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Friluftsliv Travel Ideas Just in Time for Winter

You may not be able to say it three times fast—or even once—but friluftsliv (free-loofts-liv) has arrived just in time to save winter vacation plans. With temperatures dropping, days growing shorter and COVID-19 showing no signs of abating, those who made the best of a bad situation this summer—embracing outdoor activities that allowed them to spend time with friends and family while staying safe—are facing a long winter ahead. Enter friluftsliv, a Norwegian concept that translates literally to ‘free air life’ and describes Scandinavians’ determination to celebrate the great outdoors no matter what the weather brings. All it takes is a few extra layers and the right attitude. So bundle up, pack extra socks, remember to socially distance and get back out there with these great ideas for friluftsliv-ing in style:

New York’s Westchester County abounds in cold-weather outdoor adventures just a short drive from the big city. Fall and winter visitors might start with a brisk hike at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining, with its 15 miles of trails by lakes, forests and meadows, then warm up with a sweet or hard cider at historic Thompson’s Cider Mill right next door. After a snowfall, grab a hearty farm-to-table breakfast or lunch to go from The Kitchen Table in Pound Ridge and enjoy it tailgate-style (bring blankets to keep things cozy) before cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or sledding at the 4,315-acre Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Or, head a few miles south to Armonk for ice skating and ice fishing on Wampus Pond. Note: a new Westchester With Care program helps travelers easily identify hotels, restaurants, and attractions that have pledged to keep the community and its visitors in good health.

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Two-time host of the Winter Games, Lake Placid and friluftsliv go hand in hand. Tucked into the woodlands of this upstate New York winter playground is Whiteface Lodge, an all-suite resort inspired by the Adirondack Great Camps. Guests can ice skate on the resort’s outdoor rink and access trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing right from the grounds. Nearby there’s Olympic-caliber downhill skiing at Whiteface Mountain and hiking at High Falls Gorge, which leads winter adventurers past four waterfalls and spectacular ice formations along the Ausable River. Spend the evening savoring cognac and cigars by the firepit in one of the luxury lodge’s two Adirondack-style lean-tos, sheltered on three sides and open to the starry night sky.

While friluftsliv admittedly requires less fortitude on the central California coast, winter does bring a change to the air with cooler temps and a higher chance of rain. It also brings natural wonders that summer travelers miss: annual migrations of monarch butterflies, seabirds and gray whales. And Pebble Beach Resorts is the perfect home base to experience it all. Beyond its legendary golf courses, the resort is home to some of the west coast’s most spectacular natural scenery, with 27+ miles of trails that meander through dense, protected forests, open meadows and along the rugged Monterey Bay shoreline. Instead of heading in after an active day exploring the great outdoors, grab a warm sweater, a spot by one of the fire pits on the terrace of The Lobby Lounge at Pebble Beach’s Inn at Spanish Bay, and watch the sun set over the water.

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