Winter doesn’t have to mean choosing between freezing temperatures or staying home. Among the many winter holiday destinations USA travelers love, you’ll find everything from sun-drenched deserts to snow-capped mountain towns, often just a short flight apart. Whether you’re after a warm-weather escape or a proper powder day, this list covers ten standout winter holiday US options worth building a trip around, based on what each place actually does best this time of year.
Winter is arguably the best season to visit Sedona and Phoenix, since the brutal summer heat gives way to mild, sunny days in the 60s and 70s, perfect for spending hours outdoors without overheating. According to Visit Arizona, the region sees some of its clearest, driest weather of the year during winter months.
Cathedral Rock and Devil’s Bridge are the two trails everyone talks about, and they live up to the hype, especially at sunrise when the red rock glows orange. For something less crowded, Fay Canyon and Soldier Pass Trail offer similar scenery with noticeably fewer hikers. If hiking isn’t your thing, a Pink Jeep Tour takes you off-road through the same formations without the legwork, and the vortex sites near Bell Rock draw visitors interested in Sedona’s reputation for energy and wellness tourism.
Phoenix pairs well as a base, with the Desert Botanical Garden lit up for its winter Electric Desert light show, and Camelback Mountain offering a steep but short hike with skyline views. Old Town Scottsdale, just outside the city, is worth an evening for its galleries, restaurants, and golf courses that stay busy well into winter thanks to the mild temperatures.
Palm Springs turns into a completely different city come winter, trading scorching summer heat for pleasant, pool-weather afternoons and crisp desert nights. Pair it with nearby Joshua Tree National Park for one of the more unique landscapes in the country.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the standout attraction, carrying you nearly 6,000 feet up in a rotating gondola, often from desert warmth into actual snow at the top in winter. Downtown’s Palm Canyon Drive is lined with mid-century modern architecture, vintage shops, and a Thursday night street fair (VillageFest) worth timing your visit around. For something slower, the natural hot mineral pools at Desert Hot Springs make for a relaxed half-day trip just north of the city.
Inside the park, Hidden Valley and Skull Rock are short, easy walks that still capture the landscape’s strange beauty, while Keys View offers sweeping desert views stretching toward the Salton Sea on a clear day. The park is also one of the best stargazing spots in Southern California thanks to its International Dark Sky Park status, so staying until after sunset is worth the extra time if you can manage it.
While the rest of the country bundles up, Key West stays firmly in shorts-and-flip-flops territory, with winter temperatures comfortably in the mid-70s.
Watching the sunset at Mallory Square is practically a rite of passage, complete with street performers and a nightly crowd that gathers just for the view. Duval Street covers the bar-hopping and live music side of things, while the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum offers a quieter, more historic stop in between, famous for its resident six-toed cats.
Snorkeling or diving the Florida Reef Tract, the only living coral reef system in the continental US, is one of the best things to do in Key West specifically because of how accessible it is right off the coast. Sunset sailing catamaran trips are another popular pick, and for something more active, kayaking through the mangroves around the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge gets you away from the crowds entirely.
Aspen is the name that comes up first in almost any conversation about American ski towns, and for good reason. Four separate mountains and a genuinely walkable downtown make it one of the best winter travel destinations in the USA for skiers who also want a polished town to come back to.
Aspen Mountain sits right above downtown and suits intermediate to advanced skiers, while Aspen Highlands is known for steeper terrain and arguably the best views in the valley from Highland Bowl. Buttermilk is the gentler, beginner-friendly option (and home to the Winter X Games), and Snowmass rounds things out with the most terrain overall, making it the pick for groups with mixed skill levels.
Downtown Aspen’s restaurant scene punches well above its population size, and the Aspen Art Museum is a solid rainy or off-day option. For something quieter, the Maroon Bells, two of Colorado’s most photographed peaks, are stunning even under winter snow, though road access depends on conditions, so check ahead before planning a visit.
Straddling the California-Nevada border, Lake Tahoe offers a massive alpine lake framed by multiple ski resorts on both shores. For current conditions and resort info, Go Tahoe North is a solid local resource.
Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley) hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and remains one of the most challenging and respected resorts in North America. Heavenly, on the South Shore, offers the added bonus of ski runs with direct lake views, while Northstar is a good fit for families thanks to its more gradual terrain and dedicated kids’ zones.
Emerald Bay, usually photographed in summer, is just as striking framed by snow, and a scenic drive around the lake (weather permitting) hits multiple viewpoints in a single afternoon. On the Nevada side, South Lake Tahoe’s casinos add a different kind of evening entertainment if you want a break from the mountain-town routine.
For travelers who want their winter vacation to feel like an entirely different season, Hawaii delivers warm temperatures year-round, plus a winter-specific bonus most people don’t expect.
Waikiki Beach is the obvious starting point, but Diamond Head’s crater hike rewards an early morning climb with panoramic coastline views, and Pearl Harbor National Memorial offers a sobering, essential stop for understanding the island’s history.
