What city to visit for the month of January?

[gretah]

I live in the north and I am done with dark and gray in January.

Would you recommend a city for me to live during the month of January?

I'd like to try east coast or south. I like museums, ballet, great restaurants.

Perhaps I'll spend a week in 4 cities. I like New Orleans but a week would suffice.

Cost isn't an issue. I'm good at finding lower cost air tickets and hotels.

What would you recommend?

TIA!

 

[Meadbh]

Sydney, Australia.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Houston is nice in January, for Houston....

 

[aja8888]

Come to Houston....we have it all, and hotel prices are dropping like a rock in water due to low oil prices.

 

[sanjeev0276]

Miami Florida, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tuscon, AZ. These all are the places you can enjoy in winter months that includes January.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Come to Houston....we have it all, and hotel prices are dropping like a rock in water due to low oil prices.

Plus Houston does have a NICE arts scene and some of the best restaurants on the planet.

Houston ballet and opera are one of the best in the country IMO.

Plus if you are into birding Bolivar is a quick drive. January birding is the best.

 

[anethum]

Mexico City. Yes, Mexico City. It's a world-class city with near perfect weather during the northern hemisphere winter. Superb museums, superb food, friendly people, and fantastic value. I've been there many times and have always felt safe.

 

[MichaelB]

Miami Florida, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Tuscon, AZ. These all are the places you can enjoy in winter months that includes January.

+1

South Florida is most glorious in January when the northeast is cold and dreary.

 

[ivinsfan]

How important is the weather to you? We spent a nice January in an oceanfront condo right on Virginia Beach, it was great, not crowded, beautiful with lots of things to do in the area. But it was not tropical weather. Got a 2 bedroom upscale condo for 1400 bucks for the month. This is cheap enough per night that you can have the condo as a base on go back and forth to other locales if you want to. But you would certainly want a car at most of the places mentioned above.

 

[Midpack]

Sticking with your Southish/Eastish requirement - Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans would be among my first choices - more charm, less culture. Atlanta, Miami, Raleigh-Chapel Hill, Charlotte & (begrudingly) Houston would be honorable mentions - more culture, less charm (probably fitting the OP's requirements better).

But if cost isn't an issue - Hawaii or the Caribbean!

 

[ivinsfan]

It sound like the OP prefers domestic destinations..I remember on the last where should I go thread, the OP didn't mention in the first post they had 2 large dogs that would be riding along!

 

[Bamaman]

Houston or Phoenix would be good.

We spent February, 2015 in Las Vegas, Hawaii and San Francisco--all temperate for mid-Winter.

You've got to go to Orlando or south of there to get warm in January. North Florida and the panhandle is windy and most often pretty cold then.

 

[TallTim]

Domestic cities, you've got a good list. You might add Santa Fe, NM to that list, though it can be a bit chilly.

SE US, I agree with the others -- Charleston, Savannah, Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans, Miami, Houston - maybe even Key West

If you're open to int'l travel, even in western hemisphere - strong contenders would be San Miguel de Allende, MX, Santiago Chile and Buenos Aires, Arg.

Even further, perhaps Sydney, or Auckland or even Singapore or Tahiti.

 

[CoolChange]

Fly into Cancún and enjoy anything on the Yucatán Peninsula.

January shouldn't give you too many rainy or unbearable hot days; and, I have always found plenty to do.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Um, don't know how it compares to where you are, but Charleston is mighty chilly in January. Our only days of actual, real, honest to goodness ice happen in January. And the humidity coupled with the onshore breeze can cut you like a knife. But what do I know, I am a local, and as such, a weather wimp when it comes to cold.

I mean, I figure it is better than Buffalo or whatever, but make no mistake, it is pretty dang cold here that time of year. March and April are when I'd come to Chucktown.

Edit to add: when we have ice, our bridges close. Stranding us on the wrong side, usually. It is not awesome.

 

[Car-Guy]

Come to Houston....we have it all, and hotel prices are dropping like a rock in water due to low oil prices.

