2019's Best Cold and Warm Weather Winter Holiday Destinations

When it comes to winter, some like it hot while others prefer the cold. WalletHub recently analyzed nearly 70 of the country's largest "warm" and "cold" metro areas based on more than three dozen key metrics across six categories-including travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, cold-weather activities and safety-to determine the best domestic destinations for winter fun this year.

Chicago, which just might be the best city in the world, ranks tops in the nation in terms of cold-weather activities and fourth for both attractions and lowest travel costs and fewest hassles, making it the best city in America for cold-weather seekers this winter.

The Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria metro region ranks eighth or better in five of the six categories WalletHub analyzed, including fourth for cold-weather activities and fifth for winter weather.

Only Albuquerque, New Mexico fared better than Atlanta in terms of weather. The Southern city also ranks third nationwide for cold-weather activities and lowest travel costs and fewest hassles so there are lots of festive things to do without breaking the bank.

Ideal winter weather and an array of attractions propel Philly into WalletHub's top five U.S. destinations for a cold-weather winter vacation. The City of Brotherly Love ranks sixth in both important categories.

The Denver-Aurora-Lakewood region ranks ninth or better in three key areas, including cold-weather activities (seventh), attractions (eighth) and weather (nine). Travelers looking to capitalize on ski season should look no further as the Mile High City is a gateway to Breckenridge, Aspen, Snowmass Village and other powdery destinations.

Travelers searching for the cold will definitely find it in Boston. However, the Massachusetts capital also ranks third nationwide for attractions and tops in the country in terms of safety, making it an easy choice for families.

In the Midwest, St. Louis performs remarkably well across all six categories that WalletHub looked at, placing seventh for both local costs and winter weather as well as ninth for both attractions and cold-weather activities.

Budget-conscious travelers in search of an affordable cold-weather destination this winter should circle Cincinnati, which ranks fourth-best for lowest local costs and fifth-best for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles.

Unsurprisingly, New York City ranks second for cold-weather activities and fifth for attractions. And while the destination is incredibly accessible, it's held back by costs, ranking 32nd locally.

Portland ranks second for most attractions and fifth for most cold-weather activities this year, meaning thrill-seekers will want to venture out to the Pacific Northwest this winter.

The Austin-Round Rock metro area is the best warm-weather winter destination in America this year, according to WalletHub's research. The Texas capital ranks number one for the lowest travel costs and fewest hassles and most attractions.

Elsewhere in Texas, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area fares well among the country's top warm-weather winter destinations in large part due to its accessibility and pleasant conditions. Dallas ranks second for both lowest travel costs and fewest hassles and weather in 2019.

If you throw away local and travel costs, there's a strong case to be made that San Diego is the country's top warm-weather winter destination as it ranks second for safety, third for both weather and warm-weather activities and sixth for attractions, based on WalletHub's research.

Las Vegas is certainly well-known for its diverse lineup of entertainment so it comes as little surprise that it ranks fifth for most attractions and fourth for warm-weather activities this winter.

Phenomenal weather and a ton of outdoor activities await visitors to Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida this winter. According to WalletHub, the destination ranks eighth for weather and seventh for warm-weather activities.

Texas is a safe bet for travelers looking for a warm-weather winter getaway this year. Houston also cracks WalletHub's top 10, finishing in second for attractions, fourth for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles and 10th for warm-weather activities.

The San Antonio-New Braunfels region comes in just behind Houston, ranking inside the top 15 in five out of the six key categories WalletHub examined. If it's warmth and sunshine you're after, might we suggest a road trip of Texas this winter?

Charleston fares better than San Antonio in terms of lowest travel costs and fewest hassles (fifth) and safety (22nd) and even ties the Alamo City when it comes to warm winter weather (12th). Nonetheless, it has some ground to make up when it comes to local costs and warm-weather activities, ranking 23rd and 20th, respectively.

Out West, the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale region ranks first for weather and also cracks the top 10 for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles. However, it ranks just 16th for attractions and 17th for warm-weather activities.

This year's winter forecast is one of the few things preventing Orlando from climbing WalletHub's rankings. The Theme Park Capital of the World ranks a lackluster 37th for weather but tops in the nation in terms of warm-weather activities.