Hometown temperatures dropping towards subzero? Worry not, the best warm places to visit in February are closer than you might expect. And if you’re happy to travel, it’s a magical month to explore more long-haul destinations too.
Even within the US land borders, there are plenty of warm places to visit. Nearby Mexico and the Caribbean also offer reliable hot weather, golden beaches, and extravagant cocktails to banish thoughts of winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, summer is peaking, from New Zealand to Cambodia. To tick off a true bucket list destination, visit Easter Island. You’ll find them all and many more among my takes on where is hot in February.
| Destination | Avg. temp | Avg. hours of sun |
|---|---|---|
| Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao | 81°F | 9 |
| Raglan | 66°F | 14 |
| Loreto | 64°F | 12 |
| The Arabian Desert | 62°F | 8 |
| Fort Lauderdale | 69°F | 12 |
| O‘ahu | 65°F | 12 |
| Tucson | 55°F | 12 |
| Easter Island | 75°F | 12 |
| Conil de la Frontera | 53°F | 11 |
| Phnom Penh | 81°F | 12 |
Best warm beaches to visit in February
With chill winds blowing across much of the mainland US, thoughts turn to days spent lazing on golden beaches. Daydream no more.
1. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao
- Average temperature: 81°F
- Average hours of daily sun: 9 hours
Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao are often lazily grouped as the ABC islands. Despite their shared Dutch influence, each has emerged distinct from the others in many ways. Except perhaps for their consistently flawless beaches.
February is peak Caribbean season with all three islands basking in blue skies and beach temperatures. The main party is found in Aruba, especially as it’s Carnival month. Head for Oranjestad and Palm Beach to join the parades and parties.
Blessed with more sand than its rockier siblings, Curaçao is the largest island with the most beaches. Find dramatic cliffs, picture-perfect coves, and Caribbean blues at Grote Knip, Klein Knip, and Playa Lagun.
My top pick is Bonaire. The outlier of the trio, it is lesser-visited but has world-beating diving and a glowing reef only feet offshore. Watersports are a part of daily life here and the island’s 400-plus caves make it a spelunker’s utopia.
2. Raglan, New Zealand
- Average temperature: 66°F
- Average hours of daylight: 14 hours
Growing up a surfer, I had a photo of the famed wave known as Raglan on my wall for 15 years. Amazingly, from the moment I first visited, it lived up to my expectations. Warm and inviting yet dramatic and mind-blowing, it’s a landscape that could only exist in New Zealand.
February is a great time to explore the coastline of this Waikato region on North Island. Daytime temperatures regularly sit in the mid-70s, water temperatures in the mid-60s, and the sun shines and shines. The primary surf break is at Manu Bay, where waves can run down the coast for a thigh-burning 330 yards. If you are a beginner head for the dramatic black sands of nearby Ngarunui Beach.
Surf sated, head into laidback Raglan, the archetypal surf town. Lively bars, great home-cooking restaurants, cool inns, and a healthily eccentric art scene are all just a two-hour drive from Auckland.
3. Loreto, Mexico
- Average temperature: 64°F
- Average hours of daylight: 12 hours
Take a road trip down the Baja peninsula and you’ll spend a lot of time alone, staring at cactus fields as the miles tick by. A beacon of cool amid the arid landscape, Loreto is one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos, or Magic Towns.
Marked for its lovely colonial architecture and rich cultural heritage, its cobbled streets lead you into Mexico of old. The 17th-century Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto, pottery stores, and deeply rooted locals can feel from another world. But among them, you’ll also find boutique hotels, delicious family-run restaurants, and a modern buzz.
Offshore is where Loreto really shines. The pristine islands of the Parque Nacional Bahía de Loreto teem with nature. Deserted beaches fringe an ocean that in February is alive with whales drawn there to feed, mate and calve.
4. Arabian Desert, Saudi Arabia
- Average temperature: 62°F
- Average hours of daily sun: 8 hours
A vast sea of red-hued sand spreads across most of the Arabian Peninsula. The Arabian Desert is home to extreme temperatures and towering dunes, Bedouin culture, and a diverse wildlife habitat. February is winter, when daytime temperatures hover in the mid-70s and conditions are more agreeable.
A few hours southwest of Riyadh, Al Kharrarah National Park is a playground for adventure. Follow in the tracks of ancient Egyptians who would surf and shift cargo on sandboards and sleds. Local guides can take you deep into the desert to virgin dunes, where you’ll be the first to lay your line in the sand.
If you’re lucky, winter rainfall will transform the area into a fleeting oasis. Water surging down steep dunes creates a temporary waterfall and the Lake of Liquid Light, which is deep enough to swim in. For a time at least, it may just be the best beach in the world.
Best warm places to visit in the US in February
Happily, there are plenty of locations in the US that enjoy winter sun, with temperatures warm enough to make the most of outside.
5. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Average temperature: 69°F
- Average hours of daylight: 12 hours
Once the East Coast go-to for raucous spring breakers, Fort Lauderdale has grown up. Today it’s renowned for beaches and boating canals, luxury shopping, and fine dining. And with the weather in Florida in February pushing average high temperatures into the late 70s, it’s become a premium winter vacation destination.
With the sun shining, head straight for Florida’s 23 miles of golden sand beaches. Lay out under swaying palms and blue skies at Las Olas Beach, in the heart of the action. Behind you, Las Olas Boulevard reaches like an artery through the canals and on into the city.
Hop on a riverboat to cruise the canals while sipping Champagne and disembark amid the chic boutiques and shiny hotels flanking Las Olas Boulevard. To end your day gorge at the many sea-to-table restaurants, overflowing with fresh seafood and Floribbean flair.