Yes, they have it all, including massive traffic jams. And if you like traffic jams at all hours, you will absolutely love Houston. The only city that is worse in the US is possibly LA.

I can't believe that I drove in that mess to downtown everyday for almost 40 years. Of course 20, 30 or 40 years ago it wasn't nearly as bad as it is today.

 

[Midpack]

Um, don't know how it compares to where you are, but Charleston is mighty chilly in January. Our only days of actual, real, honest to goodness ice happen in January. And the humidity coupled with the onshore breeze can cut you like a knife. But what do I know, I am a local, and as such, a weather wimp when it comes to cold.

I mean, I figure it is better than Buffalo or whatever, but make no mistake, it is pretty dang cold here that time of year. March and April are when I'd come to Chucktown.

Edit to add: when we have ice, our bridges close. Stranding us on the wrong side, usually. It is not awesome.

It's all relative as you know. 25F warmer and 12" less snow in Charleston sounds like a dream to me vs Jan in Chicago. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

OTOH I'd rather be in Chicago for Summer/Fall!

 

[Big_Hitter]

Yes, they have it all, including massive traffic jams. And if you like traffic jams at all hours, you will absolutely love Houston. The only city that is worse in the US is possibly LA.

I can't believe that I drove in that mess to downtown everyday for almost 40 years. Of course 20, 30 or 40 years ago it wasn't nearly as bad as it is today.

I lived around 610/Shepherd - I had a 20 minute commute, 30 minutes on a "bad" day.

Plus, the OP can rent a place downtown/midtown for all the arts, music and restaurants - it's a lot nicer than it used to be and has light rail

If we didn't have such great skiing here in January-March I'd seriously consider wintering in Houston.

 

[Senator]

It's typically crisp and clear here in Minnesota in January.

 

[Car-Guy]

I lived around 610/Shepherd - I had a 20 minute commute, 30 minutes on a "bad" day.

Plus, the OP can rent a place downtown/midtown for all the arts, music and restaurants - it's a lot nicer than it used to be and has light rail

If we didn't have such great skiing here in January-March I'd seriously consider wintering in Houston.

I drove the Gulf Freeway a little past the beltway, every day.

 

[pb4uski]

Have you tried Find Your Spot?

 

[Koolau]

With a whole month and cost-no-object, I'd suggest a week each in Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Big Island. Fewer than average in the ballet and and museum dept., but big on just relaxing and enjoying natural beauty and natural wonders. As far as weather goes, rain is probably the only "bad" weather you might experience. In winter, it will be mild (not too warm like right now).

My favorite winter spot on the mainland is San Diego. Lots to do, usually very mild weather, though forget swimming (even in summer IMHO). From SD, you can easily travel to LA for ALL kinds of cultural events you many not find in SD.

Have fun and be warm.

 

[38Chevy454]

San Antonio, TX is good choice. Can be a bit cold if a cold front moves in, but generally light jacket would be all that is required. Your thicker blood and cold tolerance form Chicago may not even think jacket is needed. SA has a lot of great food, easy to get around, plenty of stuff to see around the city or the nearby area. Downtown Riverwalk is safe and clean, no panhandling bums or homeless to speak of. Catch a Spurs basketball game, visit the Alamo, nearby towns of Boerne, Greune or Fredericksburg are fun day trip. Although not a requirement, SA is pretty low cost to visit and stay.

I used to live there, definitely better in winter than summer for visiting; unless you like hot and humid summer weather.

 

[aja8888]

Yes, they have it all, including massive traffic jams. And if you like traffic jams at all hours, you will absolutely love Houston. The only city that is worse in the US is possibly LA.

I can't believe that I drove in that mess to downtown everyday for almost 40 years. Of course 20, 30 or 40 years ago it wasn't nearly as bad as it is today.

There are plenty of places in town like in the Heights where it would be convenient to stay for a month and avoid the traffic.

 

[harley]

It's typically crisp and clear here in Minnesota in January.

As in too cold to snow?