14 Best Places in the U.S. To Visit in January

January is the month for new beginnings and new plans. And what better way to start out the new year than to travel to a new place? It’s a popular time for both snow and heat, depending on how you envision your winter vacation. So whether you want to spend January on the beach or on the slopes, one of these fourteen places will likely speak to you.

Methodology

This list is a compilation of other’s recommendations. I looked for articles and blog posts of the best places to travel in January (with a focus on USA-specific lists, but using some international lists as well). Posts that focused on a specific type of vacation (i.e., warmest places) were not used, as that would unfairly tilt the balance. Every time a location was included in a list, it received one “vote.” Every place on this list had at least 4 “votes” (that is to say, appeared on at least 4 lists).

14. Vail, Colorado

Weather Averages: 29 F high/6 F low; 5 days with rainfall; 15 days with snowfall
To Do: Vail Square ice skating rink, mountain coaster, gondola rides, sleigh rides with hot chocolate, winter sports (snowshoeing, skiing, etc.); Big Beers, Belgians & Barley Wines Festival (early January)
Closest Airport: Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) – 30min; Denver International Airport (DEN) – 2h15min

Colorado is the place to go in January – it has not one but three cities on this list, all centered on skiing. The town of Vail was established four years after the first ski resort was opened in 1962 – which means this is a town built for skiers. It is also one of the most expensive place to ski in North America, so this is not a budget trip. If you’re headed to Vail, you’re probably going to ski or snowboard. If you don’t want to hit the slopes, there’s plenty of other winter activities like snowmobiling and snowtubing. But what if you’re all about the après-ski and not the ski? Vail is a luxury location, so it has all the indulgences that wealthy vacationers want – spas, shopping, and sipping cocktails at upscale establishments. If you have money, you won’t be bored for long in Vail, on the slopes or off them.

13. Tucson, Arizona

Weather Averages: 66 F high/42 F low; 3 days with rainfall
To Do: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Old Tucson, International Wildlife Museum, Sabino Canyon, Tumamoc Hill, Mission San Xavier Del Bac
Closest Airport: Tucson International Airport (TUS) – 15 min to downtown

A refuge for Northerners looking for the dry desert warmth, winter is peak season for Tucson. The two best reasons to come? The food and the nature! Tucson has been named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and is especially known for its Mexican cuisine. It’s also cheek-to-cheek with the Saguaro National Park, a beautiful desert landscape and home to the country’s largest cacti. Saguaro National Park also has a top-notch Instagram account, and you should treat yourself to watching the videos with Ranger Freddy. They are informative and amusing insights into the flora and fauna in the Park.

12. McCall/Payette National Forest, Idaho

Weather Averages: 28 F high/ 14 F low; 4 days with rainfall; 19 days with snowfall
To Do: Winter Carnival (late January-early February), hot springs, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, back country skiing/snowboarding
Closest Airport: Boise International Airport (BOI) – 2 1/2 h to McCall

A little over two hours north of Bosie, McCall sits on the edge of the 2.3 million acre Payette National Forest. In the summer, you can hike its miles of trails while in the winter you can explore 500 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and 19,000 acres of back country skiing and snowboarding terrain. It also hosts two ski resorts; they don’t have the glamor and the glitz of Vail or Aspen, but they don’t have the crowds either. McCall is also close to four hotsprings, allowing you to soak among the natural beauty of the area. One of the highlights of the winter is the annual Winter Carnival which takes place in late January. It hosts a snow sculpture competition, with both an amateur and a professional category. Try your hand at your own snow creation, and you can earn $2,000 for first prize in the amateur competition!

11. Park City, Utah

Weather (averages): 35 F high/14 F low; 15 days with rainfall; 13 days with snowfall
To Do: Sundance Film Festival (late January), winter sports (skiing, snowtubing, etc.), Olympic Park, sled ride to dinner, visit Midway (aka “Little Switzerland”)
Closest Airport: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) – 45 min

