The Best Place To Travel In February 2020

As the weather begins to change all over the world, many travellers are starting to search for the best place to travel in February. It’s often one of the coldest months for many countries, so a quick getaway and some sun is usually much needed.

Recent studies from Qantas show that winter travel is about to become a hot new trend. 79% of Americans say they would consider travelling abroad in the winter. However, 53% of them say they wouldn’t be travelling to escape cold weather.

So, if it’s not the weather that’s the issue, then what’s the motive? It turns out that there are a lot of international festivals around the world that attract millions of visitors each year. 

Looking for the best place to travel in February? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of the most popular winter travel destinations for travellers all over the world.

Best Place to Travel in February

1. China’s Harbin Ice Festival

As we said, winter travel sometimes isn’t about escaping the cold. Sometimes, it’s about heading straight towards it. That’s the case for China’s Harbin Ice Festival.

Held in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, it’s the largest ice and snow festival in the entire world. Last year, it attracted over one million visitors, proving that it’s one of the best winter travel destinations in the world.

The festival is a larger gathering place for numerous exhibitors in the country, but it’s also famously known for its incredible 3D lights shows. Expect to experience a lot of traditional dances and listen to a lot of great Chinese folk songs.

2. Sweden’s Northern Lights

September marks the beginning of the “Northern Lights season,” as you can begin to see them from around September to the end of March or April, depending on where you’re viewing them from.

In recent years, one of the hottest winter travel trends is to head out to the Arctic Circle to stay in the famous bubble hotels. You know, those cute little bubbles you see on Instagram that look as if they’re transparent little igloos?

In Northern Sweden, you can head to the hotel Arctic Bath. Even though it’s not open yet, travellers are rushing to book their rooms, signalling that t’s going to be one of the best places to travel in February.

However, you can head there during the summer as well, where the sleeping huts float on top of the Lule River.

3. Russia’s Reindeer Herders

If you really want to up your winter travel game and get the most out of the cold ice and snow, then plan a trip to visit Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula and the local group of reindeer herders.

Intrepid Travel offers an exclusive tour that takes travellers from St. Petersburg all the way to the Yamal Peninsula. Where’s that located, you ask? Far above the Arctic Circle, so expect sub-zero temperatures and quite the adventure.

This Nenets are a welcoming local tribe of reindeer herders who want to welcome eager travellers and provide them with a behind-the-scenes look at the daily life of a reindeer herder. It’s hard to pass up the chance to visit reindeer up close in their natural frozen tundra habitat.

4. Japan’s Jigokudani Monkey Park

This is one of Japan’s most popular travel destinations, and you have to head there during the winter months to truly get the full experience.

Inside of the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, you’ll find the ever-famous Jigokudani Monkey Park. During the winter months, the region experiences heavy snowfall, which can deter some tourists from visiting. The local snow monkeys, however, think it’s the best place to travel in February. 

They visit the hot springs, which human travellers can do as well, and lounge around all day. This makes for some great Instagram photos, or even great travel photos if you’re a professional photographer. If you can brave the cold, it should definitely be at the top of your winter travel bucket list.

5. Venice’s Carnevale

Venice, Italy is the best place to travel in February, especially if you’re European. Check out Google Flight deals and you’ll usually see that plane tickets from other major European cities are still pretty cheap as it’s right before the peak season starts.

Not only is the Italian city a bit warmer than the rest of Europe at this time of year, but the chance to participate in the local Carnevale festivities is pretty priceless. You’ll get to wander the narrow canals and delight in all of the spooky costumes and elaborate masks.

If you have the budget for it, you can try to attend one of the elegant dances they hold around the city. However, if you’re staying in Venice in February, you’ll be able to participate in the free street events as well.