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The Florida Keys
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The Florida Keys, a string of tropical islands connected by US Highway 1 that stretch about 120 miles off the state’s southern tip, offer a variety of affordable winter vacation destination options. Key West is popular with partiers as well as those who love beautiful beaches and sunsets, art galleries and water sports. Parrot Key Hotel & Resort offers a great value in a recently revamped destination resort that feels like an old-fashioned beach community, complete with picket fences and porches, but if resorts and hotels in Key West are a bit too pricey for your tastes, consider staying on one of the Keys farther north like Marathon or Islamorada, which tend to be cheaper. Lime Tree Bay Resort is known as one of the best affordably-priced resorts in the Keys. Set along a palm-shaded, sandy beach, it offers all sorts of activity options, including kayaking onsite, swimming in one of two pools, soaking in the hot tub and lounging in a hammock.
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Puerto Rico
There’s no need for a passport to visit Puerto Rico, but you’ll be able to enjoy a tropical, exotic island just the same.From a beach that glows in the dark, the pink sands of Isla Verde, outstanding diving and snorkeling to delicious cuisine, salsa dancing the night away and waking up with incredible Puerto Rican coffee, there are many reasons to travel here. You’ll also find lots of small independent hotels that are very budget friendly, like the Villa Montana Beach Resort, a full-service hideaway on the sea, located just a few miles from the airport with rates that start as low as $130 midweek. The Copamarina Beach Resort in Guanica is an oceanfront resort stretching across 20 acres of lush tropical gardens offering seclusion and upscale amenities starting at under $150 per night
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Panama
Few people put Panama on their list of places to travel during the winter, but it not only offers an ideal destination for warm weather and sunshine but accommodations that run only around $40 a night. It will cost you a bit more to get there due to the lesser demand, but unlike high-traffic destinations such as Cancun, once you get there it’s not only a lot more economical, it’s less likely to be overrun with tourists. Bocas del Toro, situated on the northwestern Caribbean coast, is an archipelago of nine tropical islands where you’ll find some of the best scuba diving and surf breaks in the country. The orange-tiled roofs and Spanish colonial architecture of old town Panama City offer a striking contrast to the skyscraper skyline across the bay, and in Casco Viejo, after dark music pours onto the street from every alley and corner. By day, you’ll find this area ideal for sipping coffee at Plaza Bolivar, browsing the markets and watching the sun set from just above Plaza Francia.
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Las Vegas, Nevada
Sin City is a popular destination year-round, but it offers an especially ideal spot for warming up in the winter while enjoying sizzling entertainment at an affordable cost. In fact, some say it’s the very best wintertime bargain in the U.S. While room rates for some of the very best rooms are around $200 a night, if you’re willing to go a little off-Strip, you can find lodging for less than $50 per night. In addition to all of the shows and gambling opportunities, visitors enjoy everything from a peaceful gondola ride at the Venetian to heart-pounding thrill rides at the Stratosphere.
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San Diego, California
San Diego is renowned for its year-round pleasant weather and multitude of attractions. While it may not be warm enough for swimming in the winter, the mild temperatures are perfect for taking part in all sorts of other activities, while hotel prices are at their lowest. Enjoy taking a stroll on the beach while watching for whales as winter also happens to be whale migration season. Mission Beach is the hot spot for soaking up some rays, while La Jolla draws surfers with its great waves. Of course, you won’t want to miss a trip to the San Diego Zoo – and, you can save on attractions too by purchasing combo tickets that will get you into the zoo as well as museums and other parks. Pearl Hotel, a hip boutique hotel is not only stylish, it’s a steal, with rooms at less than $100 per night.
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Bahamas
The Bahamas are not only just a hop, skip and a jump from Florida, but hotels here start at around $100 a night. Considering the flights run as little as $300 roundtrip from the east coast and about $500 from the west, it’s easy to put together a fairly affordable trip to the islands and their wonderfully warm surrounding waters where you can indulge in fun activities like swimming, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing and a myriad of other water sports. Chez Pierre on Long Island features doubles starting at $130 a night with its six bungalows that are spread across a wide crescent beach, each with a screened porch that overlooks the water. Bikes, a catamaran and kayaks are all available and no charge.
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Montego Bay, Jamaica
While much of the Caribbean is expensive in the winter, Montego Bay in Jamaica is one of the few reasonably priced places to visit during high season, from about mid-January through early April. While the flight will set you back about $500, accommodations can be as low as $30 a night and the weather during this time of year just doesn’t get much better. You’ll also find several high quality all-inclusive options that offer a very good value. The Iberostar Rose Hall Beach is an upbeat, all-you-can-drink mega resort that crushes its competition with better food, liquor, service and activities (including free scuba tours), for less. No matter where you stay in Montego Bay, in addition to relaxing on the sand, you’ll find plenty of water sports and other activities to keep you busy.
