Does the winter weather have you dreaming of an escape to a warmer locale? Or maybe you live in the South and want to go somewhere that actually has snow on the ground -- and lots of it. If you’re longing for an affordable getaway, you’re in luck. I asked Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, to share her picks for the best winter travel deals. Here are nine destinations in the U.S. and abroad that she recommends:
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Warm-weather spots
Disney World. You can save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney World resorts and discounted tickets to the park if you book travel through JetBlue Airways. Discounts are available for stays February 18 to March 23 and April 2 to June 14. Visit jetblue.com for more information.
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Hawaii. Banas says that you can find great deals on Hawaii travel packages now. For example, Pleasant Holidays is offering rates from $549 per person for roundtrip airfare from West Coast cities, hotel accommodations for five nights and a rental car as part of its Hawaii Winter Sale.
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. You don’t need a passport to escape to this tropical island destination, which is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. With the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism’s St. Croix Fantastic Flight Promotion, you can get a $300 airfare credit, your sixth night free at participating hotels and a $20 casino certificate if you book by January 31 for travel through March 24.
San Diego. You can find a variety of lodging deals in San Diego, which is warmer now than many places in the U.S. and is a great family destination. See San Diego Tourism Authority’s SUNsational travel deals promotion for more information.
Sanibel Island, Fla. This island in the Gulf of Mexico is one of Florida’s quieter vacation spots and is known for its great shelling beaches. With the Winter Escape promotion from Luxury Resorts, you can get credits for hotel activities, food and beverages at four Sanibel Island hotels and kids eat free all day. You get a $50 credit for a two-night stay; $75 credit for a three-night stay; and a $100 credit for a four-night stay for travel before April 30. Rates start at $149.
Bahamas. Deals abound now in the Bahamas, where temperatures are in the 70s. You can get up to $300 off airfare to several of the islands with promotional codes from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. The Atlantis resort on Paradise Island is offering special rates from $65 a night per person and a $300 instant airfare credit for a six-night stay or $200 credit for four- and five-night stays if you book by January 14. You’ll also receive a Taste of Atlantis pass for food and drinks at select restaurants. Visit Atlantis.com for more information about this deal and others.
Azores. This archipelago of nine islands in the Atlantic Ocean is an autonomous region of Portugal and offers an old-world European experience. Average temperatures range from 60 degrees to 77 degrees. It’s only a four-hour flight from the East Coast, and Azores airline SATA has a deal on flights from Boston to Ponta Delgada. You can get a roundtrip flight starting at $499 (taxes included) if you book by January 15 for travel between March 21 and April 18.
Cold-weather destinations
Iceland. IcelandAir has several vacation package deals, including a Northern Lights Escape that includes round-trip airfare Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., Denver or Seattle, a two-night hotel stay in Reykjavik and two-night stay in Akureyri, buffet breakfasts, Northern Lights tour and more for $953 per person.
Montreal, Canada. You can find a great deal on accommodations now through May 31 thanks to the Tourisme Montreal Winter Sweat Deal promotion. When you book a room at a participating hotel (with rates starting at $112 Canadian dollars), you can get a second night at half price. Plus, you can get a coupon booklet with offers valued at $500. Banas recommends low-cost Canadian airline Porter, which usually has roundtrips to Montreal for less than $300 from major Northeast cities.
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