Yes, that’s me driving in the snowy mountains of Utah!
With the Christmas holidays fast approaching – most of us finishing this Friday, yay! – it’s time to start thinking about what to do during our days off. Sure, much of the time will probably be spent prepping for the big day (all those presents to wrap, potatoes to peel!) but post-Christmas Day there’s still plenty of time to make the most of the holidays. One way I plan on doing that is to go on a little Winter road trip, so today I’m sharing some of my top ideas for Winter road trips.
The said SUVs I was thrown into driving!
This blog post has been inspired by an interesting infographic below that Lease Car have created, which discusses the top 5 most popular leased cars. My choice? An SUV, no doubt! Although I am proud of my little mustard yellow Fiat 500 (think 1960’s retro yellow) and it works perfectly for my small trips around Manchester, if I could choose any car in the world it would definitely be something a little bigger! Since my time living in Utah where I was thrown into the deep end, driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road in a car (almost) bigger than my house which was an automatic no less, I have been totally converted. So, if you’re considering a road trip and your current car isn’t quite suitable for icy and snowy drives, perhaps consider leasing a car; nowadays there are so many viable options of leased cars to drive with payment plans to suit most of us.
This is what the highways in Utah look like
Okay, not quite as exotic as Utah, but honestly, I really want to take a road trip to see the Blackpool illuminations over the Christmas holidays! My family keep teasing me that it may not be as glamorous as I remember as a kid, but I have some really great memories of sitting in the back of the car with my brother and sister, and Mum and Dad slowly driving us the length of the main strip. As the old fashioned trolly trams chugged passed us, separating the road from the beach, and the Pleasure Beach theme park on the other side, it was really quite a thrill to watch the shapes and sizes of the illuminations change during the trip. Plus, it’s the perfect place to grab some seaside fish and chips before heading home!
Depending on where you are in the world, Edinburgh can be quite far from home. From where I am in Manchester, it’s about a 6 hour drive, so it’s no short road trip, but if you’re looking for a festive weekend away it really is perfect. I could visit Edinburgh time and time again and not get bored of it. The mix of cobbled streets, sweet little pubs serving Scottish whisky and of course, Edinburgh Castle, make it the perfect destination for a Winter road trip to help you get in the festive spirit.
Okay, I live in Manchester so it doesn’t quite count for me, but for the rest of you – please come and visit! We have the biggest Christmas markets in the UK, making it perfect for a festive day out. And, if you happen to read this when the Christmas markets have packed up and gone home for the New Year, there is still so much to do outside of them. We have tons of free museums and art galleries, amazing restaurants, quirky bars, both high street and independent shopping and the friendliest people in England. Or maybe I’m just biased? Either way, we are certainly worth a visit.
Located only an hour or so from Manchester is the Lake District, arguably one of the most beautiful areas in the UK. Of course, it’s main selling point is in it’s name – it is full of stunning lakes and surrounded by beautiful mountains. As this might suggest, it is pretty well known for it’s rainfall and so if you do plan on going in Winter, make sure you wrap up warm and take your raincoat and wellies! However, the weather doesn’t make it any less stunning and if you are a fan of hiking in the great outdoors then this is a destination for you. Plus, for dog walkers, it’s perfect as pretty much every pub, shop and B&B is geared around welcoming your pet pooch in.
Like Edinburgh, York is a lovely road trip to help you get in the festive spirit. I’ve actually considered spending New Year’s Eve here, as I reckon it would be so perfect! Although it is technically a city as it has a cathedral, York is a great size – not too big to feel overwhelmed in and not too small to get bored in. Of course, York is well known for The Shambles; a quaint little cobbled street jam packed full of higgledy-piggledy indepedant shops selling sweet gifts, trinkets and luxury items. Even for window shopping, it’s a joy to explore. Plus, with Christmas decorations lining the windows and fairy lights overhead, it is absolutely beautiful at this time of year.
Hopefully, if you are planning a Winter road trip this Christmas holidays, my top 5 destinations have given you a great idea of where to go. Do you have a favourite place to visit over Christmas? If so, leave it in a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
[Thanks to LeaseCar for inspiring this post!]
Full time I'm an ambitious Head of Marketing and Communications in the luxury industry. Part time, I'm an enthusiastic British Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger and YouTuber from Manchester, UK. This blog has been my outlet for the past 7+ years, and as a longstanding, Award-winning blogger I take the most enjoyment from creating content I truly love and believe in. All authentic. Always.