The winter months aren’t my favourite months, as a result of I don’t love chilly climate and grey skies. One method to make the chilly temperatures of the winter extra tolerable is to plan a improbable winter trip. Planning a trip within the winter might be a good way to have one thing to sit up for within the colder months.
Whenever you select a winter trip vacation spot, you’ve gotten a number of choices. You possibly can select to trip in a spot with the complete winter expertise – an ideal choice in the event you love winter sports activities like snowboarding and snowboarding.
Or, you’ll be able to select to flee the winter with a tropical trip. An alternative choice is to sightsee in a spot that isn’t very warm or chilly – however the place the climate doesn’t actually matter.
Disclosure: This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. A purchase order and/or click on by means of certainly one of these hyperlinks could lead to a fee paid to us at no further value to you. Now we have acquired complimentary and discounted stays at a few of these areas however all opinions are my very own.
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The Greatest Locations to Go to in Winter (From the USA)
Vermont
Vermont, situated in New England, is house to among the greatest East Coast ski areas. It’s a fantastic state, providing nice eating places and charming inns. In case you are trying to get away for trip and need to do some snowboarding, you’ll have some nice choices.
Ski areas in Vermont embody the next:
- Okemo Mountain, in Ludlow, Vermont
- Mad River Glen, in Fayston, Vermont
- Jay Peak Resort in Jay, Vermont (additionally gives an expensive resort with the Pump Home indoor water park)
- Killington Resort in Rutland County, Vermont
- Smuggler’s Notch in Cambridge, Vermont (some of the family-friendly resorts within the nation).
Our picks for a basic household trip are both Jay Peak or Smuggler’s Notch, the place there are extra issues to do than simply ski and snowboard.
San Diego
San Diego is blessed with constant climate year-round, making it some of the in style locations any time of 12 months. We’ve visited this Southern California vacation spot throughout our February trip in previous years, and have all the time discovered it to be a improbable place to go to within the winter season.
San Diego gives a lot for households, together with seashores, SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, boat rides, sports activities, eating places, and way more. It’s additionally a brief drive away from Carlsbad, house of LEGOLAND California.
We typically advocate staying proper in San Diego after which driving to Carlsbad for a day journey. However, if in case you have LEGO-loving children, you might need to keep proper on the LEGOLAND California Lodge or the LEGOLAND Fortress Lodge.
Lodge Suggestions:
We additionally advocate getting a San Diego CityPASS, which incorporates admission to both (or each) LEGOLAND California or SeaWorld San Diego and your selection of three of the next:
- San Diego Zoo® or Safari Park (You possibly can solely select certainly one of these two)
- The USS Halfway Museum
- Metropolis Cruises
- Previous City Trolley Excursions
- Birch Aquarium at Scripps
- Maritime Museum of San Diego
Florida
Florida gives the most effective winter holidays, particularly for these of us within the Northeast. Whereas generally the climate in Florida could be a little chilly within the winter months, it’s often significantly better than the climate within the north.
In case you are pondering of vacationing in Florida within the winter, you’ll have many choices. The preferred in fact, is Orlando, in Central Florida.
Dwelling of theme parks like Walt Disney World, Common Orlando, and SeaWorld, Orlando gives so many actions for households. The winter months might be the most effective time to go to, particularly in the event you don’t need to cope with the recent climate and crowds of the summer season months.
There are a lot of resort choices, from chain lodges to luxurious resorts. Many visitors visiting the Walt Disney World theme parks even have the choice of staying on property, at one of many Disney lodges. That’s an particularly good choice in the event you plan to spend all your Florida trip at Walt Disney World.
One other certainly one of my favourite Florida locations is on the Gulf Coast. Clearwater Seashore is among the most lovely locations with a seashore that’s commonly rated as probably the greatest within the nation. Whereas the winter months could also be a bit of cool for seashore days (however can nonetheless be very heat), there are numerous different enjoyable issues to do within the space, together with the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Busch Gardens in Tampa.
