By Liam Isola Now that the holiday season has come and gone, it’s time for the snowbirds to migrate down to areas with more pleasant temperatures. To make it easier to do so, we’ll list 20 of the best cities for snowbirds in the US along with the best flight deal to each one.
Even if you don’t have the luxury of spending the entire winter somewhere warm, these cities are still some of the best places for a quick vacation during the winter. In case you missed it, I also recently crowned the best winter weather city in the world.
So, in no particular order, here are 20 of the best cities for snowbirds in the US.
Best Cities for Snowbirds in the US: 1. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
So, there isn’t much of an order, except that this is number one. Kailua-Kona may just be the best winter weather city in the US. This resort town on the Big Island gets less rain in the winter than in the summer. It also has average high temperatures in the low 80s.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $39: Honolulu or Kahului to Kailua-Kona on Southwest in Feb. From Mainland USA: $119: Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or San Jose to Kailua-Kona in Feb
Best Cities for Snowbirds in the US: 2. Key West, Florida
As the southernmost city in the continental USA, it’s no surprise that Key West has a great winter climate. Average highs are in the mid to high 70s in this laid-back Floridian resort town.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $42 Knoxville to Key West on Allegiant – Jan 19, 26, Feb 9, Mar 23
Best Cities for Snowbirds in the US: 3. San Diego, California
California’s southernmost major city, San Diego, has a remarkably stable Mediterranean climate. Although it may not be as warm as Kailua-Kona or Key West, the temperature rarely drops below 50 degrees. It’s also one of the best cities for surfing in the world.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $19 Phoenix to San Diego on Frontier in Feb, Mar
4. Phoenix, Arizona
Speaking of Phoenix, it is one of the sunniest cities in the US. The “Valley of the Sun” is undoubtedly one of the best cities for snowbirds in the US, as it gets comparable sunlight to the Sahara Desert!
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $19 San Diego to Phoenix on Frontier in Feb, Mar
5. Miami, Florida
How much do I really need to say about Miami? It’s one of the most iconic cities in the US. It also has excellent winter weather.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $25 Atlanta to Miami on Frontier – Feb 3-4, 7, 10, 11
6. Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia, is one of the most beautiful cities in the US. Its historic district is stunning, and the winter climate is mild. With an absurdly cheap flight from Newark later this month, you can escape the New York winter for a bit.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $32 Newark to Savannah on Spirit – Jan 26
7. South Padre Island/Brownsville, Texas
South Padre Island is one of the nation’s most popular spring break destinations. That makes sense, given its beaches, proximity to Texas’s colleges, and warm winter weather. The closest airport to South Padre Island is in Brownsville (~40-minute drive), but Harlingen (~1 hour) has the cheapest flights.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $70 Austin to Harlingen on Southwest in Feb, Mar 5
8. McAllen, Texas
McAllen, Texas is a border city 90 minutes away from South Padre Island. It has a very affordable cost of living and average highs in the 70s and above throughout the winter. You could also cross into bordering Reynosa, Mexico, for cheap flights to other Mexican destinations.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $51 Orlando-Sanford to McAllen on Allegiant – Mar 15
9. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is one of my favorite cities to visit in the US. NOLA has one of the best cuisines in the world and average high temperatures in the 60s throughout the winter. It is also one of the most unique cities in the country, with Spanish and French colonial architecture and superb jazz clubs.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $25 Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans on Spirit – Jan 24, 26-28, Feb 3-4, 11
10. Los Angeles, California
It should come as no surprise that Los Angeles is one of the best cities for snowbirds in the US. LA tends to have pleasant weather year-round, and winter is no exception. It’s easy to tack on San Diego to an LA trip as well.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $19 San Francisco to Los Angeles on Frontier – Feb 21, Mar 10-11
11. Ponce, Puerto Rico
Here’s our second destination off the mainland, and it’s one of, if not the hottest, winter destinations on this list. It’s easy to forget that we don’t need a passport to travel to the Caribbean. Flights can also be more than reasonably priced and downright cheap.
Ponce is about an 80 minute drive from Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $39 Newark to San Juan on Frontier – Jan 17, Feb 24
12. Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is Hawaii’s biggest city on its most-visited island, Oahu. There’s a lot to do in and around Honolulu. Make sure to try Poke, hit a beach, and go for a hike.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $39 All Four Other Major Hawaiian Airports to Honolulu on Southwest in Feb. From Mainland USA: $119 San Francisco or San Jose to Honolulu in Feb
13. Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is on Florida’s Gulf coast with plenty of nearby beaches and islands to visit. Surprisingly, some of the cheapest flights to Fort Myers this winter are from Chicago on a few different dates.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $29 Chicago (Feb 15, 21-22, Mar 1) or Atlanta (Feb 8) to Fort Myers on Frontier
14. Gulf Shores, Alabama
Heading west along the Gulf coast, Gulf Shores, Alabama, is another place for snowbirds to consider this winter. The weather isn’t always beachy during the winter, but most days are pleasant.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $39 Nashville to Gulf Shores on Allegiant – Feb 26, Mar 1
15. Palm Springs, California
If you despise rain, you may want to consider heading to Palm Springs during the winter. This Sonoran Desert city rarely gets rain and also boasts 300+ sunny days per year.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $59 San Francisco to Palm Springs in Feb, Mar
16. Houston, Texas
Space City has pleasant winter temperatures, but it tends to get a decent amount of rain in the winter. As Houston Intercontinental is one of the biggest airports in the country, there are cheap flights to Houston from plenty of cities.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $29 Denver (Jan, Feb, Mar), Atlanta (Jan, Feb), Phoenix (Jan, Feb, Mar 1), New Orleans (Feb 14, 21) to Houston on Frontier
17. San Francisco, California
Like Houston, San Francisco gets its fair share of rain in the winter. Not everyone loves hot temperatures, though, so San Francisco is perfect for people who like brisk temperatures. You’ll never need heavy winter gear in the Bay Area, as it is perpetual sweater weather.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $19 Los Angeles to San Francisco – Mar 7, 11, 14
Best Cities for Snowbirds in the US: 18. St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Here’s yet another destination off the mainland US. The US Virgin Islands are almost always around 80 degrees, making them a great warm-weather getaway during the winter. While Saint Thomas and Saint John are worth a visit as well, you can catch $80 flights to St. Croix from Fort Lauderdale.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $80 Fort Lauderdale to St. Croix – Jan 31, Feb 7, 14, 21, 28
Best Cities for Snowbirds in the US: 19. Biloxi, MS
Biloxi, Mississippi, has one of the most affordable costs of living among US cities with pleasant winter weather. That lands it on this list, along with its beaches, iconic lighthouse, and casinos.
Cheapest One-Way Flights: $49 Orlando (Feb, Mar) and Tampa (Mar 9) to Gulfport-Biloxi on Breeze
Best Cities for Snowbirds in the US: 20. Orlando, FL
Orlando is famous for its theme parks and is one of the most popular winter destinations in the country. It’s a family-friendly city to vacation in, and it also has excellent winter weather. Average highs are in the mid to high 70s throughout the winter.