The 8 best places in the U.S. to visit in January

If you made a New Year’s resolution to travel more in 2027, why not start with the first month of the year? 

While the tail end of the holidays makes the first week of January a busy time to travel, the rest of the month generally sees fewer crowds at airports and popular destinations, making it a great time to score deals on flights and hotels. Of course, the real question is: Where should you go? 

Maybe you want to embrace the winter weather with a cozy ski retreat in Colorado. Or, if you’re already over the cold temperatures, perhaps you’d rather escape to a place where you can warm up on a Florida beach. Either way, you have options when it comes to planning your ideal January getaway.  

Here are the eight best places in the U.S. to go in January.

Saguaro National Park, Ariz.

Go for: desert landscapes without the heat.

Summer trips to Saguaro National Park, located to the east and west of Tucson, Ariz., mean dealing with intense heat and sun. But in January, visiting this cactus forest, home to more than 2 million towering saguaro cacti, is much more bearable, thanks to high temperatures in the low 60s. 

Check out the 3.4-mile round-trip Sendero-Esperanza Trail, a moderately challenging hike that leads up the ridgeline for beautiful desert views and can be added to longer hikes. You’ll also want to check out the Signal Hill Petroglyph Site, which comprises more than 200 prehistoric petroglyphs dating to between about 550 and 1,550 years ago.

Wilderness backcountry camping is permitted in Saguaro National Park with a reservation, but for travelers who need a few more luxuries, a hotel in nearby Tucson may be more desirable. The Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort, which originally opened as a school for girls in 1929, offers a spa, mountain views and even an on-site sculpture gallery. 

Tucson is also a great place for food lovers, as it’s the first U.S. city designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Visit Mercado San Agustín and the nearby MSA Annex to enjoy street tacos and browse panaderías (traditional Mexican bakeries).

Palm Springs, Calif.

Go for: mountain snow and unforgettable hikes. 

Palm Springs, in California’s Coachella Valley, is a popular desert escape. And January is a great time to visit if you want to avoid extreme heat. January sees daytime highs, on average, in the low 70s, though evenings can dip into the 40s. 

While you may associate Palm Springs with lounging by the pool in the sun in retro-style hotels, travelers seeking a wintry experience can have exactly that by taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world’s largest rotating tram car, up to Mount San Jacinto. From here, you can explore the eponymous state park, which is significantly colder than the desert floor and has more than 50 miles of trails to explore. Just pack a winter coat and boots, as the mountain often has snow on the ground this time of year. Hungry? The mountain has a fine-dining restaurant, a cafeteria and a bar appropriately called The Lookout Lounge.

Want more nature? Joshua Tree National Park, which has 191 miles of hiking trails and desert flora like the park’s namesake trees and fuzzy teddy bear cholla cacti, is about an hour away. Want less? If you’re a cinephile, January is still an excellent time to visit this desert town, as the Palm Springs International Film Festival runs from Jan. 7 to 18, 2027. Tickets are available to the public. 

While there are many stylish hotels to explore in Palm Springs, those looking for a particularly kitschy experience can attempt to book drag queen Trixie Mattel’s very pink Trixie Motel, a boutique property with seven rooms you’ll want to post on social media immediately. Or, go for easy resort living with the adults-only L’Horizon Resort & Spa, which has private bungalows, on-site yoga classes and an infrared sauna. 

Bellingham, Wash.

Go for: sauna sessions, spa retreats and the good kind of fire festival. 

Bellingham is located about 90 miles north of Seattle, just shy of the U.S.-Canada border. This college town has a strong arts and culture scene, and it’s a key gateway to outdoor adventures in the Cascade Mountains, including winter sports like skiing.

January marks a particularly fun time of year to visit Bellingham, thanks to its annual winter folk festival. The three-day-long Fire & Story Festival, which in 2027 runs from Jan. 28 to Jan. 30, celebrates immersive entertainment and features fire dancers, glassblowers and metalsmiths, as well as music and comedy performances. The festival also brings the heat with a “Sauna Grove,” a village of wood saunas you can book for a private session or communal use. (Saunas require a separate ticket.)  

Consider staying at The Chrysalis Inn & Spa, which serves locally sourced food and has fire pits for guests. Or, check out the Hotel Bellwether for some true R&R: book a suite with a soaking tub and views of Bellingham Bay and Squalicum Harbor.

Oahu, Hawaii

Go for: whale watching and wave catching (or watching).  

Oahu, Hawaii, is home to the state capital and largest city, Honolulu. Daytime highs average in the low 80s, which means you’ll still be able to enjoy beach days in a bathing suit — though it’s worth noting that January also brings more rain to the island. If weather conditions hold, however, you can visit the famed Waikiki Beach, on the south shore of the island, to swim or even take a surf lesson. 

