QUICK HOLIDAY GETAWAYS
A wintery wonderland of travel choices
Fall is in full swing and winter’s just a yuletide dream away. Time to start thinking about holidays and getaways, escaping the seasonal rush to a smorgasbord of exciting year-end destinations right in our backyard or just a short hop away. Whether your taste runs to ski resorts, desert sunsets or trips to some of SoCal’s most beautiful coastal spots, we’ve got you covered.
Check out these picks for winter travel, just one to five hours from home.
One hour away: LAGUNA BEACH
Spring and summer are the most popular tourist seasons, but winter might be the best time to visit. Enjoy the mild weather, 20 pristine beaches and coves, five-star cuisine and nightlife without a crush of tourists. Stay warm with a raging bonfire along the shore at Aliso Creek, or watch blue whales migrate to their winter home off Mexico. Laguna Beach remains an artist colony at heart, with about 100 distinct galleries and studios.
Two hours away: CHANNEL ISLANDS
Take a leisurely drive up the 101 to Ventura, the gateway to Channel Islands National Park, only 14 miles off the coast but a wild world away from civilization. These five scattered jewels are a paradise for campers and hikers, with pristine, isolated terrain that’s home to more than 150 unique species of plants and animals found nowhere else on the planet. Winter is the best time for breathtaking sunsets and getting up close to elephant seals, dolphins and majestic gray whales as they pass by.
Three-hour flight away: DEER VALLEY RESORT
Looking for some world-class skiing or snowboarding? Deer Valley Resort in Utah, bordering Park City, is one of the premier alpine destinations in the world, a five-star winter wonderland named 2015 Best U.S. Ski Resort by the World Ski Awards. Start with the posh property’s three luxury lodges and 101 ski runs, blanketed with more than 300 inches of powder every year and covering thousands of acres.
Four-hour flight away: NEW ORLEANS
Winter is a great time to visit New Orleans, when the city explodes with light and color. Celebration in the Oaks, a months-long party in City Park features thousands of lights and outdoor displays — a familyfriendly celebration that encompasses the Carousel Gardens amusement park, with train rides and tons of attractions for the kids. Of course, historic French Quarter is a must-see. Sip coffee and nosh on beignets at Café du Monde, visit Jackson Square or a jazz club on Bourbon Street.
Five hours away: SCOTTSDALE
Hike saguaro-lined desert trails, take a hot-air balloon ride, explore Southwest art and cuisine — or just sit back, breathe in the crisp desert air and marvel at the brilliant Arizona sunsets. Scottsdale is a vibrant center for artistic expression, with more than 70 galleries and museums lining the Arts District in Old Town Scottsdale, along with several wine-tasting rooms. Three plush resorts at the base of Camelback Mountain offer guided hikes to the top. And the Boulders Resort and Spa — spanning 1,300 acres — attracts adventurers with guided mountain bike tours, rock climbing and even waterfall rappelling.