WINTER TRAVEL

Well, we have history and culture out the wazoo in New Mexico, but warmth in the winter? Not exactly.

Keep in mind the lowest elevation here is around 4000 feet above sea level, so it gets cold (highs in the 40s and 50s) even in southern New Mexico in January.

Then again, given you're coming from Wisconsin, that may sound heavenly!

Lee Ann

Possibly Tucson, Arizona area would work. Lot of history, Tombstone, Bisbee etc.
NM is great but not overly warm in January.
What about Death Valley, history and warmth, but a longer drive. Furnace Creek Inn is very nice, although a bit expensive. Furnace Creek Ranch is cheaper, but really just a motel.

Are you looking for one area for the entire 3-4 weeks, or are you planning on moving around to different areas? boom_boom has good suggestions. Sierra Vista is a nice town in that area if you are looking for a place to stay. Tucson/Green Valley is a nice area also with National Forests, Canyons to explore if your interested. Lake Havasu City if you want water.

Enjoy your trip, you'll have plently of warmth as long as you are not expecting 80+ days.

I would definitely put Taos, New Mexico on your list of places to visit. Of course, I'm a little prejudiced. I live just outside the town of Taos.

First, Taos has been an art colony since the late 1890s and there are art galleries and many working artists. The town is at the edge of the Taos Pueblo, a World Heritage Site and the only one in the world with people living there. Since it was Mexico when the U.S. Army invaded it in the mid 1800s, it is a tri-cultural community: the Hispanics are descendants of the Spanish who came to the area with land grants from the king of Spain; the Taos Pueblo has been occupied for about 1,000 years; fur traders and mountain men settled here and in the 60s, the hippies came to "get back to nature."

There's some of all of that in Taos. I just set up a website about the area in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. If you'd like to take a look, the address is www.taospoweronline.com.

We have spent 4 winters so far in the warmer states of the U.S. and enjoyed them all. These were our trips:

1) Santa Fe, N.M. - White Sands, Alamogordo, Las Cruces, N.M. - Tucson, AZ.

2) Los Angeles, CA - Death Valley, CA/NV - Las Vegas and vicinity, NV - Joshua Tree, Anza Borrego, CA - San Diego, CA

3) Atlanta, GA - New Orleans, LA - Savannah, GA

4) Santa Fa, NM - Big Bend, TX - San Antonio, TX - Austin, TX - Fort Worth, TX

Climatewise:
Northern New Mexico is cold in winter, we even experienced heavy snow storms - but the air is dry and crisp and most of the days are sunny and pleasant. A different kind of winter.

Tucson has been the warmest place in the U.S. - really springlike temperatures. Summers must be unbearable there.

Southern California is beautiful, too, more mediterranean in climate.

Death Valley is beautiful in winter, and staying at Furnace Creek Inn with the gorgeous pool is a splurge.

The Las Vegas area is so-so, climatewise. Not really warm, not really cold. But even if you do not like Las Vegas' plastic atmosphere: the surrounding landscape is very scenic (Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Lake Mead).

Southern Texas is also very pleasant. The warmest spot is Big Bend - one the most spectacular National Parks. San Antonio is also beautiful in winter - with lots of history around it (e.g. five missions).

As others have recommended, change places. Driving through the southwest is incredibly scenic and relaxing. Even the big tour should be doable if you have three or four weeks:

San Diego - Tucson - Las Cruces/White Sands/Alamogordo - Big Bend - San Antonio

Then you stay in the warmest stretch of the American southwest. But also loops are doable.

I always like to go places a the "best time to come". The only place I would head to in the Winter(for warmth) is San Diego or Death Valley. Places like Saquaro, Big Bend, Guadalope National Parks will not be in bloom in January. Even Death Valley, you can expect 30 degrees in the mornings. Moab, Utah might be a place to take a look at as well. Most of these places would be really good in Jan, but even better in April or so.