The end of the year can leave many of us feeling drained, emotionally and financially. A vacation to recover from the holidays — is it even possible?
Absolutely. Start planning now, and you may find that a January holiday is surprisingly affordable.
And to springboard your brainstorming, here are a smattering of ideas from Travel and Leisure on cheapest places to travel in January (note that some are cold-weather locales, naturally. Keep an open mind!):
* Chicago, Illinois. Great food, music, museums, and sports. And in January, hotels are 50 percent more affordable than high season, while an average round-trip ticket is $179.10.
* Boston, Mass. Catch the Boston Symphony Orchestra in its world-famous concert hall, check out any number of fantastic museums, grab a great meal, and maybe see the Celtics play. Boston in January offers a 53 percent savings on hotel rates and flights are an average of $200.66.
* Toronto, Canada. Eat your way through this diverse city, which lays claim to a Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Italy, Little Portugal, and a Greek Town. Toronto also boasts the world's longest underground shopping complex, at 19 miles. Hotels are 33 percent more affordable and plane tickets average $280.65 from the U.S.
* San Diego, Calif. Here's a balmy option with beautiful scenery, architecture, beaches, and tons of great food. The San Diego Brew Festival takes place in January, showing off some of the area's 130-plus craft breweries and delicious food truck fare. You'll save 37 percent on hotels, while round-trip tickets average $274.95.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
