So, February looms, and you are tired of being cold and wet. Gildshire can relate! We’re hardy and never complain about sunrise or sunset. We know that the cycles of the seasons are necessary for blessings such as food crops and butterflies. That said, by the time February rolls around, your friends at Gildshire Travel are ready for a change! Let’s go on an end-of-winter travel excursion to refresh our souls. Here are some great ideas for February.
Manhattan Beach, California:
You thought Santa Monica was laid-back in the winter. Just 13 miles south of the Santa Monica Pier Carousel find Manhattan Beach and its beautiful February vibe. Get there in time for breakfast and have a bagel from Noah’s Bagels. In the mood for some lunch? Try El Tarasco. Gildshire Travel recommends the Best Western Plus Manhattan Beach Hotel for $152 a night.
Salt Lake City, Utah:
Contrary to popular belief, the fact that we’re tired of winter does not mean we only want to go to a beach. Maybe, we want a city that knows how to do winter right! Salt Lake’s City Creek Center is a shopping destination with a retractable roof, and fountains that shoot fire when the weather gets particularly nippy. Utah Olympic Park was the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, but you can play there today if you wish. Nearby, parks and trails offer an abundance of snowshoeing opportunities for folks who want to build an appetite. (Have you tried snowshoeing? You’ll be able to eat a caribou after an hour of that.) Our luncheon recommendation is The Park Cafe, and Gildshire travel is fond of University Guest House and Conference Center for overnight lodging. It will run for about $149 a night.
Key West, Florida:
Ah, Papa Hemingway had the best of it, didn’t he? Swim with the dolphins in the afternoon and have a sunset cocktail with your feet dangling in the water while sailing aboard on a Key West Sunset Cruise. Be careful, though. Key West is a place some people visit for a few days but contract a severe case of “why go home?” That’s because even the traditional beach town escapades (think paddle-boarding and jet-skiing) take on an ethereal dusky hue in this magnificent, and mostly unspoiled hideaway. Restaurant recommendations include Bien’s Pork Cuban Sandwich for lunch after breakfast at Key’s Coffee Co. Gildshire Travel recommends Galleria Guesthouse Condos, for about $149 a night.
Winter travel isn’t like any other travel when it is to Key West.
Beaver Creek, Colorado:
Gildshire understands that not everyone skis. (Please, don’t ask us to share our Giant Slalom winning Super 8s again) That said, everyone loves good scenery, good food, and a good time in a winter wonderland. Beaver Creek is just the place. It’s harder to find than Vail (and MUCH harder to find than Aspen) but the people who do find it will be rewarded in full. Fine dining, full-on resort amenities, and guided starlight snowshoeing tours. If this is you, Beaver Creek is for you. Save money for the fine dining by lunching at Gondola Pizza in nearby Avon. Stay the night at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa for a little under $200 a night.
That’s our list of February travel gems, and some of them are hidden travel gems at that. Those are our favorite kinds. Get cracking on reservations, because tens of tens are reading this as we speak, and they love Gildshire Travel too.
