Published on : 04 Nov 2026
Winter in the United States divides the country into two categories of traveler: those who pursue it — the skiers, the snowshoers, the people who find that cold air and white mountains produce a clarity unavailable at sea level in July — and those who flee it, following the sun south to subtropical coastlines, desert warmth, and the particular pleasure of wearing a t-shirt while friends back home are shoveling driveways. The finest winter travel in America serves both impulses at the highest possible level, and the United States is unusual among countries in offering both extremes within its own borders: world-class alpine skiing in Colorado, Utah, and Vermont, and genuine subtropical warmth in Florida, Hawaii, and the desert Southwest, all reachable within a few hours’ flight from anywhere in the country.
Winter is also, in many cases, the finest season to visit places that are genuinely unpleasant in summer: the American desert Southwest (Sedona, Tucson, Moab) is perfect in January and brutal in August; the Florida Keys and New Orleans are at their most beautiful in the dry season (November–April); Washington, DC’s cherry blossom season begins in late March; and the great cities of the South (Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans) show their finest faces when the summer humidity has finally lifted. This guide identifies the best winter destinations across both categories — sun-seekers and snow-seekers — with the specific experiences, prices, and practical logistics that make each one work in the winter months of 2026.
| Type | Destination | Best Winter Month | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warmest escape | Key West, FL | January–March | 75°F, dry season, Duval Street |
| Best ski resort | Park City, UT | January–February | 3 world-class resorts, Sundance |
| Best desert warmth | Sedona, AZ | November–February | 55–65°F, red rocks, no crowds |
| Best winter city | New Orleans, LA | November–February | Mardi Gras, dry season, jazz |
| Best winter beach | Maui, HI | December–March | Humpback whales, dry side calm |
| Best Northeast winter | Stowe, VT | January–March | Finest East Coast ski + village |
| Best Southwest winter | Tucson, AZ | November–March | Saguaro NP, 65–70°F, food scene |
| Best winter road trip | Florida Keys | December–April | US-1, 7 Mile Bridge, coral reefs |
| Best mountain winter | Aspen, CO | December–March | World-class ski + town culture |
| Best winter culture | Washington DC | January–March | Free museums, pre-cherry blossom |
Key West is the finest warm winter escape in the continental United States — the southernmost city in the country (24.5°N latitude, closer to Havana than to Miami), with an average January temperature of 75°F, the driest weather of the Florida Keys calendar (the dry season runs November–April, making winter the finest time to visit), and a cultural density — the Hemingway Home, the nightly Mallory Square Sunset Celebration, the Duval Street bar crawl, the finest key lime pie in the country — that makes it substantially more than a beach destination.
Duval Street (the 1.2-mile main street of Key West, the finest street bar crawl in the continental United States, the Sloppy Joe’s 201 Duval the most famous bar $6 Budweiser, the Green Parrot 601 Whitehead St the finest dive bar and live music venue in Key West since 1890, the Captain Tony’s Saloon 428 Greene St the original Sloppy Joe’s where Hemingway actually drank, the finest historic dive bar interior in Florida) is the central experience of Key West nightlife, entirely walkable from any Key West hotel or guesthouse.
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum (907 Whitehead St, $18/adult, the Spanish Colonial house where Hemingway lived and wrote from 1931–1939 — A Farewell to Arms, To Have and Have Not, For Whom the Bell Tolls all written or begun here, the six-toed cats (40+ polydactyl cats descendants of Hemingway’s own Snow White, free to wander the property, the finest free cat interaction at any US historic home), the finest single-hour cultural experience in Key West) and the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory (1316 Duval St, $15/adult, the finest tropical butterfly conservatory in Florida, 60 species of live butterflies, 50-70°F in winter which keeps them active) are the finest indoor attractions.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (102601 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, 60 miles north, $32/adult glass-bottom boat tour, the first undersea park in the United States, the finest snorkeling in the Florida Keys, Christ of the Deep underwater bronze statue 25 feet below the surface the most photographed underwater object in Florida) and Dry Tortugas National Park (70 miles west of Key West, ferry $200 RT from Key West, the finest coral reef snorkeling in Florida, Fort Jefferson the largest brick masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere, the most remote and most extraordinary national park day trip in the continental US) are the finest day trips.
