Best USA Vacations In December

We have a love-hate relationship with the cold in our home state of Kentucky. Sometimes we get fluffy snow, and sometimes it’s icy mixes that chill your bones. Inevitably, we start looking for places to get away and invigorate our spirits! The great thing about the US is that no matter if you embrace the cold or run from it- there’s somewhere for you to travel in the winter.

The US is so varied in climates from tropical to almost arctic in some places. You can go bobsledding behind a pack of caribou… then drive 15 hours and be somewhere totally different. {Preferably – somewhere where palm trees are swaying after that kind of cold?!}

We’ve put together the best USA trips for your December winter wanderings!

#1 Southern California Road Trip

Southern California stays absolutely beautiful all year and would make a perfect winter getaway this December. Temperatures are in the 60’s making it the low season for Southern California. Flights, hotels, car rentals, etc., become much cheaper making it an ideal time to visit all of these incredible national parks!!

To download and use this map offline, follow the directions here.

Sequoia National Park

You’ve probably seen it in magazines all over – but this iconic tunnel in Sequoia National Park is worth seeing! There are a ton of gorgeous hikes or scenic drives if you’re not the hiking type.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is a huge national park encompassing over 5,270 square miles. From the painted desert to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes -there’s something for everyone! (Our personal favorite would be Ridgecrest at night – more stars than you could count!)

***If you have extra time head to Las Vegas! It’s a short drive between Death Valley National Park and the Mojave Desert. GET OUR FULL GUIDE ON AN AWESOME 24-HOURS IN LAS VEGAS!

Mojave Desert

The Mojave Desert is another immense, untamed region in California worth exploring on your SoCal Road Trip! It’s withstood a long history of potential abuse – and remained an impressively unexplored wilderness. The trails we would most likely do are Rings Loop Trail and Teutonia Peak Trail. Both allow for amazing views of the desert any time of day – but especially at night with incredibly bright stars!!

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree inspired an entire U2 album, so it’s gotta be a must-see, right? {See all of our road trip playlists here!} This national park is the love child of two gorgeous landscapes: The Mojave Desert and the Colorado Mountains. After you’re done snapping your Instagram photos -make sure you hit the Arch Rock Nature Trail when you’re in the area!

If we were you- we’d choose to stay in an Airstream to fully embrace that earthy desert vibe Joshua Tree is famous for!

Virtually Explore Joshua Tree National Park Here

San Diego

San Diego is the best city winter destination in California because it’s the most southern. There are so many gorgeous beaches in the area that you can still enjoy even in the winter! Our bucket list San Diego Beaches would be Coronado, La Jolla Shores, Mission Beach, and Dog Beach.

Fun Fact: The Mexican border is only 15 miles from San Diego! If you get a wild hair and wanted to go outside the US- you could drive down to Tijuana and be there in less than an hour!! Visit this article for more information on how to get to Tijuana!

#2 St. John, US Virgin Island

For a true tropical getaway that you don’t need a passport to access- head to St.John’s US Virgin Island this December. There are over a dozen beaches and all of them boast crystal clear water, powdery sand, and in the high 70’s during the day. That’s literally the perfect beach weather and completely past hurricane season!

Getting to St.John is also a breeze. A non-stop flight from Miami to St.John is a little over 2 and a half hours. {You’re basically one nice nap away from your dream December tropical getaway!)

#3 Alaska

If you’re part of the human population that thrives in cold weather – head to Alaska for a perfect winter getaway. Booking your trip to Alaska during December’s sub-zero temps allows you to experience all that the arctic truly has to offer: The Northern Lights, snowmobiling, and dog sledding, along with epic views of a snowy winter wonderland.

Aurora Train– If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights – this train ride takes you through Alaska on an overnight adventure! The route is Anchorage’s Wasilla-Talkeetna-Hurricane-Flagstop Area-Healy-Nenana-Fairbanks. For weekend routes, passengers ride North on Saturdays and South on Sundays. (Nenana is most likely where you’ll see the Northern Lights!)

To Book Your Train Through Alaska – Click here. (Make sure you chose the ‘Aurora Winter Train’.)

