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Things to Do in Korea in Winter: 4 Best Road Trip Routes
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Korea's winter, from December through February, has the sharpest character of any season — Gangwon snowscapes, East Coast sunrises, Jeju camellias, and winter festivals you won't find anywhere else.
It's a completely different country from the one you'd see in summer.
But the real appeal of Korea in winter sits exactly where bus timetables don't reach: frozen rivers, snow-covered highland ranches, and pre-dawn sunrise points along the coast. Those are the places a tour bus can't take you, and a train won't wait for.
That's where one rental car changes everything. It connects the ski resorts, the winter sea, and the festival grounds into a single trip, on your own schedule.
Here are four winter road trip routes by travel style, plus practical driving tips to make a Korean winter road trip safe and easy behind the wheel.
1. What's the Best Winter Road Trip in Korea for You?
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Four regions, four completely different winters. Start by picking what you actually want out of the season, then match it to a route.
⛷️ If You Want to See Snow → Gangwon Mountains
If seeing real snow in Korea is the goal, head for the Gangwon mountains. Pyeongchang and Jeongseon hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and hold Korea's densest cluster of ski resorts, with highland snowscapes rolling across the Daegwallyeong area. It's about 2 hours from Seoul — and home to the country's best Korea ski resort options.
🌅 If You Want Winter Sea & Sunrise → East Coast
Jeongdongjin, Gangneung, and Sokcho are the heart of Korea's New Year sunrise tradition. The winter East Sea is far quieter than the summer peak, and winter seafood — snow crab and yellowtail — is at its best.
🌴 If You Want to Escape the Cold → Jeju
Jeju in winter averages a mild 5–10°C, noticeably warmer than the mainland. You can frame snow-capped Hallasan against coastal palm trees, and the island's camellias and tangerines are both at their peak.
🎣 If You Want Winter Festivals → Gapyeong & Hwacheon
Ice fishing, snow sculptures, and night illuminations make up a set of winter festivals unique to Korea. They sit within a day-trip to overnight distance of Seoul — and are the hardest of the four areas to reach by public transport.
🚗 The Common Factor — A Rental Car
Based in Seoul this winter?
Three of these four routes start within three hours of the city. But there's a catch that ties them all together: regional bus and train services run less frequently in winter, and much of what makes these trips special falls outside public transport hours entirely — pre-dawn sunrises, late-night festival closings, remote trailheads.
A car is what unlocks them.
2. Choose Your Winter Drive: 4 Routes
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Here's each route in full — where to go, where to pick up your car, and what not to miss.
⛷️ Route 1 — Ski Resort Escape: Pyeongchang & Jeongseon
Best for: skiers and snowboarders, snowscape photography, travelers interested in Olympic legacy sites.
Where: Pyeongchang & Jeongseon, Gangwon-do.
Pickup: Seoul Station, Wonju, or Gangneung Station office.
Highlights:
Mona Yongpyong (formerly Yongpyong Resort) — Korea's largest ski resort and host of the alpine technical events for the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
High1 Resort in Jeongseon.
Samyang Daegwallyeong Ranch — a sweeping, snow-covered highland ranch.
Jeongseon Skywalk and Hwaam Cave.
Suggested days: 2–3 days. Recommended vehicle: SUV (4WD recommended).
💡 Ski resorts near Seoul rely heavily on artificial snow, while natural snowfall is generally more reliable in the higher-elevation resorts farther east, especially in the Taebaek Mountains. — which is exactly why Pyeongchang and Jeongseon are worth the drive.
⚠️ Mountain roads ice over— but you won't need to buy chains. LOTTE rent-a-car stocks snow chains in the trunk throughout the snowy winter season; just confirm they're there before departure, or ask at the service desk.
🌅 Route 2 — East Coast Winter Sunrise: Gangneung & Sokcho
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Best for: winter sea views, sunrise chasers, food-focused travelers.
Where: the Gangwon East Coast (Jeongdongjin, Gangneung, Sokcho).
Pickup: Gangneung Station or Seoul Station office.
Highlights:
Jeongdongjin — recognized as the closest train station to the sea in the world, and Korea's signature sunrise spot.
Anmok Coffee Street, Gangneung — the winter sea with a coffee in hand.
Daepohang Port, Sokcho — snow crab and yellowtail, a winter staple at the market restaurants.
The Route 7 coastal drive in winter.
Suggested days: 2–3 days. Recommended vehicle: sedan or EV.
⚠️ Sunrise tip: Drive out early and aim to arrive about an hour before dawn. A car gives you more flexibility for a pre-dawn start—and makes it easier to continue along the coast afterward. Popular sunrise spots can get crowded, so arriving early also helps with parking.
🌴 Route 3 — Jeju in Winter: Camellias, Tangerines & Snow-Capped Hallasan
Best for: travelers escaping the cold, families, photographers.
Where: across Jeju Island.
Pickup: Jeju Airport (Jeju Auto House).
Highlights:
Snow on Hallasan — the contrast of a snow-covered peak against coastal palm trees.