Mallory Square Sunset Celebration (nightly, free, 2 hours before and after sunset, the most beloved free nightly event in Florida — street performers, musicians, artists, and the entire population of Key West gathering to applaud the sun as it drops below the Gulf horizon, the finest free experience in Key West) and the Key West Cemetery (corner of Angela and Margaret Streets, free, the most sardonic cemetery in the United States — tombstone epitaphs include “I told you I was sick” — the finest free 45-minute walk in Key West) complete the essential free experiences.
Practical: Fly into Key West International (EYW) or Miami (MIA) and drive the 160-mile Overseas Highway — the finest road trip approach to any Florida destination. Best: January–March (coolest, driest, least crowded). Hotel: The Gardens Hotel (526 Angela St, $300–550/night, the finest boutique hotel in a Key West garden setting) or Southernmost Beach Resort ($280–480/night, the finest oceanfront pool hotel on the Atlantic side of Key West).
Maui in winter (December–March) is the finest warm weather destination in the United States — peak whale season (the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary protects the North Pacific humpback whale’s primary winter breeding and calving grounds, 10,000+ whales in Hawaiian waters December–April, the finest whale watching in North America), the driest weather on the South and West Maui coasts (Ka’anapali and Wailea receive less than 10 inches of rain annually — genuinely arid in winter), and water temperatures of 74–78°F that make snorkeling and scuba diving the finest of the year (winter clarity on the Molokini Crater snorkel — $120–180/half-day tour — is the best of the year with 100+ foot visibility).
Papawai Point (mile marker 8 on Highway 30 on the Pailolo Channel side of West Maui, free, the finest free whale-watching viewpoint in Hawaii — the channel between Maui and Molokai is the principal humpback transit corridor, the Pacific Whale Foundation volunteers staff a telescope here December–April, the finest free wildlife observation in Hawaii) is where to begin whale season in Maui. For boat tours: Pacific Whale Foundation ($45–65/adult 2-hour morning trip, the finest non-profit whale watch in Maui, hydrophone audio of whale song broadcast from the deck, the finest single wildlife experience in Hawaii in winter).
Haleakalā National Park (the 10,023-foot dormant volcano summit, $35/vehicle 7-day pass, sunrise reservation required at recreation.gov $1, reserve 60 days in advance — the finest sunrise in the United States, 30-minute pre-dawn drive in winter cold (28–35°F at the summit in December–February, bring a heavy coat), the sun rising above the cloud layer below filling the crater with orange light, the most transcendent free-with-park-pass experience in Hawaii) is the essential Maui day trip regardless of season, and winter cloud inversions below the summit make the sunrise even more dramatic than summer.
Road to Hana (the 64-mile Hana Highway, Highway 360, free road, 617 curves and 59 bridges, the finest coastal jungle drive in the United States — the Twin Falls trailhead at mile 2 (free, 20-minute walk to the first waterfall, the finest easy waterfall in the Road to Hana), Wai’ānapanapa State Park ($5/vehicle, reservations required at dlnr.hawaii.gov, the finest black sand beach on Maui, the sea arch accessible by a 3-mile coastal trail) the finest state park on the Road to Hana) is best driven in winter when the waterfalls run fuller from more rainfall.
Practical: Fly into Kahului (OGG). Best winter hotels: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea ($1,000–2,500/night, the finest luxury resort in Hawaii, the finest whale watching from any hotel pool in the state) or Westin Maui Resort & Spa ($450–750/night, the finest mid-luxury Ka’anapali hotel for the value, five pools, direct beach access, whale watching from the beach January–March).
Sedona is the finest winter destination in the American Southwest — the red sandstone formations that make Sedona the most visually dramatic small town in the continental United States are at their finest in winter light (the low winter sun angle hitting the red rock at 10AM and 4PM produces colors impossible to photograph without overexposure in summer), the temperature is perfect for hiking (55–65°F, never cold enough for significant ice on the trails below 5,000 feet), the summer crowds have dissipated (Sedona receives 3 million visitors annually, 70% in spring and summer), and the sky is at its clearest (the Arizona monsoon season July–September is gone, leaving the finest cerulean winter sky in the country).