Additionally on the Gulf of Mexico is the city of Sarasota. Sarasota gives water sports activities, sandy seashores, and the Ringling, a museum advanced with a beautiful house and circus museum.
Our favourite resort picks are:
Texas
Like Florida, Texas can generally be chilly within the winter months however is often by no means freezing chilly. There are generally uncommon climate occurrences, however the temperatures are sometimes hotter than these within the Northeast. Common highs are often within the 70s.
We actually love San Antonio, well-known for the River Stroll and the Alamo. Excessive temperatures within the winter are often within the 60s, which could be very nice for strolling outdoors. A few of the different greatest issues to do embody enjoyable points of interest and areas like the fashionable Pearl District (a former brewery), the Tower of the Americas, and the Witte Museum.
Our resort decide is the historic Omni La Mansión del Rio Lodge, which is situated proper alongside the River Stroll. It’s inside strolling distance of many eating places, outlets, and points of interest.
Puerto Rico
This attractive island is a part of the USA, so that you gained’t have to fret about bringing alongside a passport, or going by means of customs. It’s a straightforward trip, and there are such a lot of issues to do.
Fashionable actions in Puerto Rico embody Previous San Juan, water actions, the El Yunque Nationwide Forest, and the Bioluminescent Bay. There are some improbable household resorts within the space, together with many with swimming pools and seashore entry. Puerto Rico is a improbable Caribbean island vacation spot and is so handy to go to.
We loved a keep at El Conquistador, a fantastic resort providing an outside water park and personal island seashore. It’s not situated proper in San Juan, however you’ll be able to lease a automotive for the day and go to.
Colorado
In case you like to ski, Colorado is among the greatest locations to go to within the winter. There are a variety of world-famous ski resorts within the state, together with the next:
- Breckenridge Ski Resort in Breckenridge, CO
- Keystone Ski Resort in Keystone, CO
- Vail Ski Resort in Vail, CO
- Aspen Snowmass Resort in Aspen, CO
- Steamboat Ski Resort in Steamboat Springs, CO
New Hampshire
Like Vermont, New Hampshire is a New England ski vacation spot. Whereas it’s the ski circumstances will not be the identical because the mountains within the western a part of the USA, they’re nonetheless an important choice for households within the Northeast.
There are a number of ski mountains and areas in New Hampshire, inside the White Mountains. These embody:
- Loon Mountain Resort in North Conway, NH
- Attitash Mountain Resort in Bartlett, NH
- Waterville Valley Ski Resort in Waterville Valley, NH
- Bretton Woods Mountain Resort in Bretton Woods, NH
- Mount Sunapee Resort in Mount Sunapee State Park in Newbury, NH
One in every of our favourite lodges in New Hampshire is the Mountain Membership on Loon, in Lincoln, NH. It’s situated adjoining to Loon Mountain and is a superb household resort.
Quebec Metropolis, Quebec, Canada
Quebec Metropolis in Canada is certainly one of my favourite North American locations in the summertime, however it’s additionally probably the greatest winter locations. This quaint metropolis feels prefer it’s in Europe, however could be a doable highway journey or a fast flight from the Northeast of the USA.
In case you love winter, Quebec Metropolis is the right place to go to. The preferred time to go to Quebec Metropolis within the winter is throughout the beloved Quebec Winter Carnival, the biggest and oldest winter carnival on the planet. In 2023, this annual occasion takes place between February third to February 12, 2023 – the right time for a winter getaway.
Actions on the Quebec Winter Carnival embody parades, dwell music concert events, reveals, ice sculptures, and a lot extra. There’s a full calendar of occasions on-line, however you’ll want to gown heat, since you’ll be doing plenty of strolling across the metropolis.
In case you don’t go to throughout the carnival time, nonetheless, it’s nonetheless an important place to go within the winter. There’s an ice resort (guide nicely upfront for this distinctive expertise), an ice skating rink, cross-country snowboarding, a winter toboggan, and different winter actions that happen over your entire season.
