By Stacy Rapacon
February 2011

If you can’t stand the cold, get out of the country (or at least the continental U.S.). You can still find good deals to many destinations around the world that leave in as soon as two weeks. Here are our seven picks. Navigation for this slide show begins to your right.

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7 Vacation Destinations on Sale

February/March weather: Tropical, with an average daily high of 83 degrees Fahrenheit and low of 71
Language: Spanish, but many people at the big resorts and in San Juan speak English
Currency: U.S. dollar

Because it is a U.S. commonwealth, Puerto Rico lets U.S. citizens travel there without a passport. You can stay in San Juan for a city experience flavored by Latin culture and a rich and colorful history. But expect to see crowds and price tags similar to any other American metropolitan area. Or for another $65 one way, catch a puddle-jumper to Isla Culebra (airlines include Air Flamenco and Vieques Air Link). In Culebra, you can bum around paradise for next to nothing and relax on Flamenco Beach, rated one of the world’s best by the Travel Channel.

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Puerto Rico

February/March weather: Tropical, with an average daily high of 81 and average daily low of 65
Language: English
Currency: U.S. dollar

Bag a big beach bargain while the Hawaiian travel industry, still recovering from the recession, continues to try to lure visitors to the islands with discounted rates. In February and March, you can snag sweeter deals than you’d find for the more popular midsummer travel times. And you’ll dodge the bigger peak-season crowds while enjoying the same outstanding weather; Hawaii’s year-round climate is “one long, delicious summer day,” as Mark Twain described it. Ahhh.

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Hawaii

February/March weather: Tropical, with an average daily temperature of 81 to 87 throughout most of the country; dry season
Language: Spanish
Currency: Dominican peso

The greenback may be depressed in other parts of the globe, but it still packs a big punch in the Dominican Republic. Over the past year, the U.S. dollar has gained 2.6% in value against the peso, and 8.7% over the past five years. And you can get even more for your money in the shoulder-season months.

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Dominican Republic

February/March weather: Varies by region from mild to hot and humid; in Quito, mild with an average daily low of 49 and an average daily high of 65
Language: Spanish
Currency: U.S. Dollar

Forget about doing math on vacation -- this escape to the south deals in U.S. dollars. But watch out if you use a credit card in Ecuador; you could still get slapped with foreign exchange fees. And merchants may charge you 4% to 10% extra for swiping your card, so cash is king. You can get the royal treatment at relatively low costs -- $50 to $70 a day will buy you upscale lodging and dining. A more budget-conscious traveler can get by on just $15 a day.

In Quito, you can stroll the capital city in its year-round spring-like weather. The wet season spans October through May, but the sun will still shine until the afternoon on most days.

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Ecuador

February/March weather: Varies by region; in Ho Chi Minh City, tropical with an average daily low of 72 and an average daily high of 93
Language: Vietnamese
Currency: Vietnamese dong

Bask in the summer sun halfway around the world, and taste the culture and cuisine of Vietnam on the cheap. The country’s most popular marketplace is Ben Thanh in Ho Chi Minh City, where you can shop for a variety of goods, including fresh seafood, clothes and electronics, at low costs. Just remember to put your haggling face on. You’ll have a head start in the bargaining game -- a dollar is worth about 5.5% more in the local currency than it was a year ago, and 22% more than five years ago.

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Vietnam

February/March weather: Varies by region; in London, mild with an average daily low of 35 and an average daily high of 52
Language: English
Currency: British pound

They’ve been having a rough winter across the pond, too. But if you don’t mind the cold and want a change of scenery, you can jet to London for a chill holiday (and a peek at the city pre-Royal wedding) and pay less than the cost of a plane ticket in June. Be ready to pay big-city prices for dining, shopping, sightseeing and other activities. But the dollar has gained in value by about 11% against the British pound over the past five years: A pound recently cost $1.61 versus $1.75 in 2006.

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United Kingdom

February/March weather: Varies by region; in Milan, humid with an average daily low of 32 and an average daily high of 56
Language: Italian
Currency: Euro

You won’t find much warmer surroundings in Italy in February or March, but you will score savings of at least $300 on airfare by visiting during these less-fashionable months -- fares in July can top $1,000 a ticket. Plan a big budget for fine dining and shopping. And if you want to splurge, you can embrace Old Man Winter at the many fine ski areas around the country, including the Piedmont region, located about 70 miles from Milan, where the 2006 Winter Olympics were held.

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Italy

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