Where to Spot Reindeer IRL

A few of Aspen Grange's favorite facts about reindeer (also known as caribou)? Both males and females sprout antlers (!). Their hooves get larger after the thaw and shrink again for winter. And though their noses aren’t luminescent, they do warm frigid air so it's more tolerable when it hits their lungs—which is arguably even cooler.

Here, three of our favorite Christmassy places to spot the magical beasts in the flesh.

Viewpoint Snøhetta, Norway

If sitting fireside in a modernist glass and blonde wood cube overlooking Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park sounds like your idea of reindeer-viewpoint perfection, join the club. Built by the Norwegian Wild Reindeer Foundation and designed by Snøhetta, Viewpoint Snøhetta is a de facto performance art—with caribou dotting the landscape beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The Cairgngorm Reindeer Herd, Scotland

Some 150 free-range reindeer make up the roving Cairngorm Reindeer Herd in Scotland's Cairngorm Mountains, where you can hand-feed them (and nuzzle their plush noses) on daily hill trips with local experts. BYO snow and ice-ready gear—they offer the hour and a half-long excursion all year long, unless a pesky blizzard gets in the way.

Reindeer Lodge Nutti Sámi Siida, Sweden

Tucked deep within the alpine heart of Swedish Lapland, five simple, snow-decked cabins await at Reindeer Lodge at Nutti Sámi Siida—each tricked out with loaner snowshoes, wood-burning sauna access and, if you're lucky, prime views of the northern lights. We love that the Sámi couple who own it have been herding reindeer for more than three decades; you can help feed the herd or even hop on a reindeer-led sled for a whirl around the cinematic forest.

Editor’s Note: Due to varying local and state regulations surrounding Covid-19, confirm all travel plans before booking.

Aspen Grange, home of American-made Christmas decorations and American-made baking supplies, is building the most Christmassy place on the internet.