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Staff Sound-Off: Winter Favorites

We asked our staff “What’s your favorite destination for a winter trip?” Find out which cities are our cold-weather favorites in this month’s Staff Sound-Off.

We’ve done Scottsdale, Arizona, several times for a winter getaway. Even if it’s not that warm, it’s almost always sunny.  It’s great for golf, hiking and restaurants. We always stay at a resort.

— Mac Lacy, Publisher

My favorite destination for a winter trip is anywhere warm and with a beach — Aruba, preferably.

— Telisa Rech, Advertising Sales Manager

Florida or a cabin in the woods.

— Sarah Sechrist, Controller

While I don’t usually travel in the winter, I’d like to experience the mountains in winter because of the snow and winter activities.

— Rachel Crick, Staff Writer

I love to go to Estes Park, Colorado, in the winter. Our family favorites are a visit to the Stanley Hotel, or a weekend stay in one of the cabins along the river. Some restaurants take a break during January, but the local favorites are still open and there are many wonderful shops up and down the main street. I love getting coffee from the café in the Stanley Hotel and watching the herds of elk on the front lawn. It’s just beautiful up there.

— Donia Simmons, Creative Director

My favorite winter destination is Zion National Park in Utah. It’s not too hot or cold that time of year and it’s perfect for hiking. I’ve done it a few times in the winter and highly recommend it!

— Kyle Anderson, VP, Sales & Marketing

Every December for almost a decade, my husband’s family gets a cabin together in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It’s one of my favorite times of the year when we all sit around the fire in the evenings in a cabin on the mountainside, enjoying spending time together.

— Ashley Ricks, Graphic Designer & Circulation Manager

I visited Wyoming in winter once, and it was stunning. I enjoyed a day exploring Yellowstone National Park in a foot of snow, as well as a snowmobile excursion and a sleigh ride beneath the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole. The scenery made the cold weather more than worthwhile.

— Brian Jewell, VP & Executive Editor