January is Park City’s busiest month. It hosts not only skiers, but also celebrities and film critics in town for the Sundance Film Festival. That makes it expensive (book far in advance!) but also quite thrilling. Park City has the USA’s biggest ski resort (actually two resorts which merged in 2015). Like the other ski resorts on this list, there is so much more than just traditional snow sports available. Take a sled ride up to dinner at the Viking Yurt or the Western-style Snowed Inn, sip a drink at a skin-in ski-out distillery (High West Distillery and Saloon), go snowtubing, enjoy an apres-ski at a luxuriously appointed yurt (the Veuve Clicquot Yurt), dine in a private, heated Alpenglobe (Butcher’s Chop House & Bar), pretend to be a world class athlete at the Olympic Park (home to the 2002 games) and stroll along historic Main Street, which looks like a set for a Netflix winter rom-com. And if you want to get out of town, “Little Switzerland” (aka Midway) is a quick 30-minutes away. This adorable little town is home to the Winter Ice Castles and an underground cave with hotsprings at the Homestead Crater (at Homestead Resort).

10. New York City, New York

Weather Averages: 39 F high/26 F low; 9 days with rainfall; 6 days with snowfall
To Do: Winter Village in Bryant Park, Restaurant Month, Broadway shows, Empire State Building, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Times Square
Closest Airport: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – 45-90 min to Manhattan; LaGuardia Airport (LGA) – 40-60 min to Manhattan; Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) – 30-60 min to Manhattan [times dependent on traffic]

If you missed NYC in December (where it was the #1 place to go), don’t worry. It’s still a highly recommended destination for January. NYC is such a tourism hotspot that I’m wondering if it will make the list every month. In January, the weather is chilly (it’s the coldest month of the year!) and there’s always the threat that a winter storm will come up the East Coast and ground flights – but this scares enough tourists away that it’s off-peak season, so hotel rates are better and the crowds are sparser, giving you more elbow room. You can also grab amazing deals, with NYC Must-See Week giving 2-for-1 tickets at top attractions like the Empire State Building and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) between mid-January and mid-February. You can also enjoy 2-for-1 tickets during Broadway Week, again between mid-January and mid-February. Many of the top NYC destinations are indoors anyway (think museums, Broadway shows, and trendy restaurants), so don’t let the cold scare you off. The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is still up, letting you enjoy ice skating in the City, along with Bumper Cars on Ice and a Curling Cafe and Bar (which comes with 90 minutes in a heated igloo and your own iceless curling lane). Can’t get enough of igloo dining? Try 230 Fifth in Midtown, City Winery at Rockfeller Center, or Suprema Provisions in Greenwich Village. Secret NYC has a whole list of 25 igloos, cabins, and yurts to dine in. January is the perfect month to dine, as hundred of restaurants across the City take part in New York dining month, giving you prix fixe menus for lunch and dinner. All this makes January the perfect time for thrifty travelers to see the Big Apple.

9. Breckenridge, Colorado

Weather (averages): 31 F high/19 F low; 3 days with rainfall; 17 days with snowfall
To Do: International Snow Sculpture Championships (last 2 weeks of January); Trollstigen Trail, winter sports, gold mine tour
Closest Airport: Denver International Airport (DIA) – 2h

The second Colorado ski resort to make the list, Breckenridge is less expensive than Vail and Aspen, although it is certainly not cheap. Another advantage of Breckenridge’s is that it is close to two other popular slopes, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin). Like with Vail, there are numerous other winter activities such as snowshoeing, ice fishing, and dog sledding, for those who don’t want to downhill ski or snowboard. You can also enjoy a winter hike (bring your Yaktrax!) and spot the Breckenridge Troll on the short Trollstigen Trail. The last two weeks of January are host to the International Snow Sculpture Championships, bringing folks from around the world to build spectacular sculptures. Want some non-snow activities? Breckenridge is home to both the highest altitude winery in the world (Continental Divide Winery) and the highest distillery in the world (Breckenridge Distillery). You can also take a Ghostly Tales tour or a Gold Mine tour. Or just explore the Breckenridge Arts District.