My resort decide is the beautiful and historic Chateau Frontenac, situated proper within the middle of the walled Previous Metropolis. It’s costly, however it actually is a bucket checklist resort with nice views, eating places, and rooms.
Household Cruise
I really like cruising and cruises could be a good winter escape for a household trip. There are a lot of totally different cruise ports in the USA, together with Miami Florida, Port Canaveral Florida, Fort Lauderdale Florida, Tampa Florida, Galveston Texas, New Orleans, Louisiana, and San Diego California. Mexico (particularly Cozumel), the Bahamas, Key West Florida, and the Caribbean are in style locations within the winter months.
Cruising in January, February, and early March will also be cost-effective. These are instances when you’ll be able to usually discover some nice offers. Simply you’ll want to fly a day or extra earlier than your cruise simply in case there are any flight delays or baggage points along with your flight. On our most up-to-date cruise in December, our baggage was delayed and we acquired it simply earlier than we needed to depart for the cruise port.
Our advice for cruise traces for households is both Disney Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean.
Turks and Caicos
One in every of my favourite trip locations on the planet is Turks and Caicos, situated within the Caribbean. This lovely archipelago vacation spot gives luxurious resorts, scrumptious contemporary meals, and beautiful turquoise waters.
In case you are visiting through air (and never cruise ship), you’ll most likely find yourself in Providenciales. Whereas there are numerous resorts in Provo (because it’s domestically recognized), our favourite for households is Seashores Turks and Caicos.
This luxury, all-inclusive resort gives water sports activities, swimming pools, leisure, a water park, seashore entry, and a lot extra. It’s certainly one of my all-time favourite trip spots.
No matter the place you’ll keep, you have to to plan some enjoyable on the seashore. Grace Bay Seashore, situated in Provo, is among the most lovely seashores on the planet.
Arizona
I’ve all the time loved visiting the desert, and Arizona has some nice locations for a household trip. For the warmest climate, you’ll need to keep within the Phoenix or Tucson areas. Whereas they’re recognized for very sizzling climate, within the winter, it’s a lot milder and extra manageable.
Inside Phoenix, there are numerous in style suburbs, together with Tempe, Chandler, and Scottsdale. In that space, in addition to Tucson, you’ll discover numerous lovely outside points of interest, together with botanical gardens, mountaineering trails, and zoos. Deliver your sunscreen, as a result of the solar might be highly regarded, even within the winter.
Regardless of the title, baseball spring coaching does begin in late February. Within the better Phoenix space, you’ll be able to see the Cactus League play from the tip of February by means of most of March. Be ready for some very heat climate as you get nearer to late March. It’s a nice time to go to although and is among the greatest methods to look at an expert baseball recreation.
Our resort suggestions embody:
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, north of San Diego, does have extra temperature variability within the winter months. Nevertheless, if you wish to go to theme parks, it may be the right climate to run across the parks with out getting too sizzling. Common temperatures within the winter months are within the low 70s, and there are fewer crowds on the theme parks than in the summertime, making it a good time to go to.
Theme parks within the LA space embody Disneyland Resort (together with Disney’s California Journey and Disneyland Park), Common Hollywood, and Knott’s Berry Farm. It’s doable to mix a visit to Los Angeles with a while in San Diego, in the event you don’t thoughts driving. Different close by areas embody Palm Springs, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica.
Our two favourite lodges outdoors of Disneyland are the Westin Anaheim and the Howard Johnson by Wyndham Anaheim Lodge and Water Playground.
US Virgin Islands
Like Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands are situated inside the US, so there’s no want for a passport and also you gained’t should spend time going by means of customs. There are three islands: St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. US Virgin Islands are accessible through airplane and/or cruise ship to St. Croix and St. Thomas, when you’ll should catch a separate ferry to get to St. John.
The typical excessive temperature within the US Virgin Islands is within the 80s, so it’s the right temperature for outside actions together with water sports activities. There are additionally a number of golf programs within the archipelago.