Cathedral Rock Trail (Back O Beyond Rd off AZ-179, $3/vehicle Red Rock Pass, the most photographed formation in Sedona, 1.2 miles RT, 742-foot elevation gain over 0.6 miles making it one of the steepest short trails in Arizona, the view from the saddle between the twin spires the finest single-viewpoint photograph in the Southwest, scrambling required at the top — moderate to strenuous) is the essential Sedona hike. In winter, arrive at 7AM for the finest light on the red rock without the summer crowds.
Devil’s Bridge Trail (Dry Creek Rd, $3/vehicle, 4.2 miles RT, the largest natural sandstone arch in the Sedona area at 54 feet wide, the bridge walkable across its entire span — one of only a handful of walkable natural arches in the Southwest, the finest single-destination hike in Sedona, wear trail shoes with grip) is best in winter when the shuttle from the trailhead runs (summer crowds pack the parking lot by 7AM; winter allows a 9AM start).
Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village (336 AZ-179, free to browse, the finest arts village in Arizona — a recreated Mexican Colonial courtyard complex with 40+ galleries and studios, the Feliz Navidad Festival in December the finest holiday arts festival in the Southwest, the finest handmade jewelry and Southwestern art in the Sedona area at $50–500) and Sedona Arts Center (15 Art Barn Rd, free gallery entry, the finest nonprofit art gallery in Sedona) are the finest non-hiking winter afternoons.
Pink Jeep Tours (204 N Hwy 89A, $130–175/person, the finest guided 4WD tour of the Sedona backcountry, the Broken Arrow trail the finest Pink Jeep route with the most dramatic red rock access, the finest 2-hour Sedona experience for first-time visitors who want maximum landscape exposure with minimum hiking) and the Slide Rock State Park (6871 N AZ-89A, Oak Creek Canyon, $30/vehicle, closed for swimming in winter but the finest 1-hour canyon walk in the Sedona area free in winter with reduced vehicle entry $10) complete the essential experiences.
Practical: Fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX, 2 hours south) or Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG, 45 minutes north). Best: November–February. Hotel: L’Auberge de Sedona (301 L’Auberge Ln, $600–1,200/night, the finest luxury resort in Sedona, creek-side cabins the finest accommodation in the Southwest for the price point) or Amara Resort and Spa ($350–650/night, the finest mid-luxury boutique hotel in uptown Sedona, rooftop pool the finest hotel view in the city).
Winter is the finest season to visit New Orleans — the summer heat and humidity (90–95°F with 80%+ humidity, July–September) have given way to the ideal tourist weather (60–72°F November–February, the driest months of the year), hotel prices drop 20–30% from summer peaks, and the city’s most beloved annual event — Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday, February 17, 2026) — approaches with the full calendar of parades, balls, and street celebrations that build through January and reach peak intensity the two weeks before Fat Tuesday.
Mardi Gras 2026: Fat Tuesday falls on February 17, 2026. The parade season runs from January 6 (Twelfth Night/Epiphany) through Mardi Gras day. The finest parade viewing: St. Charles Avenue (the neutral ground between the streetcar tracks is the finest free parade-viewing position in New Orleans — bring lawn chairs, arrive 90 minutes early, catch the Endymion krewe parade Saturday before Mardi Gras with 3,000 riders, the largest parade in New Orleans, and the Orpheus parade Monday before Fat Tuesday co-founded by Harry Connick Jr., the finest Monday parade). Hotel rooms during Mardi Gras week run $400–900/night; book 6+ months in advance.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Fair Grounds Race Course, last weekend of April and first weekend of May, $95–110/day, the finest music festival in the United States — 12 stages, 500+ performers, 450,000+ attendees, the finest single day of live American music in any city any year) is technically spring but books in winter; reserve hotel rooms in October for Jazz Fest weekend.
For winter visits outside Mardi Gras: the French Quarter in January is the most beautiful the neighborhood gets — the tourists have thinned, the weather is perfect for walking, the restaurants are at their most available, and the Christmas lights on the Royal Street antique dealer strip are the finest holiday street decoration in the American South. Full New Orleans details in our Best Cities for Solo Travel USA guide.
