Yosemite in Winter

Winter is the least busy and possibly most beautiful season in Yosemite. The crowds go home, frost coats the trees in the morning, fog freezes, waterfalls start flowing only to freeze at night and snowstorms coat the park in a white blanket. The wildlife comes out and hotel rates go down.

If you get up early on a cold morning, you may see Yosemite Falls frozen solid and hear the loud, cracking sounds the ice makes as it breaks loose and plummets to the ground. Near the Falls, you might even see an even rarer phenomenon: frazil ice, a spongy mass of ice crystals that flows like water and sometimes overflows the creek bed.

Yosemite weather can be cold, especially at the higher elevations, and winter is California's rainy season, which means snow in the mountains. Find the average weather in Yosemite and check snow reports, river water levels, road conditions and more at the National Park Service website. The Yosemite Valley is at 4,000 feet elevation and even if it snows, it seldom stays very long. At higher elevations, more snow accumulates and it can stay all winter long.

The Badger Pass ski area opens as soon as enough snow accumulates. It includes a terrain park and lots of beginner and intermediate slopes, making it a good place for kids and others just learning to ski. A free shuttle goes there from the Valley.

Yosemite in Winter: Special Events

Three of Yosemite's most popular events occur in winter:

Bracebridge Dinners: A Yosemite winter tradition since 1926, the Bracebridge is the ultimate Christmas feast. The four-hour pageant features entertainment from more than 100 cast members coupled with a seven-course meal to create an unforgettable experience. Contrary to what you may read elsewhere, enough performances are held to accommodate almost anyone who wants to go, and the lottery reservation system was suspended several year ago.

Chef's Holidays: Held in January and February, these events features cooking demonstrations and a dinner prepared by some of the country's most prominent chefs. Go for it all, or just enjoy the gala dinners served on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Vintner's Holidays: Held in late October and November, this event features wines and winemakers, wine-tasting seminars and a gourmet dinner prepared especially to complement featured vintners' wines.

Christmas in New York...Enjoy it...

Christmas is a great time to visit New York City. Whether you're looking to experience the tree lighting, department store lights, holiday events, see a Broadway show, a romantic getaway, or a place to enjoy your Christmas dinner, you will find the resources for planning your Christmas in New York City here.
New York City hosts many different Christmas shows and events throughout the Christmas season. From the Radio City Christmas Spectacular to Messiah sings at New York City Churches, these Christmas shows and events are sure to entertain you and fill you with holiday spirit. There is no where in the world that offers the array of shopping opportunities that New York City does.

Window shopping takes on a whole new meaning as Manhattan's most celebrated department stores unveil their annual Holiday Windows. From Macys and Lord & Taylor to Bloomingdale's and Barneys, Christmas in New York City would not be complete without a visit to these windows decorated for the holidays.
New York is famous for shopping and the incredible window displays that many of our larger Department Stores unveil every holiday season. The following list highlights the windows you will not want to miss. We recommend that you start at the first store on the list, Barney's, as you will find that most of these stores are a short walking distance from there.

As Manhattan's stores deck up themselves for the holidays, window displays take on a new meaning. What were once merely opportunities to look at the goods transform into beautiful, magical places. The annual Holiday Windows of stores like Macys and Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdale's and Barneys are something you cannot miss. Christmas in New York City can never be considered complete without a visit to the holiday windows decked up for the holidays.

The beautiful Saks Window Displays are generally unveiled in late November every year. If you have kids, you should check out the holiday window displays of Saks Fifth Avenue. They tend to be centered and designed around a seasonal book for children. They also feature playful animations which kids usually love. Another advantage is that Saks Fifth Avenue's windows are very conveniently located near the Rockefeller Center promenade.