What better time than winter to chase the sun with an impromptu trip to a beautiful warm travel destination? In the Midwest, we are in the midst of the worst part of winter, with temperatures in the teens, dirty mounds of snow on the streets, and more on the way. Beat the winter blues by visiting one of these four beautiful destinations right now! I have visited them all as a solo traveler and felt safe and welcome everywhere!
I am an affiliate with Booking.com and Viator which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you book a lodging or excursion after clicking on certain links on this page. All recommendations are from my personal experience!
Mexico
I stayed in a small town just north of Cancun called Puerto Morelos. It has a lovely main plaza, streets full of shops and restaurants, delicious food, and a gorgeous beach. One thing that makes this town special is the proximity to cenotes–natural sinkholes filled with sparkling, clear freshwater. Visiting the cenote Siete Bocas (Seven Mouths) was one of the highlights of my trip.
Where to Stay: I stayed at the Corales Suites right by the beach. My room was huge with lots of light, a balcony, a partial beach view, and a full kitchen. Location was walkable to everything!
Favorite Meal: It was hard to find a bad meal in this town! I ate ceviche for lunch every day and my favorite was at Crazy Fish Tacos.
Recommended Activity: Hire a taxi to take you to the Siete Bocas cenote and back. If you would like to learn a bit of Spanish, I had a great experience at The Puerto Morelos Language Center. Just a couple of hours each morning with lots of learning and laughs!
Costa Rica
I have visited Costa Rica twice, both times to the Guanacaste region on the west coast of the country. The people in Costa Rica (called Ticos and Ticas), really stand out for their friendliness and their attitude. You’ll slow down to pura vida (pure life)–living a relaxed, simple, optimistic life. You can snorkel, visit rainforests, hike to waterfalls, soak in natural hot pools, and see volcanoes. The only drawback is trying to chose between all the options!
Where to Stay: My last visit was to the surfing town of Tamarindo where I stayed at a small local place, the Hotel Laguna del Cocodrilo. I liked it for my huge balcony, its ocean view and the quiet location. Well, except for the monkeys in the trees!! I had some issues with crawly critters in my room, which is to be expected when you are in a grove of trees. It looks like they have upgraded to sliding glass doors on the patios, so that issue should be better.
Favorite Meal: The Tico Breakfast with gallo pinta (Costa Rican rice and beans) at the Pico Bistro!
Recommended Activity: Take a surfing lesson! It’s easier than you think and there are dozens of schools to chose from in Tamarindo. I had a great experience with Iguana Surf.
Read about Six Deeply Philosophical Musings from Costa Rica that I had while in Tamarindo…
Aruba
Many people list Aruba as their favorite island, and after one visit, it was easy to see why. The northeast coast is super rugged and looks like Arizona magically took an oceanfront vacation! The east coast has beautiful beaches and you can choose between luxury resorts or local hotels. (Try to guess my choice😉) If you are at all concerned about safety in the Caribbean islands, Aruba is your place! It’s clean, people are friendly, and as a bonus, the climate is dry–if a tad windy.
Where to Stay: MVC Eagle Beach. This local hotel is in an area where all the properties are low-rise. It is directly across from the beach with sea views from a shared balcony. Service was fantastic–they would set up and reserve a beach chair for you at any time during the day.
Favorite Meal: Ceviche at Asi Es Mi Peru was one of the best I’ve had! Screaming Eagle was great for upscale dining and good wine.
Recommended Activities: The south side lunch cruise on the Tranquilo Sailboat was the highlight of the trip! With snorkeling, a local captain, and fantastic food, they really rocked it! Also, visit the rugged side with an off-road tour with De Palm Tours. It includes a trip to a really cool swimming hole where you can snorkel with huge schools of fish.