Practical: Best winter weeks: the two weeks before Mardi Gras for maximum festivity, or January for maximum calm and value. Fly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY).
The Florida Keys in winter (December–April) is the finest road trip in the continental United States for warm-weather seekers — 125 miles of US-1 from Key Largo to Key West crossing 42 bridges including the Seven Mile Bridge (the most beautiful road bridge in the United States, the flat water of the Gulf on the left, the Atlantic on the right, the horizon unbroken in both directions), the finest snorkeling in the continental US at John Pennekamp and Looe Key reefs, and the driest, least crowded, most comfortable weather of the year.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (Key Largo, $32/adult glass-bottom boat, $30/adult 2.5-hour snorkel tour, the first underwater park in the United States, the finest accessible coral reef snorkeling from a mainland US destination, the Benthic Zone glass-bottom boat route in winter the finest for visibility — 40–60 foot vis December–March) is the first stop.
Bahia Honda State Park (MM 37, $8/vehicle, the finest Keys beach, the old railroad bridge arch the finest Keys view — see our Best Beaches in the USA guide for full details) at the midpoint and the Turtle Hospital (2396 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, $25/adult tour, the finest sea turtle rehabilitation facility in the United States, the tour shows the rescue and rehabilitation process for injured green, loggerhead, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, the finest 90-minute conservation experience in the Keys) are the essential Marathon-area stops.
Key West (see full entry above) is the natural end point of the Keys road trip, requiring at minimum one night — preferably two or three — to experience the sunset celebration, Duval Street, and the Hemingway Home.
Practical: Drive from Miami or Fort Lauderdale (3–4 hours to Key West nonstop, more with stops). The Overseas Heritage Trail (the finest flat cycling trail in Florida, 106 miles of paved path along the Keys connecting all the major islands, free, the finest 1–3 day cycling trip in Florida) is the finest winter active experience in the Keys for cyclists.
Park City is the finest ski destination in the United States — a historic silver-mining town at 7,000 feet with direct access to three world-class ski resorts within 30–45 minutes, the finest snow in the country (the Greatest Snow on Earth, Utah’s official slogan, is not marketing — the unique combination of cold Rocky Mountain air and moisture from the Great Salt Lake produces a light, dry powder with an average water content of 8–10%, half that of Colorado and a quarter that of New England), and the finest combination of ski access and resort town culture in North America.
Park City Mountain Resort (1345 Lowell Ave, the largest ski resort in the United States by skiable acreage — 7,300 acres on two interconnected mountains after the 2015 merger of Park City Mountain and Canyons Resort — $210–275/adult day ticket, the Vans Park City halfpipe the finest halfpipe in the US outside of competition venues, the Flatiron lift servicing the finest expert terrain in Park City, the Mountain Town Coaster $28 the finest alpine coaster in Utah) is the primary resort.
Deer Valley Resort (2250 Deer Valley Dr, $235–295/adult day ticket, skiers-only (no snowboarders), the finest grooming operation in the United States — corduroy runs maintained to a precision found nowhere else in US skiing — the finest luxury ski experience in Utah, the Snow Park Lodge base area restaurant the finest mid-mountain lunch in Utah at $35–55, the Empire Canyon Lodge the finest full-service mountaintop restaurant in Park City, the Stein Eriksen Lodge ski-in/ski-out $1,200–3,000/night the finest ski hotel in Utah) is the most exclusive and most beautifully maintained ski resort in the country.
The Sundance Film Festival (Park City, January 23–February 2, 2026, the finest independent film festival in the United States, 100+ feature films, 80+ short films, screenings at the Egyptian Theatre 328 Main St and MARC venue, day passes $30–55 for public screenings, Main Street during Sundance the finest celebrity-sighting street in the United States for 10 days in January) transforms Park City each January into the most culturally dense ski town in the world. Book hotel rooms 6–9 months in advance for Sundance week.
Historic Main Street Park City (the finest ski town main street in the United States — 30 restaurants, 20 bars, galleries, boutiques, all within 3 walkable blocks, the High West Distillery 703 Park Ave the finest whiskey distillery in Utah, the Wasatch Brew Pub 250 Main St the finest après-ski beer in Park City at $7–9/pint, the No Name Saloon 447 Main St the finest dive bar in a ski town in Utah) makes Park City the finest après-ski destination in the country.