Between roughly December and April, humpback whales migrate to Hawaiian waters to breed and give birth, and sightings from shore are common, especially along Maui’s coastline. Dedicated boat tours out of Lahaina or Ma’alaea push the odds even higher, often getting remarkably close to breaching whales.
The Road to Hana is a full-day drive along nearly 600 curves and nearly 60 bridges, passing waterfalls and jungle scenery that make every stop worth the slow pace. For something different entirely, a sunrise visit to Haleakalā National Park, above the clouds at over 10,000 feet, is one of the more unforgettable mornings you can plan into a Hawaii trip.
New Orleans trades snow for string lights and live jazz drifting out of French Quarter doorways. Winters here are mild rather than cold, making it an easy city to explore on foot.
Bourbon Street gets the attention, but Royal Street is better for daytime wandering, lined with art galleries and antique shops rather than bars. Café du Monde’s beignets are a near-mandatory stop, ideally enjoyed outdoors even in winter, since the mild temperatures rarely require more than a light jacket.
Frenchmen Street is where locals tend to go for live jazz, often with a more authentic feel than the touristier Bourbon Street venues. The National WWII Museum is one of the top-rated museums in the country and makes for a strong rainy-day option, while a Garden District walking tour covers the city’s famous above-ground cemeteries and historic mansions.
No list of winter holiday destinations USA travelers search for would be complete without New York City around the holidays, when the city leans fully into its reputation as the quintessential winter backdrop.
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and ice rink draw crowds every December, and the department store window displays along Fifth Avenue, particularly at Saks and Bergdorf Goodman, turn window-shopping into an actual event. Central Park’s Wollman Rink offers a less crowded skating alternative with skyline views as a backdrop.
With temperatures often near freezing, it helps to balance outdoor sightseeing with indoor stops. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA both reward a half-day visit, and catching a Broadway show in the evening is practically a New York winter tradition in its own right.
Jackson Hole combines serious ski terrain with genuine Western character and easy access to Grand Teton National Park. For trip planning, Jackson Hole’s official tourism site is a useful starting point.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is known for genuinely advanced terrain, including the famous Corbet’s Couloir, so it tends to attract more experienced skiers than beginner-focused resorts. Winter wildlife tours regularly spot elk, moose, and bald eagles, and the National Elk Refuge runs horse-drawn sleigh rides directly through a wintering elk herd, which is hard to find anywhere else in the country.
Downtown’s Town Square, framed by its iconic elk antler arches, is the obvious photo stop, and the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar nearby delivers on its Western-saloon reputation. If the weather allows, a scenic drive into Grand Teton National Park itself puts the full mountain range in view without needing to ski at all.
Savannah rounds out this list with something different: a historic Southern city with mild winters, cobblestone squares, and oak trees draped in Spanish moss. According to Visit Savannah, winter is actually one of the most comfortable, least crowded times to explore the historic district.
Forsyth Park, with its landmark fountain, anchors the southern end of downtown, while the string of smaller historic squares further north each have their own character, several lined with antebellum architecture. Bonaventure Cemetery, made famous by “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” is an atmospheric stop that’s genuinely worth the short drive from downtown.
River Street runs along the Savannah River with cobblestone paths, candy shops, and riverside restaurants, especially pleasant in winter without the summer humidity. For a sit-down meal, the city’s Lowcountry cuisine, think shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, is worth planning at least one dinner around.
The biggest decision point is simple: do you want to be in the snow, or away from it? Ski towns like Aspen, Lake Tahoe, and Jackson Hole deliver on powder and mountain scenery, while Arizona, Florida, California’s desert towns, and Hawaii offer a genuine break from winter altogether.
Ski resort towns and Hawaii tend to run on the pricier end, especially around the December holidays, while cities like Savannah and New Orleans generally offer more affordable winter travel destinations in the USA without sacrificing character. Booking flights and accommodation several weeks ahead of peak holiday dates makes a noticeable difference in both price and availability across nearly every destination on this list.
From red rock trails in Sedona to powder days in Jackson Hole, the range of winter travel destinations in the USA means there’s genuinely something for every kind of traveler, whether you’re chasing sunshine, snow, or just a change of scenery. Pick the version of winter that actually appeals to you, book early if your dates fall around the holidays, and you’ll come back with a trip that felt nothing like staying home and watching the forecast.
Best Places and Times to See the Northern Lights in Switzerland If someone told you…
10 Best Things to Do in Corfu (Sidari)If you're planning a trip to the Ionian…
For Event Enthusiasts: The Best Things to Do in Sharm El Sheikh—Beyond the Historical SitesIf…
Best 10 Things to Do in Shibuya TokyoThe first time I stepped out of Shibuya…
Top 10 Things to Do in Washington DCThe first time I visited Washington DC, I…
Looking for a romantic getaway near me? Discover the 12 most romantic mountain vacation spots…
This website uses cookies.