New Englanders have long suspected their blustery winters deserve some kind of special acknowledgement, and Mount Washington makes the region proud with its "World's Worst Weather" title.

In the milder months, visitors can make the trek to the top of the mountain to visit the Mount Washington Museum and learn about the area's really terrible weather. In winter, day hikes or overnights allow visitors to get a taste of the worst. The Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS) runs educational trips to the summit via snow tractor. Day trips include a weather station tour, hot lunch, and time to explore the summit. On overnight trips, participants spend the night at the Observatory, and take classes and outdoor field trips.

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It doesn't get colder than Antarctica, and though tours are pricey, more than 100 operators offer trips. In Washington, the Paradise ranger station at Mt. Rainier stakes its claim as the snowiest place on earth where snowfalls are regularly measured. Winter visitors to Paradise can sled and snowshoe.