Practical: Fly into Salt Lake City International (SLC, 35 miles west, direct I-80 access). Best: January–February (deepest snowpack, lightest weekday crowds). Hotel: Montage Deer Valley ($1,000–3,000/night, the finest luxury ski resort hotel in Utah) or Park City Peaks Hotel ($220–380/night, the finest mid-range ski hotel in Park City, shuttle to both resorts included).
Aspen is the most famous ski town in the United States and the most glamorous — a former silver-mining camp at 7,908 feet that has accumulated the finest combination of world-class skiing, boutique hotel culture, restaurant quality (the finest dining in a Colorado ski town, Element 47 at The Little Nell $150–200/person the finest restaurant in Aspen, Matsuhisa Aspen $120–160/person the finest Japanese in Colorado), and cultural infrastructure (the Aspen Art Museum free, the finest contemporary art museum in a US ski town) of any ski destination in the country. It is also the most expensive.
Aspen Mountain (Ajax) (601 E Dean St, $229–329/adult day ticket, no beginner terrain — a mountain for intermediate to expert skiers only, the Silver Queen Gondola the finest single gondola ride in Colorado ascending 3,267 vertical feet, the Walsh’s run the finest sustained steep groomer in Aspen, the Bell Mountain chutes the finest expert terrain directly off the gondola) is the classic Aspen ski experience.
Aspen Highlands (76 Boomerang Rd, same day ticket, the Highland Bowl (12,382-foot summit reached by a 45-minute boot-pack hike from the top of the Loge Peak lift, the finest backcountry-adjacent hike-to terrain at any US resort, 1,000-foot descent of untouched powder in a perfect bowl facing north — the finest single powder run in Colorado for committed advanced skiers) is the finest non-guided backcountry-equivalent experience in Colorado.
Snowmass (239 Snowmass Village Mall, same Ikon Pass, the largest of the four Aspen Snowmass mountains at 3,362 acres, the finest terrain for intermediate skiers in the Aspen area, the Big Burn the finest wide-open intermediate cruising run in Colorado, the Elk Camp Meadows the finest family ski area in the Aspen Snowmass complex) is the finest full family ski day in the Aspen area.
Hotel Jerome (330 E Main St, $700–1,800/night, the finest historic luxury hotel in Colorado, opened 1889 as the finest hotel between Denver and San Francisco, the J-Bar the finest après-ski bar in Aspen since 1889, the Aspen gin and tonic $22 the most expensive mediocre cocktail in Colorado but worth ordering once for the room) and the Little Nell (675 E Durant Ave, $1,200–4,000/night, ski-in/ski-out at the base of the Silver Queen Gondola, the finest service hotel in Colorado) are the essential Aspen hotels.
Full Aspen ski details in our Denver vs Aspen 2026 guide.
Practical: Fly into Aspen/Pitkin County (ASE, the finest small-airport approach in Colorado, the mountains on final approach the most dramatic landing in the continental US, $400–900 RT from major hubs) or Denver (DEN, 4-hour drive via I-70 and CO-82 over Independence Pass — closed in winter — or via Glenwood Canyon). Best: January–February for deepest snow, March for the finest spring skiing conditions and shorter lift lines.
Stowe is the finest ski destination in the eastern United States and the finest New England winter town — a village of 4,500 at 723 feet elevation in the Green Mountains of Vermont, with the Mount Mansfield ski resort (the finest ski mountain in Vermont, 4,393-foot summit, the finest East Coast steep terrain on the Front Four runs — Goat, National, Starr, and Liftline, the most feared short lift lines in New England skiing), the finest inn culture of any New England ski town (the Trapp Family Lodge the most beloved Austrian-style inn in the United States, built by the von Trapp family of Sound of Music fame), and the finest Nordic skiing infrastructure of any US ski destination east of the Mississippi.