Camellia Hill and the Wimi-ri camellia groves — flowers that bloom in the depth of winter.
Tangerine picking — in season right through the winter.
New Year sunrise at Seongsan Ilchulbong.
The coastal ring road.
Suggested days: 3–4 days. Recommended vehicle: EV (Jeju has excellent charging infrastructure).
⚠️ Heavy snow can close the 1100 Road and 516 Road across Hallasan, so check road conditions and be ready to take a lower-elevation route instead.
⚠️ It's rare, but Jeju Airport has closed for snow before — in January 2016, the island's heaviest snowfall since 1984 shut the airport and stranded around 90,000 people. Leave some slack in your flight schedule for a winter Jeju trip.
🎣 Route 4 — Winter Festival Trail: Gapyeong & Hwacheon
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Best for: travelers after Korean winter culture, families, activity seekers.
Where: Gapyeong (Gyeonggi-do) → Chuncheon → Hwacheon (Gangwon-do).
Pickup: Seoul Station office.
Highlights:
Garden of Morning Calm Lighting Festival, Gapyeong — winter night illuminations.
Nami Island under snow.
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival — named by CNN as one of the world's seven wonders of winter. Launched in 2003 and selected multiple times as a Representative Festival by the Ministry of Culture, it has drawn more than a million visitors nearly every year, peaking at a record 1.86 million in 2025.
Frozen valley trekking.
Suggested days: 1–2 days. Recommended vehicle: SUV.
⚠️ Festival dates shift each year — check the official schedule before you go.
💡Hwacheon is the hardest of the four routes to reach by public transport, which is exactly where a rental car earns its keep.
⭐ Which Route Fits You?
3. Practical Tips for Winter Driving in Korea
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Winter driving in Korea is very manageable — it just rewards a bit of preparation. Here's what to know before you head into the cold.
❄️ Snow Chains & Winter Tires
LOTTE rent-a-car stocks snow chains in the trunk as standard during the snowy winter months — if you don't find a set, just ask at the office desk. Confirm you have them before heading into the Gangwon mountains or onto the Hallasan roads, and if you're not sure how to fit them, ask the staff to walk you through it at pickup.
💡 Korean winters can start early and hit hard: Seoul saw 28.6 cm of snow in late November 2024, its heaviest November snowfall since records began in 1907.
⚠️ Some mountain sections restrict access to vehicles without chains fitted, so it's not optional on those roads.
🧊 Watch for Black Ice
Black ice is road ice that's nearly invisible to the eye, and it's the biggest winter hazard here. The high-risk spots are bridge decks, tunnel entrances and exits, shaded mountain roads, and anywhere in the early morning or at night.
Slow down, double your following distance, and avoid hard braking or sharp steering.
⚠️ Remember that 4WD helps you get moving, but it does not shorten your braking distance on ice.
🕔 Plan Around Shorter Daylight
Winter sunset falls around 5 p.m. — roughly three hours earlier than in summer — so finish your main drives before dark. Sunrise is around 7:30 a.m., so factor in a pre-dawn start if you're chasing a sunrise on the East Coast or at Seongsan Ilchulbong.
🔋 EV Range Drops in Cold Weather
If you're driving an EV, expect range to fall 20–30% in low temperatures, and further with the heater running. Leave a wide margin on charge when driving the Gangwon mountains or around Jeju, and check charging stops along the way.
⚠️ Fast charging also slows down in the cold, so budget a little extra time at the charger.
📅 Book Early — Winter Is Peak Season
LOTTE rent-a-car advance booking opens 90 days ahead for Jeju and 120 days everywhere else. Winter is generally outside Korea’s main travel peak season, which can make rental rates more competitive. However, late December to early January and ski-season weekends can still see concentrated domestic demand and sell out early — especially for SUVs and 4WDs, so book those first.
4. Why LOTTE rent-a-car for Winter Travel?
Korea's No. 1 rental car brand — with the country's largest branch network.
Offices at the gateways to winter destinations — Seoul Station, Gangneung Station, Jeju Airport, and more.
Snow chains included as standard in winter — stocked in the trunk at no extra charge.
CDW with 0 excess — helps you prepare for winter driving incidents, including those caused by icy road conditions.
24-hour accident hotline: +82-2-1588-1230.
English-language GPS navigation is equipped in the vehicle (and it's worth installing Naver Map or KakaoMap as a backup).
Book direct for a Global Special Discount (up to 60% off) plus Buy Now, Pay at the pick-up.
Your Korean Winter Starts Here
Korea in winter is snow-covered mountains, the winter sea, camellias, and festivals — all reachable with one rental car.
The real value of driving is what it unlocks outside the timetable: a pre-dawn start for a sunrise, a late drive home from a festival, a detour to a frozen valley no bus goes near.
Start your Korean winter on your own terms, with Korea's No. 1 LOTTE rent-a-car — nationwide offices, winter snow chains included, and insurance built for foreign travelers.