Summer is winding down, and so is my patience with the big city. Like many other young, aspiring professionals I haven’t taken as much vacation as I should have this year. Sure I love the beach and summertime, but battling the crowds is something I would rather do without. This time of year I start looking at November - February travel to make use of my precious days off. There are a lot of perks when traveling in the “off-peak” months: less people, cheaper everything, and a sure cure for cabin fever.
Preparation for the trip isn’t very difficult. I utilize Travel Zoo to help identify the cheap flights to Geneva, Switzerland. Once in Geneva, some of the world’s greatest ski resorts and winter playgrounds are only a bus or a train ride away. Once there, its pretty easy to find a great hostel for around $20 a night and lift tickets, rental, and bus can run you anywhere from $50 – $70 a day (peanuts compared to the American counterparts). Some of my favorite spots are Morzine Avoriaz, Gryon, Interlaken, Chamonix, and Zermatt. A man always feels more like a man when he can finally afford to take himself vacation.