When the temperatures dip below freezing, heading to a warmer climate for the holidays may be the best gift for the entire family.
WalletHub researched and compared 70 of the largest metro areas based on several categories, including flight cost and convenience of traveling to each location, as well as overall travel affordability, based on data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Kayak.com and TripAdvisor.
If you are traveling with children and other family members, the number of attractions and variety of activities for each destination were scored on a 100-point scale to contribute to the overall score in the ranking.
These are the top 10 warm-weather destinations, in ascending order, ranked by WalletHub:
10. San Antonio, Texas
The San Antonio area scored a 62.62 overall and ranked second in the category of lowest local costs. Notable attractions include the San Antonio River Walk, the San Antonio Zoo and numerous caverns.
9. Tampa Bay, Fla.
St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla. are part of the Tampa Bay metro-area. While the area ranked in the middle for most categories, many family attractions are located in the area, including Busch Gardens, Dinosaur World and a Manatee viewing center. Tampa beaches are also an affordable way to relax for your warm weather getaway.
8. San Francisco
With a total score of 65,90, San Francisco ranked second in attractions and third in warm-weather activities. Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bride and neighboring Oakland are among the attractions.
7. Houston
The Houston-the Woodland-Sugar Land, Tex., metro-area ranked first for low travel costs and fewest hassles. Skyscanner.com members gave the George Bush Intercontinental Airport good reviews, such as, “a nice place to connect if you are flying far,” and “easy to navigate.”
6. Austin, Texas
Home to the University of Texas, the Austin-Round Rock metro-area had an overall score of 68.01. The Texas state capitol ranked third in lowest travel costs and fewest hassles category. The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is accessible by most airline carriers.
5. Dallas
Ranked third in the category of lowest local costs and second in lowest travel costs with the fewest hassles, the Dallas metro-area got an overall score of 68.47. The metro-are includes Forth Worth and Arlington. The area ranked second in the weather category.
4. San Diego
The San Diego-Carlsbad metro area ranked third in the categories of most attractions and weather. With an overall score of 68.59, the southern California city ranked fourth for most warm-weather activities. The San Diego Zoo, La Jolla and a variety of beaches are among the main attractions.
3. Los Angeles
Scoring a 69.63, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area ranks first in the category of attractions. Beaches, Hollywood, Disneyland and professionals sports teams give the southern California destination a big advantage for every one in the family.
2. Orlando, Fla.
Warm-weather activities and safety gave the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford area an overall score of 69.77. Walt Disney World, Epcot Center, Universal Orlando and miles of beaches make the Florida destination the second-best place for a warm-weather vacation for the holidays.
1. Las Vegas
Las Vegas ranked fifth in the category for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles. McCarran International airport ranks eighth nationwide for passenger volume based on federal aviation administration data. The Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise metro-area ranked fourth for most attractions. Enjoy a walking tour of The Strip, take in a concert or show at one of the many casinos, or visit the Mob Museum. The kids may enjoy M&M World or Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reed Aquarium.
The full report can be viewed here.
