No sooner than Santa Claus leaves, another mythical character arrives. The glow of the holidays fades into the gloom of January, with at least a three-month visit from Old Man Winter.

But if sticking around and dealing with snow, ice, and wind chill factors doesn’t seem so cool, there are other places where winter actually can be enjoyable. Especially if you get a kick out of strapping on a pair of skis and sliding down a picturesque, snow-covered mountainside.