31 Best Warm-Weather Vacations

Maundays Bay

Average January high: 83°

Why we love it: Like a vision from a storybook, this village of bone-white, Greco-Moorish dwellings clusters exotically along the intimate crescent of Maundays Bay. 

Where to stay: A sophisticated and stylish hideaway surrounded by 180 lush acres with more than 60,000 flowering plants, Cap Juluca (888-858-5822) features 70 impeccably refurbished beachfront guest rooms and suites with louvered doors that open wide to oceanfront terraces. (Villas come with private swimming pools.) The 1,800-square-foot pool flanked by columns is a freshwater alternative to the aquamarine Caribbean. 

Playa del Carmen

Average January high: 82°

Why we love it: Laid-back strolling down pedestrian-dedicated streets past boho shops and standout salsa joints meets blissed-out lounging on a long stretch of Caribbean shore.

Where to stay: Mahekal Beach Resort's (877-235-4452) hand-laid stone pathways wind you toward new palapa-style bungalows with killer ocean views and personal plunge pools, past a new luxury Mayan-inspired spa and fitness center, fabulous oceanfront wood-burning restaurant and bar, sleek and spacious infinity pool (one of four pools) and more that's all part of a just-completed, multi-million dollar expansion. No tvs—just plenty of natural luxury here along Playa del Carmen's longest span of beach.

Rancho Santana

Average January high: 84°

Why we love it: With five beaches along Nicaragua's dramatic Pacific coast, the luxury resort of Rancho Santana has a stretch of sand for every kind of warm-weather lover. But what we really love about this place is its embrace of yoga and surfing, making it a great spot to reboot your passions (or acquire a new one). Go here to read more about a yoga/surf getaway to Rancho Santana. 

Where to stay: The ranch's 17-room inn features private terraces and cozy furnishings made at the property's millworks. The 25 beach-view villas are available for families and groups. 310-929-5221 or ranchosantana.com. 
Email jacqueline@ranchosantana.com to make a reservation.

San Juan

Average January high: 83°

Why we love it: While all of Puerto Rico is one of our favorite warm-weather getaways, the capital city of San Juan delivers the added riches of great restaurants and bars, thriving arts and culture, and the resplendent streetscapes of Old San Juan, the historic heart of the city. To find out where to eat, drink, explore and more in San Juan, go here. 

Where to stay: The historic Condado Vanderbilt Hotel offers commanding views of the sea and luxe rooms. O:live Boutique Hotel is a charming European hideaway with an excellent in-house restaurant and a rooftop bar. 

Willemstad

Average January high: 84°

Why we love it: An opulent nirvana just 40 miles north of Venezuela, Curaçao's capital city of Willemstad looks like Holland during the Golden Age... just in Easter egg colors. The streets are filled with historic buildings, and the island is home to more than 30 beautiful beaches. To read more about an escape to colorful Curaçao, go here.

Where to stay: Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort (855-590-2266) features 1,500 feet of white sand on Curaçao's southern shore.

Isla Holbox

Average January high: 85°

Why we love it: This is a truly untouched oasis: brightly colored seafood shacks in tiny communities with white-sand streets buzzing with golf carts—no vehicles allowed on the island. The beach meetstropical mangroves perfect for lazy kayaking and spotting sea turtles, and miles of coast curved around brilliant lagoon waves with virtually no one else in sight. Read about chef Kelly Liken's trip to Isla Holbox, here.

Where to stay: The artfully luxe rooms and beachfront bungalows at Hotelito Casa Las Tortugas (52-984-875-2129) are just right for exploring and escaping. 

Paracas

Average January high: 80°

Why we love it: Just a few hours south of Lima, this undiscovered coastal village of Peru is home to high cliffs, miles of sand dunes, and the Ballestas Islands, which are as filled with wildlife as the Galápagos. Plus, this is the home region of Pisco, so there's lots of good cocktailing to be found. Read more about this getaway to Paracas, here.

Where to stay: With two swimming pools and a spa, the 120-room Hotel Paracas is a perfect luxury basecamp. In addition to guided journeys to the Ballestas Islands and into Paracas National Reserve, the resort's list of adventures includes sandboarding to a tented dinner in the middle of the dunes, and sightseeing flights above the famous Nazca Lines.

(Special discount! Enjoy two nights of luxury accommodations, three meals, late checkout, and complimentary Thermal Circuit treatment at the spa, plus other benefits at the luxury resort, with 10 percent discount off the published rate. Mention promo code "COASTAL LIVING 2016" when making your reservation.)

Deep Water Cay

Average January high: 77°

Why we love it: A transformed storied private fishing club, this intimate luxury resort now caters to those who love to stalk the area's wily bonefish along with those seeking pleasures from SUP, spa, and sundowners. In other words, there is something here for everyone. And a remarkable sense of remove. Read the story of author Jonathan Miles's fishing trip to Deep Water Cay, here.

Where to stay: The entire island is occupied by Deep Water Cay resort (888-420-6202), so it's the only (and perfect) choice. First-time anglers are deftly accommodated, but to experience the full glories of bonefishing, and to have a crack at the 14-pound trophies residing here, some solid practice is recommended.

