Montreal is the most beautiful when it is blanketed in snow. Bundle up, go outside, and celebrate winter at the 17th Montreal en Lumiere (February 18-March 5), the city's biggest winter arts, music, and food festival. The eclectic lineup includes live music, theater, and dance performances; dazzling pyrotechnics and light shows; a circus acts, children's activities, and dance parties, plus ice sliding and ice-skating. Mixed in with this are fine-dining events pairing top Montreal chefs and over 50 city restaurants with culinary masters from the United States and Switzerland, the festival's featured country for 2015. Save some energy for the final night's Nuit Blance a Montreal, a dusk-to-dawn party packed with more than 200 indoor and outdoor activities. Most events are free, and some are held under the stars or, if you're lucky, the lightly falling snow.

Source: National Geographic's Best Winter Trips 2015.

Edinburgh, Scotland is a gem of a city known for its widespread arts and theater culture. It is a great place to visit during the holidays, particularly because of its holiday light snow that includes fireworks illuminating the sky from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" around the Sir Walter Scott Monument serve even better than carolers.

If you need somewhere to stay in Edinburgh, fireplaces are continuously rekindled at the aronial Balmoral. The Caledonian Hilton Edinburgh is Scotland's answer to the Plaza and equally as opulent.

In the 16th century, sorceresses were burned at the stake beside the gates of Edinburgh Castle. Today, however, nothing scorches at the Witchery by the Castle, which stands on the site. The restaurant serves Loch Duart salmon and Gartmom Farm duck -- all cooked to perfection.

New England's old-world ambience and coziness make Boston a lovely choice for the holidays. Enjoy Beacon Hill's cobblestoned streets dusted with white snow, and celebrate the ghosts of Christmases past with the Christmas Revels at Harvard's Sanders Theatre.

If you are not from around Boston and need a place to stay for the holidays, consider XV Beacon Hotel. A gas fireplace warms every bedroom here, mixing classic details like an antique cage elevator with bold abstract paintings. This hotel is located just minutes away from Boston Common and Faneuil Hall.

Don't forget to check out No. 9 Park, a restaurant that serves over-the-top, shockingly delicious cuisine. The menu showcases French- and Italian-influened dishes like signature prune-stuffed gnocchi with foie grasand Vin Santo sauce. A selection of rich desserts and artisan cheese rounds out the offerings.

With so much to do to keep warm and cozy in Boston, the city is a favorite spot for many during the holiday seasons.



Of course one of the best cities to visit during the winter months is the city that never sleeps, even in the coldest winter. New York City gets covered in a thick layer of snow during the wintertime, providing beautiful winter-like landscape and all the urban facilities you can think of. Central Park has numerous romantic hiking trails and also offers horse carriage rides. 

New York City, one of the greatest cities in the world, welcomes you all year round. However during the holidays, The Big Apple knows exactly how to create festive atmosphere and fill up the air with Christmas spirit.

Frankfurt, Germany has the oldest Christmas market in the country, and they are proud of it! Situated in front of the Town Hall, it provides the best Germany has to offer at this time of year. The beautiful Old Town can be explored by a historic tram Ebbelwoi-Express. Music lovers will be compelled to go to the Alte Opera and enjoy high culture.

The city is proud of the oldest Christmas market in the country! Situated in front of the Town Hall it provides the best Germany has to offer at this time of the year. The beautiful Old Town can be explored by a historic tram Ebbelwoi-Express. Music lovers will be compelled to go to the Alte Oper and enjoy high culture.

Frankfurt is a great place to go in the winter and on holidays -- after all, the Christmas market tradition originated here. Also, a variety of cultural events, shopping centers, and historic architecture make Frankfurt a desirable destination for you regardless of your favorite interests.

This city becomes a dazzling wonder of attraction in the wintertime. The Christmas lights and sophisticated decorations remind us that Japan is the country of innovation. You can go shopping, skiiing, or snowboarding in different places throughout Tokyo, relax in the hot springs, attend one of the many winter festivals like Tori no Ichi and the Jingu Gaien Icho Matsuri, and of course you can be the first in the entire world to celebrate the New Year.

Tokyo is the place to find all the good things that a big city has to offer, as well as find a retreat and relaxing place in various temples or in nature. Numerous activities ranging from skiing to bathing in an onsen will make your winter holiday a blast. Don't forget to grab sushi from some of the best sushi restaurants while you are here, too!

