The Best U.S. Winter Holiday Destinations, Ranked

Sometimes you want to get away and you don’t really have a particular destination in mind — you just want your trip to be both convenient and budget-friendly. If that’s the case when it comes to planning an upcoming winter getaway over the holiday season, WalletHub has you covered with its latest best winter holiday destinations ranking. Rather than looking at things like snowy scenic beauty or warm temps in the midst of winter, WalletHub compared travel destinations according to expense, hassle and convenience, among other factors.

WalletHub found, according to factors like these, if you’re seeking a cold-weather winter destination, Chicago is the place to go. Other destinations in the top 10 included Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Georgia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Denver, Colorado; Boston, Massachusetts; St. Louis, Missouri; Cincinnati, Ohio; New York, New York; and Portland, Oregon.

The study likewise found, if you want to visit a warm-weather locale this winter, your best bet would be Austin, Texas. Texas destinations ranked highly on WalletHub’s list, with other cities in its top 10 including Dallas, Texas; San Diego, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Tampa, Florida; Houston, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Charleston, South Carolina; Phoenix, Arizona; and Orlando, Florida.

WalletHub’s study found the average flight to popular cold winter destinations costs $255.42 and lasts just more than four hours. The average flight to a warm winter destination costs $344.26 and lasts just shy of five hours. Among cold destinations, Albuquerque, New Mexico, has some of the most affordable room rates. Among warm destinations, Pensacola, Florida, offers some of the most affordable room rates.