José Ignacio

Average January high: 83°

Why we love it: Is this coastal Uruguay or the Hamptons? This little fishing village with beautiful beaches also has incredible restaurants, sweet boutiques, and a design-lover's dream of a hotel: Bahia Vik. Read more about an escape to José Ignacio, here.

Where to stay: Posada Del Faro is a charming inn a short walk from the beach. Borrow a bicycle or golf cart for a quick ride into town. Vik Retreats are a trio of luxurious, art-filled properties including Estancia Vik, a Spanish Colonial–style horse ranch; Playa Vik, an ultra-mod beach house built around an infinity pool; and Bahia Vik, which opened in 2015 and includes 11 modern oceanfront villas, each made of a different natural material.

Little Palm Island

Average January high: 74°

Why we love it: Accessible only by boat or by sea-plane but just off Key West, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa promises—and delivers—a level of privacy that is practically guaranteed by that limited access. A velvety sense of solitude pervades this outpost of voluntary exile with only 15 bungalows, each of which houses two suites and is topped with a manicured mop of thatch. Go here to read more about a getaway to Little Palm Island.

Where to stay: Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is the only outpost on Little Palm Island, and it has everything you need, from a wonderful spa to toes-in-the-sand dining.

Special discount! Coastal Living readers will enjoy a 10 percent discount off the published rate, plus a complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne upon arrival and full gourmet breakfast daily. Enter promo code "COASTAL" when making your reservation.

Virgin Gorda

Average January high: 82°

Why we love it: This classically romantic and relaxed chain of islands is home to glorious yachting, snorkeling, and cocktailing.

Where to stay: The Bitter End Yacht Club (800-872-2392) offers barefoot luxury at its finest, not to mention easy excursions to The Baths, a Caribbean bucket list destination. The original Beachfront Cottages are a classic hideaway.

St. Jean

Average January high: 84°

Why we love it: With its European flair and unique small-town roots, the French island of Saint-Barthélemy stands apart from the rest of the Caribbean. 

Where to stay: Perched on a promontory in the heart of St. Jean Bay, Eden Rock St. Barts (855-333-6762) is the oldest and most iconic hotel on the island. The hotel offers individual accommodations “on the rock,” within its lush, green garden, or in world-class private villas just steps from the beach.

Punta Cana

Average January high: 82°

Why we love it: Nearly 800 miles of coastline, stunning sands, and the crystal-blue Caribbean. Need we say more?

Where to stay: The chic, European-style enclave of Eden Roc at Cap Cana (800-735-2478) has a tropical sense of fun, and it's a quick drive from the airport--meaning your getaway gets started all the sooner. The villas are beautifully appointed and you'll have your own golfcart for scooting around the property. 

Average January high: 83°

Why we love it: A puddle jump from St. Martin, this is a truly unspoiled sanctuary that feels worlds away from its more popular Caribbean sisters.

Where to stay: The idyllic Queen's Gardens Resort (599-416-3494) is the chicest spot on the island, nestled on scenic Troy Hill overlooking crystal blue waters below. The pool is a prime spot for gazing through twin mountain peaks down to the sea. 

Hamilton Parish

Average January high: 70°

Why we love it: It's so close, and yet a true escape in every way, from those pink sand beaches to a refined sense of service from a bygone era.

Where to stay: With its sparkling white marble floors, grand pianos, and golden chandeliers, the lobby of Rosewood Tucker's Point (888-767-3966) looks fit for royalty, and its Beach Club offers the largest private pink-sand beach on the island. Don't miss the rum-spiked fish chowder. 

Fowl Cay

Average January high: 77°

Why we love it: While the Bahamas themselves aren't far, this private island in the middle of the Exuma Cays feels a million miles away.

Where to stay: There's a luxurious Swiss Family Robinson feel at Fowl Cay Resort (877-845-5275), a high-end, all-inclusive resort with just six villas connected by sandy paths lined with conch shells, and each with its own personal motor boat.

St. John

Average January high: 82°

Why we love it: A national park protects more than half of the island and includes pristine swaths of land, sugar-sand beaches, and beautiful underwater reefs.

Where to stay: Located in the national park on 170 Caribbean-front acres, Caneel Bay Resort (340-776-6111) features nine accomodation styles, from courtside rooms just steps from the beach to a private seaside cottage.

Petit St. Vincent

Average January high: 82°

Why we love it: This 32-island chain has celebrity cool and will be an even easier place to reach when its new international airport is completed in mid-2015.

Where to stay: Go all the way with your own private island: Petit St. Vincent (954-963-7401) offers 22 cottages spread across 115 acres, so you'll never have to see another soul.

Vieques        

Average January high: 80°

Why we love it: No passport (if you're American) and lots of flights, many of them quick, get you to either historic San Juan or gorgeous beaches.

Where to stay: Hop offshore to the W Retreat & Spa (787-741-4100) on Puerto Rico's Vieques Island. Surrounded by lush gardens and swaying palms, the resort has a killer pool (and poolside bar), not to mention direct access to two pristine, white-sand beaches.

