Florida versus Hawaii versus Mexico versus South West USA for winter

[easyrider]

I've recently considered a trip to Costa Rica or Ecuador -- mostly because I've lost track the number of visits I've made to Hawaii and Mexico.

That was my thought on Florida. I've been to all of the four destinations but only twice to Florida. Mexico and Hawaii are every winter for the last seven years. The South West is a spring or fall trip for us. Tried winter but it was a freakishly cold year.

Bill

 

[Luanne]

That was my thought on Florida. I've been to all of the four destinations but only twice to Florida. Mexico and Hawaii are every winter for the last seven years. The South West is a spring or fall trip for us. Tried winter but it was a freakishly cold year.

Bill

Much of the southwest is freakishly cold every winter. We have snow right now and it's been in the 40's for many days.

 

[DaveNV]

From where you live (and where I used to live, sort of) I'd choose any of those options. For a longer-term Winter break, and not just a timeshare week, I'd suggest the Desert Southwest, where you can easily drive to your destination. Things in the Southwest are spread out, so having a comfortable (affordable?) car makes a lot of difference. Living where I do (about an hour outside of Las Vegas) Denver, Sedona, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Diego are all within about an eight hour drive, or less.

Driving from Washington State to Florida is a long time behind the wheel, and there are a lot of bad roads (and bad drivers) between your start and ending places. Think about that long and hard.

Dave

 

[easyrider]

From where you live (and where I used to live, sort of) I'd choose any of those options. For a longer-term Winter break, and not just a timeshare week, I'd suggest the Desert Southwest, where you can easily drive to your destination. Things in the Southwest are spread out, so having a comfortable (affordable?) car makes a lot of difference. Living where I do (about an hour outside of Las Vegas) Denver, Sedona, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Diego are all within about an eight hour drive, or less.

Driving from Washington State to Florida is a long time behind the wheel, and there are a lot of bad roads (and bad drivers) between your start and ending places. Think about that long and hard.

Dave

We usually drive to our South West destinations. We just never have decent weather in the winter when we show up. The last trip to Palm Springs was record cold. That was probably an odd thing. We know many people that rent or own places in the South West. They all say the weather there is better than here.

For us, twelve hours on the road is ok. We usually drive to the Salt Lake area on day one. Looking at a map it looks like it would be Lincoln NE then Nashville TN then East Coast Florida. To me, it looks very much like a fun road trip in the Silver Bullet but you are right in that there are some things to think about.

I'm leaning towards the East Coast of Florida for trip one and then some where Mexico for trip two. I feel a need to make some reservations, lol.

Bill

 

[DaveNV]

I'm leaning towards the East Coast of Florida for trip one and then some where Mexico for trip two. I feel a need to make some reservations, lol.

Bill

Fair enough. If that's your inclination, I'd say make those reservations, and have a great time!

Dave

 

[gln60]

South Florida has the warmest average temps in the Continental U.S. in January and February.

 

[RunCat]

Flying to Cabo is easy from Denver.

 

[easyrider]

Flying to Cabo is easy from Denver.

Cabo and Puerto Vallarta are short easy direct flights for us. We really like both destinations and the flights.

Bill

 

[jorcus]

For the most part we have been going to Mexico or the Dominican Republic. It has been rare that we go for more than week at a time so ease of getting to a place plays a big part in where we go to get warm. I look all over for the trips that are the lowest cost that meet our mid range standards of food and habitation. Mexico and the DR are the ones that win in my constant search for the best deal. We used to go to the west coast of Mexico but the travel there has become too much of a burden for a 7 day trip.

As far as long duration trips I could probably last 10 days to 2 weeks in the DR, 2-3 weeks in Mexico. Anything beyond that would probably mean Florida. A place I have not been to since the 1990's, so not even sure what to think about it. Our largest issue is leaving our home for extended periods of time. It's just not the kind of place I feel comfortable shutting down for the winter. Until that changes It's shorter term stuff.

It looks like we are going to go to Cozumel for the first time next month.

 

[Luanne]

We usually drive to our South West destinations. We just never have decent weather in the winter when we show up. The last trip to Palm Springs was record cold. That was probably an odd thing. We know many people that rent or own places in the South West. They all say the weather there is better than here.

For us, twelve hours on the road is ok. We usually drive to the Salt Lake area on day one. Looking at a map it looks like it would be Lincoln NE then Nashville TN then East Coast Florida. To me, it looks very much like a fun road trip in the Silver Bullet but you are right in that there are some things to think about.

