Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Need to get away from cold

Look at these average high temps for Sarasota, http://www.sarasotadowntown.com/temperature.html. It's true you could hit a cool spot, but odds are better that you would not, and "everything is relative". I see people swimming year round here as far north as Clearwater Beach, but you can bet they are from elsewhere! The earliest I've been in is early April. I love Sarasota and the entire string of barrier islands from Longboat Key up to Anna Maria Island. Each has a different flavor depending on how upscale you want to get. We live in St Pete which also has beautiful beaches and a vibrant downtown.

The joy of this area for tourists is that there are a lot of airlines with direct flights into Tampa and its a easy drive from there to all the Sarasota/St Pete area. I totally agree with everyone on the Miami airport. It's the absolute worst airport I've ever had the displeasure of flying through!

Capxx has a good point about embracing a winter sport. Dress for the cold and you'll be fine. I grew up in the Berkshires with a ski area 5 minutes from my house. I absolutely hated to see winter and the ski season end. Moved away after college and were transferred back to Boston after living in New Orleans. The cold was tough to take after New Orleans, and with two toddlers and a southern husband, skiing was no longer in the mix. All I could think about was getting out of there, and with his job we knew we could at any time we wished. So instead of embracing the area, which is beautiful and just loaded with things to do, I thought nothing but escape. I don't recommend that approach! We were transferred again 16 months later to Dallas and I never looked back, though I'm the first to admit, there is much I miss about New England..

So plan your getaways, but embrace what you have too, knowing that late spring, summer and fall are glorious, and you'll no longer face strings of 100+ days. In your shoes I'd try to plan a late February or early March getaway. That's the time you'll be so over the snow and slush and gloomy days, and odds of gorgeous weather here are much improved.