Take A Winter Vacation to the Best Hot/Cold Destinations

Whether you’re planning a holiday vacation or just taking a family vacation during the colder weather it is time to start planning. Before you get to far into those plans you need to make a few choices first. Do you want to travel somewhere warm or enjoy the snow and prefer some place cold?

Ahead of a winter season with above-normal temperatures and more rain than snow, according to the latest forecast from the Old Farmers’ Almanac, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its 2018’s Best Winter Holiday Destinations report as well as it’s supplement for money-saving selection of the Best Travel Credit Cards.

Focusing on cost and convenience rather than scenic beauty, WalletHub compared nearly 70 of the largest U.S. metro areas grouped by warm and cold weather. Each destination was analyzed based on 36 key metrics, primarily the expense and hassle of traveling to each location but also on other indicators, such as weather forecasts, safety and variety of activities.

Here’s a quick glimpse at some of the report’s most interesting findings:

Best vs. Worst

• The average flight to a popular cold winter destination costs $279.09, lasts 3 hours and 32 minutes and has 0.27 connections. In comparison, the average flight to a popular warm winter destination costs $416.61, lasts 5 hours and has 0.53 connections.
• Among cold destinations, Chicago, Illinois and Columbus, Ohio have the lowest price for a three-star hotel room, $42, which is three times lower than Worcester, Massachusetts, the city with the highest at $126.
• Among warm destinations, Dallas has the lowest price for a three-star hotel room, $49, which is 4.7 times lower than Honolulu, the city with the highest at $230.
• Among cold destinations, New York has the most restaurants (per square root of population), 7.42, which is 7.1 times more than in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the city with the fewest at 1.05.
• Among warm destinations, San Francisco has the most restaurants (per square root of population), 4.91, which is 18.2 times more than in North Port, Florida, the city with the fewest at 0.27.

Taking that family vacation and wondering what your best travel options are when traveling with the whole gang. June E. Clarke, Ph.D., MBA, CHE, CHIA – Associate Professor, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Delaware State University and WalletHub expert has an the answer.

“At this time of the year, many families in some regions are looking for a warm place to vacation as the prospect of a cold and freezing winter appears to be imminent,” said Clarke. However, it is crucial that families, when travelling, not only look for destinations that are popular but also have the appropriate accommodation with amenities, food service, activities, entertainment and at an affordable cost. Family trips are meant for enjoying time and things people love with each other. Hence, family-friendly destinations that cater to the entire family are essential. For example, in terms of activities:

• There is a wide selection of parks and entertainment in Florida that are family friendly
• Also, most Caribbean islands offer family oriented types of activities and entertainment.

To view the full report and your metro area’s rank, please visit:

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-winter-holiday-destinations/7930/

Courtesy: WalletHub

Photo Courtesy: Fiontain CC-BY-SA 3.0 from Wikimedia Commons