Winter in Washington, D.C. sometimes gets a bad rap, but here's one reason to reconsider. Personal finance site WalletHub put out a report of the best winter vacation destinations in the U.S., sorted by the best cold and warm weather travel spots, and Washington, D.C. was named among the top three best places for a cold-weather vacation.
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Atlanta was named the top cold weather winter vacation destination, followed by New York. Georgia's capital won the top spot for its relatively warm winter weather, safety, and number of restaurants, activities, and inexpensive flights with little travel hassle. The District was named the third best cold weather vacation destination, followed by Chicago and Cincinnati. The top five warm weather vacation spots are: Las Vegas, San Diego, Dallas, Austin, and Phoenix.
Stretches of gray, cold days can make wintertime in D.C. feel particularly dour, but we here at Time Out truly believe winter is actually one of the best seasons in the District. The turning of the seasons signals a mood shift, and wintertime in D.C. means coziness; there are plenty of restaurants, plays, concerts, museums, movie theaters, and discussions/talks to draw you out of the house. In the coming weeks, ice rinks and holiday markets will open, and colder weather means the possibility of snow, which'll cover the row houses and monuments in no time. There's nothing like a wintry walk through Dupont Circle with a hot chocolate in hand, or a snowball fight with strangers on the National Mall, or an evening sipping a hot toddy in a cozy bar with your friends or S.O. Many days may be gray, but they don't have to feel that way when there's so much to do and see.
To create its list, WalletHub compared the convenience and cost of about 70 top U.S. metro areas. Rather than considering scenic beauty, the report authors analyzed 37 metrics that have to do with how tough it is to travel to each destination and the expenses involved such as local costs, safety, number and variety of attractions and activities, and weather forecasts. For example, WalletHub found that three star hotel rooms in D.C. cost the least among the destinations in colder months, which partly contributed to it making the list. Take a look at WalletHub's full list of the best cold and warm weather travel destinations below, and here.
The best cold weather travel destinations, according to WalletHub
1. Atlanta
2. New York
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Chicago
5. Cincinnati
6. St. Louis
7. Denver
8. Philadelphia
9. Boston
10. Kansas, Mo.
The best warm weather travel destinations, according to WalletHub
1. Las Vegas
2. San Diego
3. Dallas
4. Austin, Texas
5. Phoenix
6. Houston
7. San Francisco
8. Tampa, Fla.
9. Charleston, S.C.
10. Miami