8. Big Sky, Montana

Weather (averages): 32 F high/9 F low; 5 days with rainfall; 19 days with snowfall
To Do: Sleigh rides, winter hikes, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, dog sledding, ziplining, horseback riding
Closest Airport: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) – 1.5h

Enjoy Big Sky country in the town of Big Sky. January is peak time to visit, with plenty of winter fun: nordic skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding. For an unforgettable evening, take a sleigh ride to dinner at Elkorn Ranch or Lone Mountain Ranch or climb aboard a snowcat for a short ride to dinner at Montana Dinner Yurt. Hiking is available in the area, and the 1.6 mile hike to the frozen Ousel Falls is a popular choice (Yaktrax and poles are recommended!). Can’t get enough hiking? Try Beehive Basin (6.6 miles), Lava Lake (6 mi) or Humocks and Uplands (5 mi). If you want to get your blood pumping in a different way, you can also try horseback riding or ziplining.

7. San Diego, California

Weather (averages): 66 F high/50 F low; 5 days with rainfall
To Do: Whale watching, BrewFest (early January), kayaking, San Diego Zoo, Old Town tour
Closest Airport: San Diego International Airport (SAN) – 15 min

Like NYC, San Diego made the list for both December and January. I’m not sure who San Diego paid for this publicity, but as far as travel blogs and travel sites are concerned, San Diego is the California city to visit in the winter. A definite upside of a California winter vacation is you get to enjoy mild weather and sunshine in the off season. Unlike Hawaii or Florida, California’s tourist season is the summer. You can’t really go wrong with beating those winter blues with off-peak prices. January is a great time for San Diego because it is prime whale watching season, as gray whales migrate from Alaska to Baja California between mid-December and April. Besides a whale-watching tour, there’s plenty of other ways to soak in some Vitamin D. Take a kayak to the coastal caves at La Jolla Cove, hike the trails at Torrey Pikes State Park, explore the world-renowned San Diego Zoo, and tour Old Town. Want to head inside for a bit? Browse nearly 16 museums at Balboa Park.

6. Palm Desert/Palm Springs, California

Weather Averages: 60 F high/43 F low; 4 days with rainfall
To Do: Joshua Tree National Park, Indian Canyons, Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Palm Springs International Film Festival (early January)
Closest Airport: Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) – less than 10 min downtown; Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) – 2h

Another desert destination to fight off that January gloom. January is prime time to visit Palm Springs with its sunny days and crisp nights. Early January also brings the Palm Springs International Film Festival which attracts celebrities from nearby LA touting their indie films. Given its proximity to LA and its history as a fashionable resort down since the early 1900s, Palm Springs is a favorite getaway for Californians who want a break from the city. Relax at the local spas and stuff yourself at the trendy restaurants after hitting the trails at the nearby Joshua Tree National Park.

5. Las Vegas, Nevada

Weather (averages): 59 F high/28 F low; 2 days with rainfall
To Do: Fountain Show at the Bellagio, Vegas show, Red Rock Canyon, Mob Museum, gondola ride at the Venetian
Closest Airport: Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) – 10 min to downtown

With mild days and freezing nights, January is a relatively quiet month to visit Vegas. While you may not be hanging out at the hotel pool, you can enjoy all the razzle dazzle the Sin City has to offer. Experience one of the many Vegas shows, walk down the Strip, take a gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel, watch the the Fountain Show at the Bellagio, check out the seasonally decorated conservatory and botanical garden at the Bellagio, ride the Big Apple coaster at the New York-New York Hotel, explore the Mob Museum and the Neon Museum, or get a great view from the High Roller Ferris wheel. If you want to take a break from the neon lights, you can get out to the stark beauty of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (less than 30 minutes from the Strip).

4. Kailua Kona/Big Island, Hawaii

Weather (averages): 81 F high/66 F low; 6 days with rainfall [for Kailua Kona]
To Do: snorkeling, hiking, coffee farm tour, farmer’s market, Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Closest Airport: Kona International Airport (KOA) – 15 min to Kailua Kona; Hilo International Airport (ITO) – about 2 hours to Kailua Kona (cutting straight across the island)