6. O‘ahu, Hawai‘i
- Average temperature: 65°F
- Average hours of daylight: 12 hours
Tropical and temperate O‘ahu offers a blissfully warm February vacation. The natural Hawai‘in entry point from mainland US, its skies are clear and its seas sparkle. Average high temperatures don’t drop below 70, which means the beaches and hiking trails are primed and ready.
Kick off a stay in the capital, Honolulu. Splicing the chaos of a metropolis with island culture in an awe-inspiring location, it’s at once hectic and laid back. O‘ahu really shines in the wilds, though. Sunrise has never looked better than from the highs of the Makapu‘u Lighthouse Trail, one of more than 200 crisscrossing the island.
Then of course, there are the beaches. Waikiki needs no introduction but it’s the infamous North Shore that steals the show. Home to some of the world’s best waves (for surfers and spectators alike), winter is when the big swells hit. Pull up a towel, sit back and enjoy the show.
7. Tucson, Arizona
- Average temperature: 55°F
- Average hours of daylight: 12 hours
Okay, an average of 55 doesn’t scream warm weather. But with average highs of 69 and little to no rain, Tucson is something of a dream in February. Especially if you love to hike.
Arizona’s second city is engulfed in the enormity of nature. Pass its borders in any direction and you’ll soon find yourself in alien landscapes. Sabino Canyons are the quick and easy option for a scenic stroll. My pick, however, is an hour south amid the desolate grandeur of Elephant Head.
A huge granite peak traversed by the well-worn East Ridge trail, its summit delivers eye-watering views over the Santa Rita Mountains to the east. Start from Chino Canyon for a challenging trek that takes in the ruins of Old Elephant Head Mill and the abandoned Quantrell Mine. At its peak, the bizarre but brilliant Elephant Shrine is framed by Baboquivari Peak in the distance. Magic.
Best warm places to visit in February around the world
If distance is no object, the world opens up in February with some extraordinary destinations at their finest. Here are three of my favorite and far-flung warm places to visit in February.
8. Easter Island, Chile
- Average temperature: 75°F
- Average hours of daylight: 13 hours
Don’t mind a long-haul trip? Deep in the heart of the South Pacific, Easter Island basks in balmy summer temperatures in February. It’s a lovely time to step out of the rat race and immerse yourself in one of the world’s most spellbinding islands.
Your first stop should be the moai statues, 887 giant rock sculptures better known as the Easter Island heads. Trek the Ara O Te Moai ancestral trail where you’ll find fallen heads and on the slopes of Rano Raraku volcano, the quarry they were mined from. Seeing them in place is made only more fascinating by the fact no one knows how the Rapanui people got them there.
For a unique experience, join a guided dive to see the submerged moai near the town of Hanga Roa. There’s excellent diving, snorkeling, and surfing around the coast, served by among others, the lovely white-sand beach at Anakena.
9. Conil de la Frontera, Spain
- Average temperature: 53°F
- Average hours of daylight: 11 hours
In Andalucía, Spain’s far south, the beaches are wilder and the cities more historic. Cádiz, Europe’s oldest, is a window into 3,000 years of history laid open for exploration. Farther south still, the town of Conil tumbles down cliffs to the beach like a white wave breaking into the Atlantic.
It’s become my default European beach vacation because it’s a fabulous place to soak up the sun, even in winter. February temperatures aren’t scorching hot, but with typically bright sunny days it always feels warmer.
Instead of sunbathing, get involved. Nearby El Palmar is a miles-long surf mecca with a thriving and friendly beachfront community. Surf schools and camps, buzzing bars with built-in skate ramps, and local ‘cervecerias’ serving 2€ cañas and outrageously good tapas. And there are few better ways than to finish a day with a sunset horseback ride through the surf.
10. Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Average temperature: 81°F
- Average hours of daylight: 12 hours
Yet to garner the attention and investment of other Southeast Asian metropolises like Bangkok and Hanoi, Cambodia’s capital is a rough diamond. In February it swelters under blue skies, yet rainfall and humidity are at their lowest.
Any visit must acknowledge the atrocities of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge. A trip to Choeung Ek, known as the Killing Fields, is informative and deeply moving. It’s my choice over the Tuol Sleng Museum, which is almost unbearable in its stark grimness.
But Phnom Penh is so much more than this tragic history. Follow in the footsteps of royalty, war reporters, and Hollywood icons with a stay at the historic Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Dine on delicious Khmer cuisine (but trust me, skip the fried tarantula) at Romdeng restaurant. A non-profit, the waiters are all impoverished Cambodian youths getting training in hospitality.
And don’t miss the mighty Mekong, my favorite river, alive with life of every kind. Southeast Asia’s great artery, extend your trip with a three-day cruise along it into Vietnam and wonderful Ho Chi Minh City.
Where is hot and cheap in February?
Mexico and many islands of the Caribbean are excellent choices for a hot, budget vacation from the US in February. Further afield, Southeast Asia is very cheap to explore if you can find cheap flights, nowhere more so than Cambodia. To find cheap flights and travel inspiration, check out KAYAK Explore.
Need a little more winter heat? Try the best warm places to visit in January. Or swap the beach for a party at some of the best places to travel in February. Prefer to stay close to home? Get more inspiration with these winter vacations in the US.
For other inspiration, KAYAK Explore and travel guides bring the world to you. And for great value bookings, KAYAK is where you’ll find flights, car rental, and accommodation.