Belize
You know that Placencia, Belize is a warm travel destination dear to my heart! Placencia is a small village in the south of Belize. It’s on a skinny peninsula with the sea on one side and a lagoon on the other. Many of roads are dirt, and thick ropes serve as speed bumps. There are tons of great restaurants, many are right on the beach, others are serving right out of someone’s house. The locals in Placencia are the kindest, friendliest, most welcoming people that I have met on my travels.
Where to stay: I have done two extended stays in Placencia and both times stayed at Harry’s Cozy Cabanas. These private cabanas have a veranda, full kitchen, and a great beach. On my first short trip to Placencia, I stayed at a local hotel called the Sea Spray. The rooms are basic and clean, and the beach is gorgeous there as well.
Favorite Meal: There is so much good food in Placencia, street food included! My favorite meals are ceviche and jalapeño poppers at Sunset Sweet Spot and any type of shrimp dish at The Galley.
Recommended Activities: Go snorkeling to Silk Caye with Seahorse Dive Shop to see stingrays, nurse sharks, and turtles. And take a sail with Placencia Sailing–it will be one of your best days! I go out with them every time I visit Placencia.
Read more about a great bar in Placencia Where Everybody Knows Your Name…Immediately and Strolling Through Paradise–Exploring Placencia, Belize!
Which of these wonderful warm travel destinations is on the top of your list? Please drop into the comments below! I’m sure you have other destinations to chase the sun–I’d love to hear about those as well!
I’m a die hard fan of St. John in the USVI.
Thanks, Adena! I have never been to the Virgin Islands–I’ll put St. John on the list.
Costa Rica looks fabulous! What is there to do that’s not beach related?
Yes, that comment was from me!
I returned to St. John USVI recently after visiting for the first time over 30 years ago. It was just as beautiful as I remember and such a great vibe.
Amy, so this is a third vote for St. John…. I guess I need to move it up in the plans. Thanks for reading!
From your list, definitely Belize!
Other ones to add- Curacao (it’s the way Aruba previously was), USVI, St Maarten and Hawaii.
Thanks for the comment, Kim! Another vote for the Virgin Islands…Curacao is interesting, it’s definitely going on the list!
Top of my list is Belize, followed closely by Costa Rica. Your pictures and blog make every destination look amazing!!
Oh, thank you, Darcie!! You would LOVE both those places. I appreciate you reading and reach out if you need more info!
Don’t forget Cancun! Had a blast last time I was there!
Oh, Dave, that’s a good one!! So easy to get to as well!
Lynda: I love seeing you go to all these beautiful places and the beautiful pics you post.
Thanks, Alice, I love knowing you are reading along!❤️
Turks & Caicos! I love it there, I used to go every year in July. So dreamy!
Hi Cristina! I’ve been there!! It was one of the best dives I’ve ever done. So much sea life. Thank you for reading ❤️
I’d second St. John, USVI. I’ve also enjoyed Rincon, Puerto Rico, and Montego Bay, Jamaica, but I’m not sure how the severe hurricanes in recent years may have affected these destinations.
Thanks for reading, Vivian! Puerto Rico is high on my list. And Montego Bay, Jamaica was my first love in travel and they are rebuilding, but like you, I don’t know how far they have come yet. I posted about the people who personify Jamaican culture here
I love following along on your travels! Costa Rica was my favorite vacation ever. Where are you going next?
Stephanie, I’m so glad you are reading!! Costa Rica is a great destination! I’ll be going at the end of the month to Roatan, Honduras. I hear the reef is incredible. It will be a new experience for me!
So many. Currently in Hawaii (Big Island, Kauai, Oahu, Maui) – being amazing and top of mind, gets my vote!
Oh, wow, Jodi, I’m jealous! I went to Hawaii when I was 11…. I think I need to try it again! Thanks for following!
Loved Maui! So colorful with beautiful flowering plants . The Hawaiian people are so fun and welcoming…. Learned how to play the ukulele! It was my fist paddle board experience and actually had a huge turtle swim right under my board . I would definitely do the 12 hr flight again for another trip there .
Wow! That experience sounds fantastic!!
Thanks for reading 🙂