The historic city of Vienna, Austria is embedded in the Alpine region and is a center of attraction. In the winter, it provides numerous entertaining activities. The ice skating rinks like the one in the Town Hall are surrounded with beautiful architecture, making the experience even more delightful. Before the holidays, Christmas markets take over the entire city with sweets, delicacies, and local crafts.

Vienna is proud of its rich, high culture. Winter in this city is the season of opera, balls, and Christmas markets.

Nestled in Ireland, Dublin is cold, and there is a lot of snow -- but there are even more pubs that provide a cozy corner and a glass of original Guinness beer! Dublin was voted one of the friendliest cities in Europe. They are also the home to Dublin Mountains and Wicklow Mountains which provide a natural getaway, hiking trails, and beautiful panoramic views. There's something here for everyone!

Dublin has a great party life, delicious beer, and cold weather in the winter, and is particularly proud of its cultural life and music scene.

Los Angeles is the second largest and most populated city in the US, as well as being the most diverse. As a cultural hub of the United States it is brimming with trade, entertainment, media, fashion and so forth. It is also a world leader in television and music as it is the home of the notorious Hollywood. A popular destination for many people from the US and otherwise, Los Angeles, is seen as the city of dreams

With an amazing combination of beautiful nature scenes and towering tall buildings, the dynamic of LA is an interesting one. With sunny days all year round it is no wonder that many people flee here for an escape. You have beaches abound and endless hiking trails as well as having a plethora of active entertainment venues and delicious dining retreats. With so much to do one might find themselves asking: where do I start?

Lets start with beaches. LA is full of beautifully serene beach fronts perfect for a relaxing day of bliss. If you like to surf or just enjoy watching surfers in general, head to Malibu Surfrider Beach, where the waves are perfect for gliding on your board. Or make your way to the very active Venice Beach, with shops, street vendors and theatrical street performers in full swing, Venice Beach is always a good time. If you’re looking for a laid-back day of taking in some breathtaking sights go to El Matador Beach where you can enjoy the sunset within the many hidden coves.

A day of shopping can be spent at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica or walking down the famed Rodeo Drive. If you want to feel the glitz and glam of stardom check out Hollywood for all your backstage looks at a celebrity lifestyle. And of course what visit to LA is complete without a lunch from the legendary In N Out burger? The food options really are constant though, with five star restaurants such as Melisse, Spago and Providence being just a couple of the hundreds throughout the city.

As one can assume there is plenty to do in Los Angeles. With 42 million people visiting the city per year it is no surprise that LA continues to be a huge attraction for visitors. The city of angels or the city of dreams, whatever one chooses to call it, it is definitely a city chock full of entertainment, beauty and opportunity.

San Francisco California is a city that is remarkably rich in culture; from arts to music to architecture there is always a sight for a wandering eye. Loose Petals creator, Karen Young, is originally from this energetic city of colorful buildings and steep hills. This dynamic metropolis has always beat to the sound of its own drum and was the hub for the counter culture movement of the fifties and sixties. A long time harbor for escapist to flee towards to get away from the dreariness of conventionalism, San Francisco continues to flourish as a city that welcomes all with open arms and promises to be prosperous in experience and growth.

With bands like the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater and Jefferson Airplane originating in San Francisco there is sure no shortage of evidence of a legendary musical past. Visit the historically significant Haight Ashbury neighborhood to see the streets that were once flooded with counter culture youth jamming out to the likes of Janis Joplin and Jerry Garcia. Or be thrown into an era of elegance and swank with a visit to the acclaimed Great American Music Hall that has housed acts that range from Duke Ellington to Van Morrison.

The neighborhoods of San Francisco keep up with its reputation as a striking mecca of revelry. If you stop in the Deco Ghetto you will be welcomed with the effervescent local flavor and a bundle of inviting cafes, shops and bars. It gets its unusual name from its wide array of art deco furniture stores found there. Store owners wanted to give the neighborhood a name that would attract attention and pull people in to shop around. Or visit North Beach for a taste of Italian flavor and culture. Dominating the dining scene in San Francisco with plenty of authentic Italian restaurants to choose from the North Beach neighborhood is not only loved by locals, but visitors as well.

When one imagines the enriching city of San Francisco so many things can come to mind. The spirited past and the equally bright future make it surely a sanctuary of opportunity and culture abound. So whether you are driving on the Golden Gate bridge with the windows down on a hot summer day or bundled up on a brisk autumn morning heading towards one of the local bakeries, take in your surrounding and appreciate the unique San Francisco scenery.