Since I combine disparate recommendation lists, sometimes I add votes together that are about the spirit of the recommendation than the literal location. For location #4, I combined two votes for Kailua Kona (the town), with the two votes for the Big Island, and the vote for the entire state of Hawaii. Hawaii is an extremely popular January destination, but the lists can’t agree on which island – Kauai, Maui, Oahu, were also recommended, and even the tiny island of Lanai got a vote. But the most recommended Hawaiian destination for January was Kailua Kona/the Big Island. I have never been, but looking at everything the Big Island has to offer, I’m ready to hop on a plane and go there tomorrow. The Big Island has everything. On the leeward side of the island is the region of Kona, which includes the town of Kailua Kona, where you can snorkel at Kealakekua Bay, take a tour of a Kona coffee farm, visit a local farmer’s market, see the Waikoloa petroglyph field, or take a night dive to swim with the manta rays. Travel farther south to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to hike on the Crater Rim Trail or tour lava tubes. Keep traveling to the windward side of the island to the Hilo and Hamakua regions where you can taken in the magnificent waterfalls like Akaka Falls and Rainbow Falls, visit the Panaʻewa Rainforest Zoo and the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens and snorkel with sea turtles at Carlsmith Beach Park.

3. Aspen, Colorado

Weather (averages): 36 F high/10 F low; 3 days with rainfall; 10 days with snowfall
To Do: snow sports, Alpine Coaster, Ullr Nights, Smuggler Mountain trail
Closest Airport: Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) – less than 10 min to downtown; Denver International Airport (DIA) – 4 hours

The most popular Colorado ski resort for January is the luxurious Aspen. Everything I’ve read about Aspen is that it’s the ski town for those with money. Aspen is actually made up of four resorts: Aspen Mountain (the oldest, founded in 1946), Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk (home of the Winter X Games). Beyond the standard winter activities of skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, cross country skiing, tubing, sledding, snowshoeing, and, of course, the apres-ski, you can take dogsled at twilight, go on a winter hike on the Smuggler Mountain trail, ride the Alpine Coaster, and snowcat to Cloud Nine for dinner. On Friday nights, celebrate Ullr (the Norse god of snow) with Ullr Nights at Snowmass where a bonfire with s’mores and hot chocolate await and fire dancers light up the night.

2. Florida Keys, Florida

Weather (Averages): 73 F high/69 F low; 12 days with rainfall (*Key West)
To Do: Snorkel, explore Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, Turtle Hospital tour, see the deer at National Key Deer Refuge Nature Center, Ernest Hemingway house, visit Dry Tortugas National Park
Closest Airport: Key West International Airport (EYW); Florida Keys Marathon Airport (MTH)

Like the Big Island listing, this is a tabulation of several different votes: Florida Keys, Key West, and the Dry Tortugas National Park, which were all enthusiastically recommended. For a fabulous vacation, enjoy all the Keys has to offer (including its famous Key Lime pie!). The Keys are a 125 mile chain of limestone islands off the Southern tip of Florida. They are strung together by one long road comprised of 42 bridges. There are five regions of the Keys. Key Largo is the Dive Capital World and the perfect place to snorkel or scuba, especially among the breathtaking coral reefs at John Pennekamp State Park. Islamorada is the Sports Fishing Capital of the World, where you can feed tarpon off Robbie’s Marina, grab a beer at the Florida Keys Brewing Company, relax on Anne’s Beach, or take a boat tour out to explore Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park. Marathon has an extremely popular 7 mile bridge run in April. In January, you can tour the Turtle Hospital, kayak beneath the mangroves, and stroll along Sombrero Beach. Big Pine and the Lower Keys is home to the miniature Key deer – spot them at the National Key Deer Refuge Nature Center. Last but certainly not least is Key West – home to Hemingway and the Southernmost Point of the Continental United States. From Key West you can take a day trip to the Dry Tortugas on the Yankee Freedom ferry and explore the island, including historic Fort Jefferson, and snorkel off its shores.

1. Miami, Florida

Weather (averages): 74 F high/63 F low; 4 days with rainfall
To Do: Wynnwood Walls, Zoo Miami, Everglades, Little Havana, Vizcaya Museums & Gardens, Coconut Grove
Closest Airport: Miami International Airport (MIA) – 12 minutes to downtown

Beaches, nightlife, and delicious food sound like just the right cure for the winter blues, so it’s no wonder that Miami tops the list of most recommended places to visit in January. It’s the coldest month of the year and it is still in the 60s and 70s! The temperatures and the low humidity and infrequent rain make it a perfect time to stroll along the streets of Little Havana and Coconut Grove, enjoy the open air street art at Wynnwood Walls, visit the animals at Zoo Miami, tour the Everglades, and take in the history and the flowers at the Vizcaya Museums and Gardens. The water is a little cold to splash in the waves of Miami Beach (at least for those used to warmer temperatures), but you can certainly enjoy getting sand between your toes. And once the sun sets, Miami’s famous night life heats up the town. Plus, despite the warm temperatures and the snowbirds flocking to Florida, January counts as off-season in Miami, so you can enjoy all it has to offer with cheaper hotel rates than the height of summer.