I'm leaning towards the East Coast of Florida for trip one and then some where Mexico for trip two. I feel a need to make some reservations, lol.

Bill

Palm Springs is usually cold during the winter.

 

[PcflEZFlng]

Just coincidence probably, but the last two times I was in Palm Desert in the winter it was chilly and rainy. Last year, it was freakishly chilly and rainy the entire winter here in SoCal. While most of the time it's 'nice' here, there is no place in the Southwest I consider warm enough to swim outdoors in the winter. But it's all a matter of perspective. Our weather might seem glorious to those who live in northern climes (where I come from originally), because where I live is a place one could come to escape the snow and bitter cold.

 

[easyrider]

Just coincidence probably, but the last two times I was in Palm Desert in the winter it was chilly and rainy. Last year, it was freakishly chilly and rainy the entire winter here in SoCal. While most of the time it's 'nice' here, there is no place in the Southwest I consider warm enough to swim outdoors in the winter. But it's all a matter of perspective. Our weather might seem glorious to those who live in northern climes (where I come from originally), because where I live is a place one could come to escape the snow and bitter cold.

We didn't even try out the hot tub because it was about 100 yards away and it was cold outside when we did Palm Springs in the winter. Hawaii and Mexico has always been warm enough to use the pools and hot tubs in the winter. Florida was warm enough too but I was reminded this morning that it was very humid.

Bill

 

[moonstone]

We started out in 2016 spending all of Jan., Feb. and March in Belize even though we owned a condo in St Augustine Fl. The condo was purchased many years ago, well before we retired, and rented out on an annual lease until we paid a bunch of the (Cndn) mortgage down, which was a year ago. We took it over and furnished it a year ago and stayed until mid-Dec. After spending some time in Belize and watching the temps in St. Augustine for the winter, DH decided it was too cold in St. Augustine for him and we would just use our condo for the fall and spring and go to Belize for Jan. & Feb. It worked out well last winter and we are doing it again this winter. As Canadians we are only allowed to stay in the USA for 182 days (6 mos) each year so by spending 2 of the winter months in Belize we can still come to Florida in mid-Oct. and stay until late Apr./early May without coming close to our limit. Our only problem is that we like to drive down in the fall, leave the car parked at the condo, then fly home for Christmas then fly to Belize at the beginning of March then drive home in late April but in addition to Canadian people, the US gov't doesnt allow our vehicles to remain in the US for more than 6 mos. either. We have decided to buy a small car to leave in Florida and fly down and back in the fall & spring so we can spend more than 6 mos in the south.

Belize, at least in Corozal where we stay, is much cheaper than anywhere in Florida and not 'touristy'. For the months we are down there the temps are in the high 80's to low 90s in the day and low to mid 70's at night with little rain. We have met many Canadian and American expats, some are snowbirds others have moved there permanently, for a much cheaper and simpler way of life.

We just found out that neighbours of ours in Ontario who used to rent a condo in the Fort Myers area each winter have bought a condo in the Dominican Republic after falling in love with the place while at a destination wedding last spring. We will see how their winter went when we get home in the spring.


~Diane

 

[dioxide45]

We didn't even try out the hot tub because it was about 100 yards away and it was cold outside when we did Palm Springs in the winter. Hawaii and Mexico has always been warm enough to use the pools and hot tubs in the winter. Florida was warm enough too but I was reminded this morning that it was very humid.

Bill

Florida in the winter isn't as humid, but you do run the risk of cool weather. At least cool enough that most locals won't swim. You will find the people from New England and Jersey in the pool though.

 

[Luanne]

My bff lives in Florida. They had some torrential rains just recently. When my daughter was in college in St. Petersburg, we came for a parents' weekend in February and nearly froze to death.

 

[PaulaC]

We've been going to Hawaii since retirement and we love it. We can get a direct flight from Austin or Dallas to Honolulu, spend time there and then take interisland flights to Maui, Hawaii, or Kauai. When we feel that we can no longer do an 8 hour flight, then we will consider Florida or southern California.

 

[Talent312]

We didn't even try out the hot tub because it was about 100 yards away and it was cold outside...

You'll find fools using hot tubs regardless of the weather.
We saw people in a hot tub in Park City, UT, while it was snowing.

A cold-snap in Florida is a welcome respite from boring warm weather.
.

 

[jp10558]

My bff lives in Florida. They had some torrential rains just recently. When my daughter was in college in St. Petersburg, we came for a parents' weekend in February and nearly froze to death.

