The 20 Best Cold Weather Winter Vacation Destinations for 2018

WalletHub recently analyzed dozens of the country's largest metro areas to determine the best cold-weather winter destinations ahead of the holiday season, breaking them down based on travel costs and hassles, affordability, weather, attractions, activities and safety. If both cost and fun are being considered, these are the top 20 places in America to take a cold-weather vacation this winter.

The Windy City may take a hit when it comes to weather (freezing temperatures aren't uncommon) but it ranks numbers one and two for cold-weather activities and attractions, respectively.

The nation's capital and surrounding cities like Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia rank extremely well in a handful of key categories, including attractions (fourth), weather (fifth) and cold-weather activities (fourth).

Although it's not often thought of as a cold-weather destination, Atlanta comes in ninth or better in five of the six key categories, including second for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles, weather and cold-weather activities.

Cincinnati checks all the important boxes for budget-conscious winter vacationers, ranking first overall for local costs and fourth for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles. Otherwise, it's middle-of-the-pack for attractions, weather and cold-weather activities.

No destination compares to New York City when it comes to winter attractions and only four other cities edge the Big Apple in terms of cold-weather activities and safety. Keep in mind NYC ranks last of all 32 destinations for local costs.

Similar to New York, Boston can be an awfully pricey winter getaway. Nonetheless, visitors won't be bored as it's undoubtedly one of the best places for festive attractions around the holidays.

In the Pacific Northwest, Portland narrowly beats out Seattle thanks to a better performance across categories such as local costs, cold-weather activities and safety.

The Mile High City ranks either seventh, eighth or ninth in four important areas, including local costs, attractions, weather and cold-weather activities. Denver's proximity to some of the country's most popular ski destinations certainly doesn't hurt its appeal this time of year.

The Northeast is chock-full of exceptional winter destinations for those who welcome the cold, including Philadelphia, which cracks the top 10 in large part due to its top six weather and array of seasonal attractions.

If you're willing to take a chance on the weather (21st), Pittsburgh is a phenomenal cold-weather destination as it won't break the bank, is safe and ranks inside the top 10 in terms of activities available when the temperatures drop.

St. Louis ranks in the top 13 in every category except for safety (21st). It's seventh for weather, ninth for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles and 10th for attractions.

It's no secret that the weather in Minneapolis-St. Paul can be absolutely brutal come winter. Therefore, it's no surprise the destination takes a hit because of it, ranking 27th for weather but 11th for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles as well as cold-weather activities.

The Emerald City and surrounding communities rank third for attractions and sixth for cold-weather activities. Nonetheless, Seattle has some catching up to do when it comes to both travel and local costs.

This college football town might be short on attractions (24th) but only two other destinations fare better in terms of local costs. What's more, getting to Columbus is cheaper and easier (10th) than most probably think.

Indianapolis is yet another winter vacation destination that excels due to affordability, ranking third for lowest travel costs and fewest hassles and sixth for local costs.

Elsewhere in the Midwest, Cleveland is among the most consistent cold-weather winter vacation destinations, ranking middle-of-the-pack in terms of costs, attractions, activities and safety while coming in fourth-worst for weather. After all, the city is no stranger to lake-effect snow.

Affordability is the Louisville region's biggest draw come winter, according to WalletHub's research. It ranks fourth in that category but 14th or worse in every other key metric.

Although only one of the other 31 destinations ranks worse than Baltimore for safety, Charm City and nearby communities like Towson and Columbia are relatively affordable to reach thanks to nearby BWI Airport and offer ideal weather conditions for travelers seeking a traditional chilly winter.

Similar to Denver, Salt Lake City is a gateway to some of the best winter skiing destinations in the country. It ranks eighth for cold-weather activities and 10th for local costs.

Kansas City ranks first in terms of lowest travel costs and fewest hassles and comes in third overall for weather, making it a fantastic option for winter travelers operating on an extremely tight budget this season.