Honorary Mentions

While the below locations didn’t garner enough votes to make the official list, they get my vote as places that I would like to visit some January.

Golden Isles, Georgia

Weather (Averages): 61 F high/43 F low; 6 days with rainfall
To Do: Kayak the Marshes of Glynn, take a trolley tour of St. Simons, hunt for glass floats on Jekyll Island, take a daytrip to Little St. Simons, watch migratory birds along the Colonial Coast Birding Trail
Closest Airport: Brunswick Golden Isles Airport (BQK) [exclusively flights to/from Atlanta on Delta Airlines] – about 20 min from St. Simon/30 min from Jekyll Island; Jacksonville, FL (JAX) – about 1 hour; Savannah, GA (SAV) – about 2 hours

Not being from the South, I had never heard of Georgia’s Golden Isles before I started looking at lists of places to go. But once I heard about them, they immediately went on my bucket list. The Golden Isles are a group of barrier islands off the coast from the historic city of Brunswick. They consist of St. Simons Island, Little St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and Sea Island. The islands are known for their natural beauty, including sandy beaches and live Southern Oaks dripping with Spanish moss. The Marshes of Glynn (on the island of St. Simons) even inspired poet Sydney Lanier to write:

When lovers pace timidly down through the green colonnades
Of the dim sweet woods, of the dear dark woods,
Of the heavenly woods and glades,
That run to the radiant marginal sand-beach within
The wide sea-marshes of Glynn

Each island has a little bit of its own flavor. St. Simons is the largest, most populated island; Jekyll Island is owned by the state of Georgia and in the winter you can find glass floats hidden by volunteer “Beach Buddies”; Little St. Simons is privately owned and accessible only by boat – a guided day trip is available at $200/person ; and Sea Island is an exclusive privately owned resort (daytrippers not allowed).

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Weather (Averages): 57 F high/22 F low; 2 days with rainfall
To Do: Hike on the trails; sled down the dunes (bring your own sled!)
Closest Airport: El Paso International Airport – 1.5 hours (ELP); Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) – 3.5 hours

What I love about making these lists is that I get to discover new-to-me gems. Like the Golden Isles, I had never heard of this newly-minted national park (it was formerly a national monument), but was instantly enchanted by photos of snow white sands. There are plenty of hikes around the dunes for all levels – from the wheelchair accessible Interdune Boardwalk to the half mile Playa Trail to the strenuous 5-mile Alkali Flat Trail that takes you up and down the dunes. You can also drive or bike the 26 km roundtrip Dunes Drive for another perspective on the sands. And just like the snow it resembles, the white sands of New Mexico are ripe for sledding! You may bring your own sled, or buy one at the giftshop.

San Luis Obispo, California

Weather (Averages): 65 F high/43 F low; 6 days with rainfall
To Do: Tour the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, hike Bishop Peak, visit Pismo Beach
Closest Airport: San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) – 8 min to downtown; Santa Barbara Airport (SBP) – 1.5 hours

The charming town that is the heart of “SLO Cal” (as the marketing goes) is the perfect winter weekend getaway. Mild weather and a very walkable downtown core nestled between verdant hills, San Luis Obispo itself is a calming vacation spot. But what makes it extra remarkable is its proximity to a string of other small towns and the California coast. Within 15 minutes you can reach Pismo Beach, where you can stroll along the beach and watch surfers catch a wave or visit the monarch butterflies at their winter home at the Monarch Butterfly Grove. Or in another 15 minutes you can check out the towering Morro Rock (like the Oregon Coast’s Haystack Rock) at Morro Bay. Within 30 minutes you can reach the vineyards in Paso Robles and (at least through September 2022) see fields of lights glow against the night sky at the 15-acre art display “Light at Sensorio.”

Resources

Here are the resources that I used for where to travel in January: