You’ve heard of “snowbirds,” right? If you haven’t, it’s a term for people who live in a northern area and head south once winter hits and the temperatures drop. When I was growing up, it always conjured up images of retirees in colorful printed shirts headed off to sip piña coladas at some fancy beach resort. These days, however, with so many people able to work remotely, you see snowbirds of all ages headed off to warm weather destinations from December through February. Heck, even if you can’t spend that much time away from home, more and more people are finding they need that boost of Vitamin D to help beat the winter blues.
Below is a round up of some of my favorite places to go should you also need the escape!
The Best Warm Weather Destinations to Go this Winter
Southern California
Head southern California for the warmest weather locations. While places like Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes, or Big Bear Lake are cold enough for skiing, many southern locations rarely dip below 70F during the day. As far as cities go, you can never go wrong planning a trip to San Diego, Los Angeles, or Santa Barbara. For those that want to venture out, Palm Springs is always a great idea for a fun vacation, and you really can’t beat the 42 miles of coastline between LA and San Diego that is Orange County.
Just remember to bring a light jacket for the evenings when things do cool down considerably!
Arizona
The perpetual sunshine in Arizona is so nice year round that Frank Lloyd Wright himself opted to spend his winters here. In fact, he even created his masterpiece, Taliesin West, right in Phoenix. With desert landscapes, this state is great for anyone hoping to get outdoors on during the winter escape. If you want to stay outside of the capital city, opt for spots like Glendale, Tempe, Sedona, Scottsdale or Flagstaff. And, of course, don’t forget to visit America’s most famous landmark – the Grand Canyon.