Places to Visit in January

January is the coldest month of the year in Florida, but down in the Keys, “cold” means a comfortable 75°F, perfect for boating, fishing, relaxing, and sightseeing. The Florida Keys are a collection of over 100 islands off the coast of the mainland state of Florida, and they are a well-known destination for fishing enthusiasts as well as visitors looking for snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Key West, the southernmost point of the United States, is a fun and thriving little town with lots of bars and parties as well as hotels like the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum.

Kauai, Hawaii, is a beautiful destination for escaping the cold of winter. In January, Kauai becomes very popular with surfers, who flock to the island’s northern shores where the pleasantly warm water is rife with massive waves. Hawaiian restaurants are full of delicious seasonal winter food, such as avocados, tangerines, mangosteen, and starfruit, and visitors will enjoy all the creative ways that chefs incorporate these seasonal ingredients into their dishes. Winter in Hawaii is also a great time to go whale watching, as pods of humpback whales travel past on their way to find solace in the warm waters of the South Pacific.

Aspen, Colorado, is a destination known internationally for winter sports. Home to world-class ski resorts like Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, and Buttermilk, visitors flock like birds each winter to Aspen so they can enjoy the amazing powder on the slopes. Colorado’s sunny weather makes skiing or snowboarding at these resorts incredibly pleasant, and visitors to Aspen during the month of January will also have the added bonus of being there during the annual X Games, which are hosted each year at Buttermilk Ski Area. Visitors in Aspen can watch some of the best athletes in the world at the X Games before heading to a resort to try out some of those moves for themselves.

Especially when “home” means someplace cold or snowy, a trip down south might be just what the doctor ordered for the month of January. Baja, Mexico, offers sunny, warm weather in January, which is one of the driest months of the year, so visitors can travel assured that their days will be spent exploring the area in dry, sunny conditions. The Baja Peninsula features pristine, sandy beaches and impossibly blue ocean waters as well as mountainous roads above which condors circle gracefully in flight. Visitors can explore the landscape or hunker down anywhere from Los Cabos to Tijuana for some amazing food, a cold cerveza, or a refreshing margarita.

The small Caribbean island of Caye Caulker is located just east of Belize. This paradisiacal island is actually divided into two parts, the northern half and the southern half, which are separated by a stretch of shallow water and sand called The Split. One of the most unique parts of Caye Caulker is the Lazy Lizard, a bar located right on the water of the Split where guests can drink and relax in the shallow waters surrounding the establishment. Snorkeling and diving to see the Belize Barrier Reef, exploring the northern half of the island to find thick, beautiful forests, and relaxing on the many beaches of this tropical island are just a few of the ways visitors will find to unwind on their vacation.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is a major skiing destination in the French Alps. Mont Blanc, the tallest peak in the Alps, is a mecca for winter sports enthusiasts, and there are cable cars that take guests up the side of the mountain both for skiing and for sightseeing, because the views from up there are simply stunning. Visitors to Chamonix can practice their skiing or snowboarding, but there are a number of other fun activities to do on the slopes as well, such as handi-skiing/sit-skiing, ice climbing, heli-skiing, or dog sledding. And of course, at the end of a long day out in the snow, visitors can enjoy a hot cup of chocolat chaud.

Located in northern Texas, the city of Dallas is a fun destination that is sure to banish those winter blues with its lively, exciting culture. The city hosts a variety of community events throughout the year, and January is no exception, with festivals, special exhibits at museums, and free activities for families. History buffs will want to visit Dealey Plaza to see museum exhibits about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963, while art enthusiasts will love wandering the halls of both Dallas Museum of Art as well as the Crow Collection of Asian Art.

The tropical Caribbean islands are a popular destination for people looking to escape the cold of winter, and the Dominican Republic is no exception. Average high temperatures in January hover around 82°F, so there will be plenty of opportunity to lay out on the beach or enjoy the waters of the Caribbean. All-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, La Romana, and Puerta Plata provide an easy way to relax, with all drinks and activities included in the price of a stay. Visiting other parts of the Dominican Republic, such as the capital city Santo Domingo, will provide a more historical and cultural look at the country, from its 500-year-old Gothic cathedral to the beautiful rainforests found inland.

Sin City is open year round for gaming enthusiasts, who flock to Las Vegas, Nevada, at all times of the year to play in the many casinos in the city. Visitors to Vegas can stay in a world-class hotel, play blackjack, poker, or slots at one of the many brightly lit and festive casinos, and even see a world-class show or performance from Cirque du Soleil, the Blue Man Group, or one of the many internationally known artists who have a Las Vegas residency. There is also a huge number of other attractions in Las Vegas, such as museums, aquariums, a roller coaster above The Strip, and the Red Rocks Canyon Natural Conservation Area.