: Paris Tourist Office and France Guide
Fun Fact: Paolo Veronese’s wall-sized "Wedding Feast at Cana" (1563) is the largest painting on exhibit at the Louvre, yet it’s not the biggest attraction in the room where it’s displayed. That distinction goes to a much smaller portrait, the "Mona Lisa," which hangs on the wall opposite Veronese’s masterpiece.
Phu Quoc (Vietnam)
Photograph by Michael S. Lewis/National Geographic Creative Some of Vietnam’s best beaches are on heart-shaped Phu Quoc island, making them closer to Cambodia than the Vietnamese mainland. Located in the Gulf of Thailand just off the Cambodian coast, Phu Quoc once housed the so-called “coconut tree prison” (now a museum), where Vietcong prisoners of war were held through 1973. What’s bringing international travelers and, so far, restrained development to Phu Quoc today are its warm, turquoise waters; secluded, deep sand beaches; and lush, mountainous interior (protected as a national park).
When to Go: December-March is dry season, with average daytime temperatures between 77° and 82°F.
How to Get Around: The new (2012) Phu Quoc International Airport is located near the midpoint of the island’s western coast in Duong Dong, the largest town. Most resorts are located south of the airport on Long Beach, and provide airport transfers to their guests. The most convenient way to travel around the island is by motorbike taxi or (with extreme caution) by motorbike.
Where to Stay: All 70 rooms and suites at the upscale, French Colonial-style La Veranda Resort are steps from Long Beach and have either a private balcony or terrace. The lush, tropical foliage can partially obstruct water views, so choose a second floor “sea view” room or suite facing the pool.
Where to Eat: Pull up a plastic chair and sit under the stars at the bustling Dinh Cau Night Market to try whatever local fishermen hauled in that day (sea urchin, prawns, clams, squid, scallops, sardines). Held most evenings near Cau Temple in Duong Dong, the market has dozens of stalls and is a good place to shop for souvenirs (although most items aren’t produced locally).
What to Read Before You Go: Vietnam: A Traveler’s Literary Companion (Whereabouts Press, 1996) features 17 stories by contemporary authors living in Vietnam and abroad.
Helpful Links: Vietnam Tourism and Discover Phu Quoc
Fun Fact: Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s nuoc mam (fish sauce) capital. The island’s signature (and powerfully pungent) sweet-sour Phu Quoc sauce is the essential Vietnamese condiment and, in 2013, became the country’s first product granted European Union Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.
Whitefish Winter Carnival World Ski Joring Championships, Whitefish, Montana
Photograph by Kat Gebauer/Green Kat Photography The Big Sky brand of equestrian skijoring (derived from the Norwegian snörekjöring or “driving with ropes”) is wild, western, and guaranteed to get the adrenaline pumping. At the Whitefish Winter Carnival World Ski Joring Championships, horse (or mule) and rider teams pull daredevil skiers on high-flying runs around a snowy, 800-foot-long horseshoe-shaped course. Slalom gates, curves, and jumps increase the thrills—and the potential for spectacular spills.
When to Go: The World Ski Joring Championship races are held January 25-26 (registration events are January 24), two weekends before the main Whitefish Winter Carnival, February 7-9.
How to Get Around: Whitefish is in northwestern Montana, 60 miles south of the Canadian border. Flights arrive at Glacier Park International Airport, located 11 miles southeast of Whitefish. Amtrak’s Empire Builder arrives twice daily at the Whitefish Depot. Rental cars are available at both locations. The skijoring competition is held at the Whitefish Municipal Airport, one mile east of town. December 7 to April 6, a free SNOW (Shuttle Network of Whitefish) bus connects downtown Whitefish to the Whitefish Mountain Resort and several locations in between.
Where to Stay: Kandahar Lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort is a comfortably elegant alpine inn located on the free SNOW route, seven miles from Whitefish. The 50 rooms and suites, including six lofts with full kitchens, are styled with warm cedar-and-pine architectural details. Spend the day on the slopes, then ski back to the lodge to sip hot cider in front of the wood-burning, river-rock fireplace.
Where to Eat or Drink: You can’t get more local than the Great Northern Bar and Grill, where 12 kinds of burgers top the menu, dozens of signs from defunct Whitefish businesses line the walls, and live music is featured four to five nights a week. At Pescado Blanco in the Railway District, chef David Lewis specializes in fresh, mountain-Mexican fusion fare, like bison enchiladas and elk chorizo.
What to Buy: Visit the Montana Coffee Traders on Highway 93 for a roasting facility tour (Monday-Friday at 10 a.m.) before buying a bag of their whole beans or ground coffee. Locally inspired flavors include Huckleberry and Flathead Cherry, or choose a signature blend like Montana, Glacier, or Grizzly.
What to Read Before You Go: The short stories and novellas in Norman Maclean’s A River Runs Through It and Other Stories are set in western Montana.
Helpful Links: Explore Whitefish and Whitefish Ski Joring
Fun Fact: Equestrian skijoring races have been held in St. Moritz since the early 1900s. When the Swiss resort town hosted the 1928 Winter Olympics, skijoring was included as a demonstration sport.
See more... Where is Best Winter Trips 2014? (Part 2)
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