Stowe Mountain Resort (5781 Mountain Rd, Vail Resorts Epic Pass $900–1,000, day ticket $125–185, 116 trails, 485 skiable acres — small by western standards but the finest quality-per-acre of any eastern resort, the Gondola SkyRide $25 non-skiing the finest mountain view in Vermont, the Cliff Trail the finest expert glades run in Vermont, the Perry Merrill trail the finest long intermediate cruiser in the East) is the essential resort.
Trapp Family Lodge (700 Trapp Hill Rd, $350–700/night, 100 rooms in a Tyrolean-style main lodge with the finest view of the Green Mountains from any Vermont hotel, 100km of groomed cross-country ski trails the finest Nordic ski network in the eastern US, $30/adult trail fee, the Lounge the finest après-ski fireplace bar in New England, the Austrian Sugar Cookies the finest hotel pastry in Vermont at $4–6, the finest single property experience in New England skiing) is the most beloved inn in Vermont.
Stowe Village (the finest ski town main street in New England — the Stowe Village Green, the Community Church white spire the most photographed building in Vermont, the Depot Street Mall, Cold Hollow Cider Mill 3600 Waterbury-Stowe Rd the finest Vermont cider donuts $1.50/each and fresh-pressed cider $6/half-gallon, the finest free winter afternoon in Vermont) and the Stowe Recreation Path (5.3-mile paved path along the West Branch river, free, the finest Nordic skating/walking path in Vermont in winter when it freezes sections, snowshoeing when snow-covered) complete the non-skiing winter experience.
Practical: Fly into Burlington International (BTV, 45 minutes west) or Boston (BOS, 3 hours south). Best: January–March (the most reliable snowpack). Hotel: Trapp Family Lodge (see above) or Stoweflake Mountain Resort ($300–550/night, the finest full-service spa hotel in Stowe, the finest après-ski spa in New England, the Winfield’s Bistro the finest mid-range dinner in Stowe at $55–75/person).
Jackson Hole is the finest combination of ski resort and national park in the United States — the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (the finest single-mountain ski resort in the United States by vertical drop: 4,139 feet of continuous vertical, the most in the country, Corbet’s Couloir the most famous entrance to any ski run in America — a 10–20-foot air drop into a 50-degree pitch — the Rendezvous Mountain 10,450-foot summit the finest single-mountain aerial tram view in the United States at $44 non-skiing), and Grand Teton National Park (the most beautiful mountain range in the lower 48, visible from every Jackson Hole ski run, the Oxbow Bend overlook in winter the finest wildlife viewing pull-off in Wyoming — moose, bald eagles, trumpeter swans in the Snake River bend below the Teton skyline).
Teton Village (the finest ski village base area in the United States — the Mangy Moose Restaurant $55–75/person the most beloved après-ski restaurant in Jackson Hole, the Calico Restaurant in the Snake River Lodge $70–95/person the finest mid-range dinner in Teton Village, the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole $1,200–3,500/night ski-in/ski-out the finest luxury ski hotel in Wyoming) and Jackson Town Square (the elk antler arches at all four corners, the most photographed town square in Wyoming, the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar 25 N Cache Dr the finest Western bar interior in Wyoming, the Bunnery Bakery 130 N Cache Dr the finest cheap breakfast in Jackson $12–16) are the essential non-skiing Jackson experiences.
Yellowstone National Park (90 miles north, the finest winter national park experience in the United States — Old Faithful erupts year-round with no crowds in winter, snowcoach tours $175–225/person from Jackson the finest way to reach the geyser basins, the Grand Prismatic Spring viewed from the Fairy Falls Trail in winter requires snowshoes $20/day rental, the most dramatic hot spring view in winter steam — Buffalo in the geyser basins the finest wildlife viewing in Yellowstone, bison herding into the geothermal areas for warmth) is the finest winter day trip in the United States.
Practical: Fly into Jackson Hole Airport (JAC, inside Grand Teton National Park, the finest airport approach in the continental US, the Tetons visible on final approach). Best: January–March. Hotel: Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole (see above) or Hotel Terra Jackson Hole ($350–650/night, the finest boutique ski hotel in Teton Village, the Tx5 Prime steakhouse the finest mid-range dinner with a mountain view in Teton Village).