More interested in viewing the water than getting in it? January is a great month for humpback whale watching, which you can do in Oahu by scheduling a tour, chartering a boat or heading to viewing spots like the Makapuʻu Lighthouse. Visiting Oahu in January also gives you the opportunity to see big wave riders who specialize in tackling massive swells.

If you’re visiting the island with kids, consider staying at Honolulu’s Hilton Hawaiian Village, a beachfront property with a saltwater lagoon and waterslide pools, as well as family-friendly cultural activities. If you want something more luxe, consider a stay at The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay, located on the North Shore, which partners with the Jamie O’Brien Surf Experience, offering exclusive access to surf lessons.

Breckenridge, Colo.

Go for: the ultimate snow (and ice) escape.

Home to the massive Breckenridge Ski Resort, this high-elevation Colorado mountain town is ideal for winter sports like skiing and snowboarding in January. (There’s even a 22-foot superpipe at the Breckenridge Ski Resort for visitors with advanced skills.) 

But you don’t have to love shredding snow to enjoy this former Gold Rush town, which has a great craft beer scene, a whiskey distillery that claims to be the world’s highest and lots of charming boutiques on Main Street. Other popular activities include guided fly-fishing tours and mine tours. 

In January, visitors can even bundle up to view the International Snow Sculpture Championships, where artists craft massive sculptures from 25-ton blocks of snow. Sculpting, performed by teams from around the globe, occurs between Jan. 23 and Jan. 27, and ballots for the People’s Choice Vote are open from Jan. 25 to Jan. 28. The sculptures can be viewed until Feb. 2, weather permitting, and admission is free. 

South Walton, Fla.

Go for: live music and bonfires on the beach. 

Located on the northwest Gulf Coast of Florida’s panhandle, South Walton is known for its white-sand beaches and turquoise waters. But visiting in January is particularly special for music fans. Each year, South Walton hosts the 30A Songwriters Festival, which, in 2027, takes place from Jan. 15 to Jan. 18. Performers will play at 30 venues along Scenic Highway 30A, with a lineup this year that includes acts spanning folk, rock and soul. 

Other activities to check out in South Walton include beach bonfires, held every Wednesday at The Bay restaurant’s private beach. During the day, stroll through the various beach communities, which feature a mix of high-end boutiques, restaurants and artisanal food shops. 

Seeking a place to stay? If you’re looking for a boutique hotel with style, go for The Pearl, located at Rosemary Beach. You could get beachfront views and hospitality that includes a turndown treat brought to your room each night. 

Universal Orlando Resort, Fla.

Go for: a new (and less-crowded) theme park trip.  

The Universal Orlando Resort has three main theme parks: Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and the latest, Epic Universe, which opened in May 2025 and includes highlights like a new Wizarding World of Harry Potter area based on the Ministry of Magic and a Dark Universe section inspired by classic Universal monster movies. 

While these parks can get jam-packed, particularly with families during summer breaks and holidays, January is a fantastic time to visit. Not only are temperatures pleasant this time of year (think: highs in the low 70s), but the first month of the year can also be one of the least busy at the parks. Just avoid the New Year’s and Martin Luther King Jr. holiday periods, which see large crowds and, if you can, stick to weekdays. 

While there are lots of hotel options in Orlando that will put you within a quick drive of the park, there are some perks to staying on property if the theme parks are your main draw. Visitors staying at Universal’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort, the Hard Rock Hotel or Universal’s Loews Portofino Bay Hotel receive complimentary Universal Express Unlimited passes for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, meaning you can enjoy priority access to participating rides and attractions, multiple times over, at these parks. (This Express pass does not cover Epic Universe.) You will, however, have to buy your park tickets separately. 

The Golden Isles, Ga.

Go for: scenic cycling and a special treasure hunt.  

Located on the southeast coast of Georgia, this coastal getaway comprises four barrier islands (St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons Island) and the mainland city of Brunswick. 

With highs in the low 60s in January, it’s an ideal time to cycle around the area’s salt marshes and maritime forests. Jekyll Island, specifically, has 24 miles of paved biking trails, making it a great place to spend most of your time on this January trip. Consider visiting Driftwood Beach, a popular beach that, as its name suggests, has driftwood lining the shoreline like natural sculptures. 

The island is also the site of a two-month-long treasure hunt: Visitors can search for clear plastic globes, which can then be exchanged for a handmade keepsake glass float — meant to appear like the ones fishermen used to mark their nets in the ocean in the 1900s. The hunt traditionally runs from January through February. 

While you won’t be able to witness turtle hatching (one of the area’s most popular attractions), travelers interested in wildlife can also visit Jekyll Island’s Georgia Sea Turtle Center, the only education and rehabilitation facility for sea turtles in the state.  

Outside of Jekyll Island, you can also visit the city of Brunswick, where you can take a rum tasting and tour at Richland Rum or visit the Biron Tea Factory. And for a place to stay, consider The King and Prince on St. Simons Island, a beachfront hotel with its own ocean-view restaurant and an 18-hole golf course.