Best places to visit in January for families

Need to decompress after holiday stress? Start your year with a January vacation. I’ve selected five great vacation spots that feature everything from the old world beauty of Rome to the movie magic of Hollywood. I’ve also included two beautiful beach spots plus a snowy wonderland to inspire you. The five places I recommend shine in January, with plenty of fun for adults and kids alike.

1.Hollywood, California

Los Angeles is made up of dozens of neighborhoods, so the key to a stress-free vacation in LA is to focus on specific parts of the city and avoid wasting valuable vacation time in the sprawling city’s heavy traffic. And, bonus: even though cold weather blankets much of the US in January, LA stands out with its mild winter temperatures (highs in the mid to high 60s are pretty standard).

Hollywood has equal parts glamor and grit, and its downtown location makes it a solid base. Movie fans won’t want to miss the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a more than mile-long sidewalk dotted with star-shaped plaques honoring famous entertainers past and present.

Located just east of Hollywood, Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, home to the Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Observatory, and the Travel Town Museum with its vintage locomotives. Universal Studios is right up the hill in the San Fernando Valley. Visits take guests into the world of filmmaking, with a theme park where you can explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Super Nintendo World.

Places to stay: Hollywood luxury is on full display at the Kimpton Everly Hotel, with views of the iconic Hollywood Sign and fun amenities like a pool table, rooftop pool and free PUBLIC bikes. Metro is just down the road, gets you to Universal Studios in 9 minutes, no car needed.

2. Clearwater Beach, Florida

With sand as soft as baby powder and warm Gulf waters, Clearwater Beach attracts winter visitors from cold climates like a magnet. It’s tempting to spend all your time building sandcastles and jumping through the waves in the sun, but the city is worth exploring.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a state-of-the-art marine hospital that rehabilitates rescued sick or injured animals and releases them back into their natural habitat when they are ready. Non-releasable animals are still around, so those are the ones you’ll see. At dusk, Sunsets at Pier 60 celebrates the end of the day with live music and street performers, providing family-friendly entertainment every day of the year. For a car-free trip, hop on the Clearwater Jolley Trolley and explore the city the eco-friendly way.

Places to stay: At the JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa, families get a beachfront retreat with an idyllic pool and rooms with private balconies.

3. Rome, Italy

Few cities welcome family travelers as much as Rome. Local residents will welcome you children as if they were their own, kissing them on the cheek and tucking in extra dessert. January is the low season, with few visitors.

Time your visit for January 6 and you’ll experience Italy’s unique way of celebrating Epiphany, known as La Befana. La Befana is an old witch who gives well-behaved Italian children coal-shaped candy, while naughty children get real candy. Local sweet shop windows display extraordinary edible candy creations to commemorate the holiday. Join the Roman family as they visit the spectacular birthplace of Jesus in Piazza Navona, St. Peter’s Square, and many other places in churches and squares around the city.

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Rome is filled with stunning sights like the Sistine Chapel, the Spanish Steps, and the Colosseum, but the Eternal City is more than the sum of its parts. Give yourself time to get lost in the maze of small streets and watch the Romans weave through the traffic on mopeds for a true appreciation Sweet life.

Visit the elegant Villa Borghese and enjoy the gardens, playground and low-tech zoo. Villa Celimontana is a tree-lined retreat near the Colosseum, where historic statues surround a playground. Gelato should only be eaten warm, who said? Romans enjoyed them all year round, available in a variety of delicious flavors, making the gelato crawl a delicious part of your Roman holiday.

Places to stay: A world-class art collection adorns the Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Garden-like grounds, swimming pools and luxurious rooms offer a relaxing oasis in the big city.

4. Cat Skills, New York

Long a playground for New York City residents, the Catskills provide a mix of indoor and outdoor winter adventures. It’s a snow lover’s paradise, with skiing and snowboarding at resorts like Belleayre and Hunter Mountain. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snow tubing are additional ways to have fun in the cold weather outdoors.

This area is home to many small towns with cool attractions. In Bethel, the Museum at Bethel Woods is located on the site where Woodstock occurred in 1969. Today, visitors can enjoy multi-media exhibits and artifacts that shed light on an important pop culture event considered by many to be a catalyst for significant change. cultural transformation.

Continuing the psychedelic theme, the Emerson Resort & Spa at Mount Tremper is home to the world’s largest kaleidoscope. To get the full impact of the burst of color, lie down on a rug and soak in it. Foodie families won’t want to miss Phenicia Diner in Phenicia, where locally sourced ingredients and house-made bread are mouth-watering. There are many children’s menus for guests under 12 years old.

Places to stay: Once known as the Borscht Belt, hipster hotels welcoming children are now popping up like spring flowers. Lakeside Kenoza Hall is an intimate retreat with chic bungalows and a variety of yoga classes.

5. New Orleans, Louisiana

With a vibrant nightlife and bustling party scene, New Orleans has a reputation as a destination for adults. Scratch the surface and you’ll find the Big Easy offers a winning combination of family-friendly activities, cultural diversity, and an unstoppable spirit that’s a lesson in resilience. January is the calm before the storm of visitors arriving to celebrate Mardi Gras in February or early March.

The quaint architecture and vibrant street life of the French Quarter are not to be missed. Take time to enjoy the sounds of an impromptu sidewalk zydeco trio and sample sugar-dusted beignets from Café du Monde. The state-of-the-art Audubon Aquarium is located just outside the French Quarter. Watch free-flying birds soar overhead, penguins and seahorses frolic, and alligators relax at the Down at the Bayou exhibit.

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At the newish Vue Orleans (above the Four Seasons along the waterfront), families can learn about the history and culture of the city in a fun and interactive way, then be taken to the observation floor for views of the city and even more interactive elements including trying your hand at driving a river barge.

City Park is an urban oasis with a playground, a New Orleans-themed mini golf course, and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a visual wonderland of more than 90 large-scale works nestled among magnolia trees and live oaks. The Louisiana Children’s Museum is adjacent to the park, with interactive indoor exhibits and outdoor elements including a sensory garden, floating classroom, and wetlands, connecting young visitors with nature.

New Orleans is synonymous with music, from jazz, blues, ragtime and beyond. Locals initiate their children into enjoying live music from a very young age and visitors can too. Preservation Hall, one of the city’s best jazz venues, welcomes kids with open arms. Each set lasts 45 minutes, a manageable length for small attention spans.

Places to stay: The Intercontinental New Orleans offers good service and a great location, two blocks from the French Quarter. Between the French Quarter and the Garden District, directly across from the large and interesting National World War II Museum, the Higgins Hotel has comfortable and modern rooms, a restaurant and a cafeteria for coffee and souvenirs.

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