When the mercury drops, some Americans welcome the chill while others follow the sun. This year, the winter promises to be an intense one. The Old Farmer’s Almanac forecasts below-average temperatures across most of the U.S., along with strong storms bringing heavy rain, sleet and snow. Having an especially cold winter with lots of precipitation may make the difficult situation of the COVID-19 pandemic even harder to deal with. The good news is that many more Americans – including children – are likely to be vaccinated by then. That will help to make winter travel safer.

To help Americans plan their travels over the colder months, WalletHub developed a ranking of the cheapest U.S. destinations that are also the easiest to reach. In total we analyzed nearly 70 of the largest metro areas — grouped as “warm” or “cold” — based on 39 key metrics, including two weeks of flight data, safety indicators and weather predictions.

Compared with other rankings that focus on each destination’s scenic quality, this report focuses primarily on the cost and convenience of traveling to each location as well as its affordability. It also ensures that the number of attractions and variety of activities in each destination will keep everyone busy and entertained throughout the trip.

Best Cold Destinations for Winter Travel		Best Warm Destinations for Winter Travel
1.	Atlanta, GA	1.	Austin, TX
2.	Washington, DC	2.	Las Vegas, NV
3.	New York, NY	3.	San Diego, CA
4.	St. Louis, MO	4.	Dallas, TX
5.	Albuquerque, NM	5.	Houston, TX
6.	Chicago, IL	6.	San Antonio, TX
7.	Denver, CO	7.	Phoenix, AZ
8.	Cincinnati, OH	8.	San Francisco, CA
9.	Kansas City, MO	9.	Tampa, FL
10.	Boston, MA	10.	Orlando, FL

Cold Weather Destinations



Warm Weather Destinations