9 of America’s Best Places To Travel When It’s Frigid Out

Living in areas with four distinct seasons can be invigorating and wonderful. Sledding, skiing, skating, ice fishing — there are so many things you can enjoy in a winter climate. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a treat to schedule a trip to a warm, sunny location when the temperatures back home are at their lowest.

Thankfully, many warm-weather destinations are old hands at hosting travelers and are well-stocked with tourist attractions and sites. Here’s a look at some of the best U.S. places to visit when it’s chilly and snowy back home.

1. San Juan, Puerto Rico

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 68
• January: High of 85 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 66

Soak up some sun amid the Spanish rhythms of Puerto Rico – and since it’s an American territory, you don’t even need a passport to get there. There are nonstop flights to San Juan from many U.S. airports, the U.S. dollar is the currency, and Americans don’t need to worry about international phone plans.

You can relax on powdery white sand beaches, explore the cobblestone streets of the old walled city, and marvel at the historic Castillo de San Felipe del Morro (pictured), a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates to the 1500s.

2. Key West, Florida

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 78 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 68
• January: High of 76 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 66

Want to go south? Key West is the southernmost city in the contiguous United States. As fans of the late singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett know, the island is as famous for its laid-back attitude as it is for its latitude.

For a small island, there’s plenty to do. The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum offers guided tours, and it’s home to dozens of six-toed cats, many of whom are descendants of the legendary writer’s own pet. Enjoy the island’s Cuban food, fresh seafood, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling, and don’t forget to raise a margarita glass in Buffett’s memory.

3. San Antonio, Texas

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 65 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 42
• January: High of 63 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 41

San Antonio may not be as warm as some other winter destinations, but there’s so much to do, you won’t notice.

The famed Alamo, site of the historic 1836 battle, is on the bucket list for many Americans. And downtown’s River Walk brags that it’s the top attraction in Texas, featuring a bustling dining and entertainment scene that includes twinkling holiday lights and even a boat parade complete with Santa.

4. New Orleans, Louisiana

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 66 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 49
• January: High of 64 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 47

Skip the crowds of Mardi Gras and visit New Orleans in the winter.

Bourbon Street is popping with live jazz, zydeco and every other form of music you can think of. The food – from beignets to po boys to gumbo – still can’t be beat. And you can take a cemetery tour, gawk at the elegant homes of the Garden District, take a guided tour of the home where impressionist painter Edgar Degas briefly lived, and much more.

5. Honolulu, Hawaii

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 82 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 69
• January: High of 81 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 66

Devastating wildfires on the island of Maui in August shook the Aloha State, leaving many travelers grappling about whether visiting is appropriate. As of late August, state officials were encouraging visitors to help the heavily tourism-dependent state resume normal activity.

Honolulu, of course, is located on Oahu, not on Maui, and wasn’t damaged by the fires. Breathtaking Waikiki Beach, one of the world’s most famous, was once a retreat for Hawaiian royalty. You can also hike, dine on poke, poi or slow-roasted pork, and watch and learn hula dancing at a luau. And Pearl Harbor, with its historic USS Arizona Memorial, is just a half-hour drive away.

6. Palm Springs, California

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 69 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 45
• January: High of 71 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 47

Fashionable Palm Springs is not a spring-break style, party-all-night throwdown. Instead, expect a laid-back, kitschy winter escape, where many tourists are older and some are snowbirds, renting homes for winter months to escape the chill in their home states. If you love art, midcentury architecture and golf, but don’t mind the lack of beaches, spring on over to Palm Springs.

7. San Diego, California

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 66 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 50
• January: High of 66 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 50

San Diego may not be as hot as some winter destinations, but it’s usually sunny and there’s plenty to do.

The world-famous San Diego Zoo is a must, with animals from koalas to giraffes in naturalistic habitats. You can also tour the USS Midway, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier that was decommissioned in 1992 and is now a floating museum displaying more than 30 military aircraft. And wander the lively streets of Old Town, packed with shops, authentic Mexican restaurants and live entertainment.

8. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

• December: High of 85 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 75
• January: High of 84 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 74

Lively Charlotte Amalie, the capital of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is filled with enticing attractions for when you’ve had enough beaching. Don’t miss taking the famed 99 Steps up to Blackbeard’s Castle, a watchtower from the 1600s, or visiting Fort Christian, now home to the St. Thomas Museum. The Skyride to Paradise Point takes travelers up 700 feet in a gondola for amazing views.

9. Orlando, Florida

This location’s historical monthly average temperatures for the month of:

December: High of 74 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 53

January: High of 72 degrees Fahrenheit, low of 50

You know about Orlando’s numerous theme parks, which include Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Universal Orlando and Legoland. When you’re theme parked-out, there’s also plenty of nightlife, restaurants and bars of all sorts. You can also take a scenic boat tour in nearby Winter Park or drive about an hour east to space out and visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.