Warm Weather Winter Vacation Locations for Active Seniors?
 

Thank you very much for alerting us to specific properties in the USA where we can get away from the frigid cold, snowy Metropolitan NY weather in Feb and March and be on a beach with assorted sports/cultural/ intellectual amenities. We loved many seasons in Naples, Florida, and now wish for another experience. Golf, Tennis, Courses, BEACH etc....With appreciation for your time......Suzy

Tucson, AZ?

Are you looking for U.S. locations only? We spent the winter (6+ weeks) in Morocco this year and it was divine (and very inexpensive). For most of the time we were on the beach in Essaouira. There are golf courses and many sporting activities (not sure about tennis, but we weren't looking), cultural activities of all kinds, museums, excursions...And the food - yum!

Hawaii except it might rain but checking airfare prices from NYC to Morocco you might get a better deal than flying to Hawaii

Well Mexico is my go-to and has everything you ask for. And of course the Caribbean islands.

But for the USA I can only think of Hawaii to suggest. Maybe southern California?

Moved to the United States Forum

Obviously if you want to be on a beach, you have very limited places you can go in the US. Florida, Texas or California. And for CA, it would have to be southern California if you want to go in the water. Of course if you went to Naples, I guess that isn't so important as I'm sure you wouldn't go in the water there in February.

I supposed some place north of San Diego would work, I just don't know a good resort town there. Or Newport Beach if you don't care about going in the water. If that really isn't important, I'd say Santa Barbara.

Hawaii or Mexico

Honestly, I can't think of anyplace in the US that would be all that warm and sunny in January or February except maybe Hawaii. I remember grey wet Januarys in Florida.and when I lived in Southern Texas, it was often wet and cold too in those months. Maybe Arizona? (not a suggestion as much as that I can't rule it out, not having been there in winter)

Great time for other places and I was coming to suggest some when it was an open question but they're not in the US. Seems strange to post them in this forum.

They roll up the beach for the winter in our So Cal town. That is, they plow it up into sand berms to protect beach front houses from the winter storm surge and tides.

You won't want to go in the water in January and February anyway, it is just too cold. The air off the water is cool enough in the summer that you don't have to go in it the water cool off. Just being by the beach could be 20 degrees cooler than a few miles inland.

And it rains in the winter. January is when I want to leave So Cal to find someplace warm and dry. Sometimes I have to turn on the heater in January and February.

OTOH, I see that there were PGA tour events in So Cal in January. One was in La Quinta, near Palm Springs. The other in Torrey Pines, just north of San Diego.

So, if it is good enough for the PGA then a couple of NY golfers might like it.

Sounds FUN! DIFFERENT! EXOTIC! Was crime a concern? Where specifically did you stay? We would love to investigate an all inclusive resort there. Is a rented car necessary? What kind of weather did you experience in Feb. and March? THANKS for the LEAD! Thanks very much!

Thanks so much! Can you recommend a secure, safe Mexican resort for us to investigate?

If you wanted to stay stateside -- Palm Springs + Death Valley would be a great 'two fer' - with maybe a bit of Joshua Tree thrown in for good measure. DeathValley is fabulous the - scenery, history, geologic oddities, hikes. Then PS has the spas and shopping and dining and cable car to the top, etc.

For Mexico I have only been to Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Maya. I only stayed AI once, in 2009 atter losing my husband, and I stayed at the Akumal Beach Resort which was remodeled and expanded a couple of years ago and is now called Akumal Bay Beach and Wellness Resort. Normally I stay in non-AI hotels or condos and usually rent a car, or my friend does, neither of us has ever been stopped by the police.
If you do decide to stay AI first decide if you want Adults Only (AO) or family friendly and does it need to be near a town like Playa del Carmen or not?
One that has interested me if I did go AI again would be Catalonia Royal Tulum on beautiful Xpu-Ha beach where they have shot several Corona commercials. It is AO, and no reservations are needed for dinner and I am pretty sure it does not have a dress code for any of the restaurants. Really it depends on what is important to you,

We have spent a lot of time in the Yucatan during the winter and would highly recommend it. For "assorted sports/cultural/ intellectual amenities" I think you might enjoy staying in Playa del Carmen.

The main city you fly into will be Cancun and Playa is about 45 minutes south of there (and then Akumal about another 30 minutes south and finally Tulum is about 20 minutes south of Akumal). In Cancun itself there is the main town area but also an area that is nothing but large resorts-so all inclusive and some not. But we find that area both expensive (even by US standards) and isolated. Playa has both a vibrant local community and tourist population, is a great walking town with lots of restaurants and bar choices. It also is a place with lots of espresso cafes and yoga classes and gyms for example, so lots to do particularly if you are thinking 4-5 weeks. Akumal is still fairly laid back even with the increased development over the years-we think it has the nicest beach, particularly the one in front of the Hotel Akumal Caribe. It is less windy than some areas and if you are lucky you will be able to swim with the sea turtles that make the bay their home. We have stayed at Hotel Akumal Caribe many times and it is a nice property with a mix of hotel and bungalows-but it is more like a 3 star property than a high end Marriott resort for instance-but very comfortable. They also have their own restaurant and bar and there is a small "town center" with 4-5 restaurants a mini mart etc., but nothing like Playa.

Tulum has gotten very developed over the past few years and has both a city center away from the beach and then a number of hotel and resort properties along the beach (many of them marketed as eco-resorts). We personally don't love Tulum-it has gotten too crowded and the beach can be windy. But others love it. And then all along the peninsula from Cancun you will find all inclusive resorts. We haven't stayed in any AI properties but if you go over to the Mexico forum you will find lots of info about them I am sure.

But I would definitely consider the Yucatan-it is fairly easy from NY and you will be almost guaranteed warm water, sun and plenty of places for tennis and golf.

There is always Costa Rica with ALL it has to offer.

How long are you planning to be in the warm weather area? Is it just a vacation or are you going for a month or two? If it's the later, then a resort would be too costly, but there are many condos in the Riviera Maya that would suit your needs.

Pueto Rico meets your needs, and it is in America even though nobody knows. You might get some good deals as the main tourist areas are mostly recovered from the hurricane but tourism is not completely back yet.

If you are interested in the Mexican Caribbean, the locogringo.com web site has lots of info on towns, beaches, hotels, etc. Playa Del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Akumal, Soliman Bay, Tulum are all great but all have a different vibe. We have been going to this area for the past 12 years - love it. Winter temps are typically in the low to mid 80's and the water is very swimmable.

Can you recommend a secure, safe Mexican resort for us to investigate?

I go to Puerto Vallarta Mexico twice a year (May/June and Oct/Nov). I am single, female, and LOVE this town. It is a city so has a great tourist infrastructure in place. I don't have a specific resort to recommend as I just rent an apartment or condo downtown myself. But they are available. www.vallartainfo.com is a good overview website to get you started. And the Trip Advisor PV forum is very active.

I've been to PV at least 30 times since my first trip in the early 1990's. I have always had a great time. Feb/March are a little pricier than my dates of travel as that is still "high season". Just pull up hotels.com or booking.com or cheapcaribbean.com to get some ideas of what's available.

If you want a condo instead of a resort, that's easy too... PVRPV.com is a good one because of huge inventory and good search features.

There's a large, well established community of ex-pats and snowbirds, so PV is a bit different than some other locations in being very welcoming, safe, easy to manage as a first timer.

buena suerte~suze