Tucson is the finest winter destination in the United States for travelers who want warm weather, outdoor activity, and genuine cultural depth without the crowds or prices of Sedona, Scottsdale, or the coastal destinations. The Saguaro National Park (the only national park in the United States dedicated to a single plant species — the saguaro cactus, the most iconic living thing in the American Southwest, the Eastern and Western districts surrounding Tucson, $25/vehicle 7-day pass), the finest Mexican food in the United States outside New Mexico (Tucson was the first US city designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy), and weather of 65–72°F from November through March make Tucson one of the most underrated winter destinations in the country.
Saguaro National Park East (Rincon Mountain District, 3693 S Old Spanish Trail, the finest desert hiking in Tucson, the Cactus Forest Loop Drive (8-mile paved loop, $25/vehicle, the finest dawn or dusk drive among mature saguaro cacti in the world, the Douglas Spring Trail 6 miles RT for dedicated hikers the finest backcountry day hike in the Eastern District), the best in winter when the desert wildflowers begin (February–March) and the saguaros are silhouetted against clear blue winter sky).
Mission San Xavier del Bac (1950 W San Xavier Rd, the finest Spanish Colonial mission church in the United States, the White Dove of the Desert, free, construction completed 1797, the finest intact baroque interior of any mission in the continental US, the San Xavier Plaza fry bread $4–6 the finest Native American fry bread in Arizona) is free and is the most architecturally extraordinary building in Tucson.
Café Poca Cosa (110 E Pennington St, $35–55/person, the finest upscale Mexican restaurant in Tucson, the pizarron menu written on a chalkboard that changes twice daily, the finest single-restaurant representation of interior Mexican regional cuisine in the United States, the longest-running contender for finest Mexican restaurant in the continental US, reserve in advance) and El Charro Café (311 N Court Ave, since 1922 the oldest continuously operating Mexican restaurant in the United States, the carne seca $18 — sun-dried beef unique to Tucson, found nowhere else in Mexican-American cuisine, the finest $18 plate in Tucson) define the UNESCO-designated food scene.
Practical: Fly into Tucson International (TUS). Best: November–March. Hotel: Arizona Inn (2200 E Elm St, $250–450/night, a 1930 pink stucco resort on 14 acres in the middle of Tucson, the finest historic resort in Arizona that is not the Grand Canyon lodges, the finest afternoon tea in Arizona, the finest quiet winter luxury in the Southwest).
Washington, DC in January–February: The Smithsonian museums are least crowded January–February (the finest free museum day in the US requires no tickets in winter), the National Mall is hauntingly beautiful under light snow, and hotel prices drop 30–40% from spring peak. The cherry blossom trees around the Tidal Basin begin in late March — stay through the first week of April for the finest natural show in DC. Full DC details in our Best Cities for Families USA guide.
New York City at Christmas/New Year’s: The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree (free, the Top of the Rock observation deck $40/adult with the finest Christmas tree view, the finest 60-second New York experience in December), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the American Wing holiday installation, the finest Christmas decoration in a New York museum, $30/adult suggested), and the Central Park in snow (free, the finest free winter morning in NYC) make December the finest month to visit New York if you can tolerate the cold and cost. Hotels run $350–600/night in December peak; January is 40% cheaper with the same empty streets and cold air.
Charleston, SC in January: The historic district is at its most uncrowded and most beautiful — the camellia gardens at Magnolia Plantation ($30/vehicle, the finest camellia bloom in the Southeast, peak January–February, the most beautiful private garden in the American South in winter) are the finest free-with-admission winter garden experience in the South.
Posted By : Vinay
Latest Article
2nd Floor, 39, Above Kirti Club, DLF Industrial Area, Kirti Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110015
Travel Tourister is a leading Travel portal where we introduce travellers to trusted travel agents to make their journey hasselfree, memorable And happy. Travel Tourister is a platform where travellers get Tour packages ,Hotel packages deals through trusted travel companies And hoteliers who are working with us across the world. We always try to find new and more travel agents and hoteliers from every nook and corners across the world so that you could compare the deals with different travel agents and hoteliers and book your tour or hotel with the one you have chosen according to your taste and budget.
Copyright © Travel Tourister, India. All Rights Reserved
Call
Enquiry