4 Winter Vacation Ideas for People Who Hate the Cold

a model of a boat on a box

Do you feel that chill in the air? Fall is here, and winter isn’t far behind. All around you, people are celebrating. They’re excited for Halloween, for Thanksgiving, and for Christmas. They’re talking about pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin beers. They’re taking their families apple picking and getting new jackets and sweaters, thrilled to pieces by the changing seasons.

Those lunatics.

As for you? You’d pass on fall and winter if you could, thanks very much. Even spring is an iffy proposition. Summer is where it’s at, in your opinion. If it’s not warm enough to enjoy short sleeves and outdoor activities, then what’s the point? And no, skiing is not a good “outdoor activity” — it’s just another thing that those crazy cold-weather-lovers get up to in the awful chilly months.

This year, you’ve had enough. You’re going to get out of here during winter and avoid it entirely — or, well, at least a few weeks of it. You have to work, but you can at least take a break and flee the area for a warmer climate. Here are four great vacation ideas of those who hate the cold.

Get active on the water

Beach weeks are nice, but you may not be in a lazy mood this winter. After all, one of the miserable things about the cold is the way in which it keeps us all pent up indoors. When you finally get out into the sun and the warmth on your tropical winter getaway, you might want to do something more than just get a tan and read a mass market paperback.

So why not try out some water sports? Surfing lesson training can be good for you and a whole lot of fun, and getting competent at getting up on the board can give you a great vacation option for years to come. Catching the waves in Hawaii or Southern California is a pretty darn cool way to spend a winter trip. And, of course, this is just one option. You could also try wakeboarding, waterskiing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and a whole lot of other fun and active ocean activities.

Explore the Southwest

California and Hawaii get a lot of press, but there’s a lot to see in the inland Southwest, too, say the pros at vacay az – Scottsdale vacation rental management companies. Arizona and New Mexico are full of natural wonders, including several national parks. Petrified Forest National Park and Grand Canyon National Park are near enough to each other to be a part of the same great trip, and New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns is worth a look, too.

There is also plenty of history and culture in these states. Be sure to stop at New Mexico’s Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which features a stunning 650-room building built into the side of a canyon by the Puebloan people about 1,000 years ago. Oh, and did we mention that most areas of New Mexico and Arizona are nice and warm all year long?

Switch hemispheres

Earth’s tilted axis is what causes its seasons — you remember this from Earth Science class, of course. Because of this, not everyone experiences winter at the same time. Here in North America, we get the chilly weather at the same time of year as the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. It’s cold over in Norway and Russia and (a little less so) in Spain and Italy, too.

Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere gets the inverse. It’s chilly down there when it’s hot up here, and vice versa — which makes a miserable Northern Hemisphere winter the perfect time to visit Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, or any of the many other Southern Hemisphere countries that are worth checking out. If you’re a fan of international travel who hates the cold, winters are the perfect time to visit these incredible places.