Ho, ho, ho, Yosemite: A magical winter destination

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, California - Yosemite National Park might not seem like an ideal winter destination, particularly if you're from a part of the United States where you'd like to trade in road salt for rim salt on your margarita and leave the words "wind chill" behind.

But Yosemite in winter is magical, as I discovered last year on a trip there with my family just after Christmas.

There's snowboarding and skiing, both downhill and cross-country, as well as sledding (pick up a plastic saucer at a sporting goods store on the way). You can also ice skate at a rink in the shadow of the famed granite formation known as Half Dome. Park rangers also lead snowshoe walks (free with $3 suggested donation).