Hermitage Bay        

Average January high: 81°

Why we love it: With a stunningly rugged coastline dotted with hidden bays, this arid island known as the gateway to the Caribbean is home to 365 white-sand beaches.

Where to stay: On Antigua's west coast, Hermitage Bay (855-562-8080) resort feels like a Caribbean Bali Hai, with 25 sleek cottages. Although most guests never stray from the property, the resort is only 10 minutes from Jolly Harbour's lively marina and shops.  

Providenciales        

Average January high: 80°

Why we love it: There's not much to do beyond taking a stroll on the spectacular beaches. Enough said.  For snorkelers and divers, Turks & Caicos is home to the third-largest reef system in the world.     

Where to stay: The luxuriantly playful Beach House (855-946-5800) is a 21-suite boutique hotel on the glorious sugar sands of Providenciales's Grace Bay.

Christiansted          

Average January high: 84°

Why we love it: Natural and man-made wonders blend beautifully here, with world-class diving in the water and historical, charming architecture on land.           

Where to stay: The Hotel St. Croix (340-773-0210) encourages history buffs to step back a few centuries for a taste of old-world Caribbean style. Accomodation options include authentically restored rooms in a town house built in 1756.

Roatán          

Average January high: 81°

Why we love it: Known around the world for its scuba diving, this tiny island off the Honduran coast looks over the second-largest reef in the world.            

Where to stay: Boutique property Las Verandas (855-224-6620) has 38 rooms and suites and 12 freestanding two-bedroom villas on a property reminiscent of a Mediterranean village, but with the oh-so-Caribbean thatched-roof beach bar.

Vagaru Island

Average January high: 86°

Why we love it: Nowhere else in the world does the line between land and water blur as much as in this snorkeler’s paradise, where locals and visitors alike celebrate the sea.

Where to stay: Only a few years old, the Viceroy Maldives (960-654-5000) is an exclusive accommodation in the far northern Shaviyani Atoll. Half of the resort’s villas are strung along a boardwalk over the water; the other half are hidden among tropical gardens.

Viti Levu       

Average January high: 88°

Why we love it: It's hard to believe the mesmerizing blue and green hues of Fiji's waters are real, but they make the perfect backdrop for an island escape.           

Where to stay: The family-friendly, five-star Outrigger on the Lagoon (866-956-4262) offers multiple accomodation options and the luxurious Bebe Spa. Natural wood furnishings and local art evoke a Fijian village feel.

Todos Santos          

Average January high: 77°

Why we love it: At the foothills of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, Todos Santos is a laid-back surfer's paradise. The center of town supports a thriving arts scene and boho-chic boutiques.    

Where to stay: The boutique Rancho Pescadero (910-300-8891) has 26 suites split into four unique, sunset-hued structures. Dolphins and migrating whales are the beachfront entertainment during the day; enjoy housemade tequila from oak casks at the pool bar under the stars at night.

Hilo   

Average January high: 79°

Why we love it: The small-town vibe and fun culture of Hilo pairs perfectly with access to breathtaking Rainbow Falls and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.           

Where to stay: The Inn at Kulaniapia Falls (808-935-6789) is situated at the top of a waterfall, with unimpeded vistas that make you feel like you're alone in a rain forest. 

Santa Catalina Island

Average January high: 60°

Why we love it: Set in the deep blue Pacific off the coast of Los Angeles, Catalina is a glittering little island resort with rugged hills and intimate coves that have lured movie stars and musicians for generations. Some even call it America's Capri. It's quaint, romantic, and an easy escape.

Where to stay: Hotel Vista Del Mar sits charmingly on Avalon's harborfront promenade with 14 guest rooms and three suites (two have panoramic ocean views). Each of Snug Harbor Inn's six rooms is named for one of California's Channel Islands.

Newport Beach       

Average January high: 63°

Why we love it: Newport Beach hums with great strolling, shopping, and dining in its many charming neighborhoods, including old-fashioned Balboa Island.           

Where to stay: Make a villa your home away from home at The Resort at Pelican Hill (855-315-8214). Designed to look like an Italian seaside village, the two-, three-, and four-bedroom villas are terraced along the hillside, ensuring that each of the 128 abodes has an ocean view. 

Amelia Island          

Average January high: 64°

Why we love it: This small, 13-mile-long barrier island off Florida's northern coast is home to lovely, long beaches, as well as the charming town of Fernandina Beach, complete with gingerbread houses and old-school seafood spots.       

Where to stay: For a sumptuous retreat, the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island (904-277-1100) has it all, from golf to spa-based serenity. And in tribute to Amelia Island's colorful history, there's a weekly Pirate Toast.

Beaufort       

Average January high: 58°

Why we love it: This Lowcountry gem has Southern charm and a history stretching back to the 1700s, along with a thriving downtown area and easy access to nearby Hunting Island State Park.

Where to stay: In the heart of the historic district, The Beaufort Inn (888-522-0250) offers several different accommodation options, including suites and private cottages, in addition to a lavish Sunday brunch at Southern Graces Bistro.