I have to know what constitutes "nearly froze to death", or "too cold" for some of the posters here. I want above IDK, 70 for T shirt weather, and above 50 for light jacket. I do live up north, but I have been pretty happy with non swimming vacations in the high 50s and above if it's not raining. If I wanted to sit on a beach though, I think 75 would be nice, which I always figured Florida would have. I know Phoenix and LA were around 70ish when I went there for Christmas ... god 15 years ago or so?

 

[Luanne]

I have to know what constitutes "nearly froze to death", or "too cold" for some of the posters here. I want above IDK, 70 for T shirt weather, and above 50 for light jacket. I do live up north, but I have been pretty happy with non swimming vacations in the high 50s and above if it's not raining. If I wanted to sit on a beach though, I think 75 would be nice, which I always figured Florida would have. I know Phoenix and LA were around 70ish when I went there for Christmas ... god 15 years ago or so?

Okay, we had been expecting whatever typical Florida weather is for February. It was in the 50s or 60s during the day if I remember correctly. I think that year they also got some snow.

 

[PigsDad]

My bff lives in Florida. They had some torrential rains just recently. When my daughter was in college in St. Petersburg, we came for a parents' weekend in February and nearly froze to death.

There is a significant difference between northern/central FL and southern FL. My in-laws used to snowbird close to St. Petersburg for many years, and we would visit them at least once a year, usually around the holidays. Several years we would have at least a day or two of very cold weather (50's or lower daytime temp), and have experienced freezing temps there on more than one occasion.

In contrast, we have owned a home in SW Florida (near Naples) for three years, and we have only had to turn on the furnace twice. We are below the "frost line", so it never gets below freezing here. During the coldest weather, we are usually 10-20 degrees warmer than the rest of FL. This is a large reason why we chose to buy here vs. other parts of the state.

 

[easyrider]

You'll find fools using hot tubs regardless of the weather.
We saw people in a hot tub in Park City, UT, while it was snowing.

A cold-snap in Florida is a welcome respite from boring warm weather.
.

In our younger days we loved to hot tub with the snow falling. I bet it's been seven years or more since I used our hot tub. It's more of a decoration these days.

Our friends that live in Florida usually leave in the summer and hang out in the PNW until late fall. Same with others that have homes in the South West.

Bill

 

[easyrider]

There is a significant difference between northern/central FL and southern FL. My in-laws used to snowbird close to St. Petersburg for many years, and we would visit them at least once a year, usually around the holidays. Several years we would have at least a day or two of very cold weather (50's or lower daytime temp), and have experienced freezing temps there on more than one occasion.

In contrast, we have owned a home in SW Florida (near Naples) for three years, and we have only had to turn on the furnace twice. We are below the "frost line", so it never gets below freezing here. During the coldest weather, we are usually 10-20 degrees warmer than the rest of FL. This is a large reason why we chose to buy here vs. other parts of the state.

I think we were at only one Gulf side Florida City. I kind of liked it. I think it was Sanibel. It was warm water and blue skies. We were in the Miami area for a couple of weeks and I think I like the Atlantic side of Florida better than the Gulf side because of all of the things to do. The Gulf side is definitely nice sunsets with beautiful reflections on the water. Probably the best sunsets I have ever seen anywhere.

Bill

 

[alwysonvac]

Interesting discussion
For folks, who go away for 2+ months, are you doing monthly furnished apartment rentals or using your timeshares? Perhaps I should create a separate poll/thread,

We're two years away from retiring and thinking about where to spend our winter months.
We're leaning towards spending our winters in Florida and/or Hawaii but it will also depend on short term furnished apartment rental rates.


By the way, weatherspark provides weather comparisons - https://weatherspark.com/compare

 

[easyrider]

For folks, who go away for 2+ months, are you doing monthly furnished apartment rentals or using your timeshares

For us, we still have to be home for a few days every month. We can stretch this to maybe six weeks but then it can be a problem if some things aren't accomplished properly. We are semi-retired. We like to be on water so Hawaii, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo, Florida and maybe California, in this order, are the winter options we really like. While it can be less expensive to rent long term on vrbo the less expensive dwelling is usually not water view. This is why I prefer the timeshares that we own. We usually have an Ocean view from the balcony and the cost is lower than most other accommodation. It would be an interesting thread so I think you should do it.

I like your linked chart. Thanks !!!

Bill

 

[alwysonvac]

I'll create a separate thread this evening or sometime this weekend.
There are short term rentals on sites like apartments.com. One can select short term with a keyword search for furnished.