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Tulum, Mexico
While December and January tend to be popular months for visitors to Tulum, you can find some good deals on hotels and flights throughout February and into early March. Mexico has long been known as an affordable paradise for escaping the chill of winter, and in Tulum, you’ll find as much, or as little, to do as you like. This seaside community on the Yucatan peninsula is famous for its picture-perfect Caribbean beaches with giant sea turtles that roam the sand as well as being the site of pre-Columbian Mayan ruins, including temples and castillos dating back to the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. Admission to the cliff-hugging ruins is only about $5. While some of the area’s most famous resorts run around $500 a night, there are plenty of more affordable options too, including Freedom Paradise, a more intimate, boutique hotel located on a secluded stretch of white sandy beach. Rooms open up to the sand and the sea, and start as low as $79 per person per night in an all-inclusive plan that includes all meals, unlimited domestic beverages, theme shows, activities, tips and more.
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Barbados
Getting to Barbados is more affordable than ever, thanks to JetBlue’s new direct route from Boston, which has decreased airfares to the island. Flights are under $400 roundtrip after the holiday season from the east coast, and reasonable resort rates can be had too, including Bouganvillea Beach Resort, a Mediterranean-style resort on the south coast. All rooms have either a kitchen or kitchenette, making it easy to save on meals, or guests can dine at one of two eateries along the water. It also boasts a fitness center, spa, kids’ club and water sports. While the winter months do attract more visitors, the island is rarely overcrowded.
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Spain
Costa del Sol, Seville and Barcelona all make fantastic winter destinations since the weather is quite a bit warmer than most of the rest of Europe. The more favorable exchange rates this winter make it even more affordable too. Costa del Sol in the winter enjoys average temperatures in the lower 70s. At popular resorts like Marbella, you can enjoy soaking up the sunshine on one of 24 beautiful beaches, sipping cocktails in the elegant marina and indulging in retail therapy in the trendy boutiques. In Barcelona, take a stroll around the dramatic Gothic quarter and visit the magnificent cathedral, or walk down Las Ramblas, the city’s main strip to watch street performers, dine in numerous tapas eateries and check out La Boqueria, one of the best markets in Europe’s.
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Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is popular with snowbirds and other travelers seeking an inexpensive destination for fun under the sun. At its far eastern edge, you’ll find the collection of beaches towns that are collectively referred to as Punta Cana. Unlike most of the other Caribbean islands, there are lots of massive beach hotels with 1,000 rooms or even more. That allows them to offer some of the best rates in the Caribbean – NH Punta Cana is a colorful resort on Bavaro Beach with lots of modern amenities, including satellite TV and free Wi-Fi, with rooms starting at $130 a night. While you’re here, in addition to all of the usual beach activities, you can take a day trip to Indigenous Eyes Park, a private nature reserve and jungle park with waterfalls and lagoons for swimming, explore the Cordillera Septentrional Mountains, or soak up some history at Casa Ponce de Leon, a museum dedicated to the explorer.
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Cartagena, Colombia
January is when Colombia, home to sandy beaches, vast rainforests, beautiful snow-capped mountains, fantastic coffee and charming colonial cities, gets its very best weather with average high temperatures at 85 degrees, and average lows of 75. It’s sunny and warm but not too hot, and, it’s far cheaper than any other spot in the Caribbean. High season ends in mid-January, so the already affordable hotel rates will be even less expensive from mid-January through the end of February. If you’re concerned about Colombia being a risky country to visit, that’s no longer the case – in fact, you’re more likely to be eaten by a shark in Australia than to be kidnapped in Bogota, Colombia’s capital city. Cartagena, a city on the northern coast facing the Caribbean, features impressive mangroves, powdery beaches and brilliant coral reefs along with a historic old town surrounded by the city wall. The 500-hundred year-old coralstone forts and much of its walled city are admirably intact. They also represent some of the finest examples of civil and military architecture of the Spanish colonial times.
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Boracay Island, Philippines
If you’re looking for affordable prices, the sun without the crowds and access to all sorts of amenities, you might be surprised to find that Boracay Island in the Philippines offers all of that and more. While it’s no longer considered a hidden gem, this small island with gorgeous sugar white beaches still don’t draw massive crowds. By going after the holidays, from mid-January through the end of February, even the busiest beach on the island is likely to have only some scattered sunbathers and swimmers. You can also enjoy horse riding on the sand, diving, snorkeling, cliff diving and parasailing, or join an exploration trip to a remote cove with a turquoise water-filled lagoon. While there are no super cheap places to stay, mid-range Baracay hotels (some as low as $70 a night), tend to offer a great value with nearly all accommodations located just steps away from the beach. Plus things like food, drinks, excursions and massage tend to be very reasonably priced.
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Venice, Italy
As temperatures in Venice during the winter aren’t exactly warm, that means that by bundling up you can enjoy this romantic city without the crowds. In fact, locals say that it’s actually even prettier with a dusting of snow. Plus, as this is the low season, airfare and hotel rates are the lowest they’ll be all year. If you’re looking for more excitement, plan to arrive between January 23 and February 9, when the Carnevale di Venezia festival, one of the most famous carnivals in Europe, takes place. If you’d rather skip the crowds completely, you can by going mid-week during this time, or heading there before or after it takes place. Going out of season also means you’ll benefit from shorter lines while having a better opportunity to experience the “authentic” Venice that most high season visitors miss. The thick mist that often settles atop the canals also makes for especially beautiful, atmospheric photos, though you may not be able to get that perfect view from the top of St. Mark’s Basilica. You can still enjoy the gondolas – they run year-round and when it’s chilly out the gondoliers will provide you with blankets.
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