#4 Breckenridge, Colorado

Among the things Colorado is famous for – the mountains, breweries, and hot springs make Breckenridge worth a winter road trip. Explicitly known for being a ski/snowboarding town – Breckenridge has a ton of resorts. For the best budget ski resort in the area – check out Breck Inn. For the most romantic and luxurious ski resort – check out One Ski Hill Place!

Best Breweries In The Area: After snowboarding all day – you’re going to want a pint or two to help relax those sore muscles! We highly recommend trying out a few local breweries before you head back to your lodge. Must-try breweries include Breckenridge Brewery and Broken Compass Brewing!

As an added bonus to help you relax – Colorado also has a ton of natural hot springs. The closest one is Hot Sulphur Springs and would make an awesome day trip when you just can’t ski anymore!!

#5 Crystal River, Florida

Crystal River is a tropical oasis tucked away near the Florida Everglades. Most people come for the experience of visiting Three Sisters Springs to swim with the manatees! The water is warmer here {around 72 degrees} in the winter, so the manatees migrate here from December to March.

Normally we’re not a fan of this kind of intrusion into the natural mating/migration spaces and patterns of wild animals – but this is a time when conservationists have done an incredible job. By allowing people to snorkel/kayak with the manatees – there’s a rare opportunity to bring awareness to a great cause!

We’ve also been paddleboarding in Florida with manatees in a different region near Orlando? They were such sweet and curious animals! The nervousness of being in such close proximity to an animal that large quickly dissipated.

• Random ADD Thought: When I – Shelbs- was in third grade there was a required book we all had to read about a boy growing up in the tangerine groves in Florida. It was so impactful and overall good! Purchase Tangerine here on Amazon.

What Else To Do In The Area: Since you’re in Florida and it’s the winter – you might as well go to the beach! Some amazing beaches nearby include Caladesi, Honeymoon Island State Park, Clearwater Beach, and St.Pete. We highly recommend staying at the Plantation on Crystal River! It’s beautiful and the area is known for having great food!

#6 Arizona Road Trip

Arizona is stunning – and not just for the Havasupai Waterfalls that float around Instagram! A truly great road trip in December through Arizona will take you through the Grand Canyon, Coconino National Forest, Pheonix, and a few incredible natural hot springs. Skirting 60 degrees in Pheonix – this road trip would be a perfect getaway in December!

Grand Canyon

We went in the cold season! Since there isn’t much vegetation – you won’t miss out on seeing anything you wouldn’t see any time of the year. The air might have been even clearer than in the heat, to be honest? Our views were impeccable!

Coconino National Forest

One of the coolest and most unexpected things we experienced in Arizona was the Coconino National Forest. These regions are full of lava fields that border the San Francisco Volcano Fields. Totally unexpected to see these rock formations and get to see the Lava Tunnels!

Phoenix

Phoenix’s December weather is gorgeous and makes for a perfect time to do a little outdoor exploring. (Especially since temps can reach 130 degrees Farenhight in the summer! It’s a lot more inviting in the ‘winter’!) Here are a few things to do in Pheonix in the winter:

• Visit the Las Noches De Las Luminarias At The Desert Botanical Garden
• Explore Arizona’s Ancient Native American Ruins & Modern Day Culture
• Lights of the World Lantern Festival with cultures from all over the world represented!

Arizona Hot Springs

There are a ton of natural hot springs in Arizona and you’ll be able to find them in the most remote regions! There are 3 main hot springs we would add to this trip:

• El Dorado Hot Springs in Tonopah
• Castle Hot Springs in Pheonix
• Pumpkin Spring in Grand Canyon!

P.S. Since you’ll be close to Vegas, consider adding a day or two to explore all of the fun things to do in Las Vegas including the technicolor Neon Museum!

Best Places To Travel In The US In December

No matter where you go – anything to lift your spirits during the dreary winter months is a good idea!!

We’ve found the best December destinations in the US to be: Southern California, Arizona, Breckenridge – Colorado, Crystal River- Florida, Alaska, and St. John – US Virgin Islands. Whatever you pick – start planning early and make sure to get away when you need to.

Need a little more inspiration to plan your travels for the rest of the year?

• Best Places to Travel in February: USA & Beyond
• The Best Road Trips to Take In July
• Where To Cool Off In August
• Best Places To Catch Fall Foliage in September

Pin for later when you’re starting to plan your trip!

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Until next time friends,

Thanks for sharing!