Warm U.S. Islands for Cold Times
Even in the depths of February, life stays breezy in these affordable spots with near-empty beaches and quirky charms.
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AMELIA ISLAND, FLA.
Average highs of 65/71 in February/March
Average highs of 65/71 in February/March
About as far north as you can go and still be in the Sunshine State, Amelia Island's 13 miles of beaches are mostly deserted until March—so it's easy to find a spot where there are no other people in sight. Horseback riding along the sand is one of the most popular off-season activities. Kids have a blast exploring the nooks and crannies of Fort Clinch, one of the country's best-preserved 19th-century fortifications. It was also one of the last of its kind, as new weapons made brick forts obsolete during the Civil War. Boutiques and lovingly restored Victorian mansions make up the historic district.
SLEEP: The sunny-yellow clapboard Hoyt House is a Queen Anne–style beauty with 10 not-too-fussy rooms that start at $145. But through the end of February 2009, the second night is half price, bringing the nightly rate down to a more affordable $109.
REFUEL: Grab one of the umbrella-shaded tables in the courtyard of Joe's 2nd Street Bistro, where the menu leans, naturally, toward seafood.
EASY ESCAPE: From Jacksonville (33 miles), Gainesville (101 miles).
AVERY ISLAND, LA.
Average highs of 65/72 in February/March
Average highs of 65/72 in February/March
Things get hot here, and not just because of the steamy weather. It's home to the Tabasco Pepper Sauce Factory, where you can taste the fiery mixture during the free weekday tours. (If you come on a Friday, you won't see the sauce being made, however.) E.A. McIlhenny, son of the company's founder, converted his private estate into a bird sanctuary, which he opened in 1935 as Jungle Gardens. McIlhenny was intent on saving snowy egrets, then endangered because their plumage was popular for ladies' hats. You can still see the brilliantly white birds inside the sanctuary and out. Surrounded by bayous, the mostly undeveloped island is also a great place to spot alligators, deer, and raccoons. You'll want to base yourself in one of the nearby communities; New Iberia, a half-hour drive north, has a good selection of restaurants and gracious homes transformed into B&Bs.
SLEEP: A bungalow dating from the early 1900s, the Estorge-Norton House in New Iberia is chock-full of antiques. Rates start at $80.
REFUEL: Taste-N-Sea, also in New Iberia, serves down-home favorites like corn-and-crab bisque and grilled catfish.
EASY ESCAPE: From Baton Rouge (85 miles), New Orleans (140 miles).
CALADESI ISLAND, FLA.
Average highs of 73/77 in February/March
Average highs of 73/77 in February/March
The three miles of white-sand beaches on this pristine barrier island offer some of the best shelling on the Gulf of Mexico (see photo). And because it's a state park, you won't search for sand dollars in the shadow of high-rise hotels. In fact, there's not a single place to stay on the island, unless you count the 108-slip marina. There are no cars, either. Once you disembark the ferry ($10 roundtrip from Dunedin), the only way to get around is with your own two feet. Not a bad way, actually, as the boardwalk nature trail passes through stands of mangroves and around sand dunes. As you stroll, you may spot one of the rare gopher tortoises. Kayaking around the bay side of the island is a popular pastime, as the sea-grass flats are populated with ospreys, herons, and other birds. Pack a picnic lunch because there's just one small concession stand on the island.
SLEEP: You can fish from the dock at the Sea Captain Resort on the Bay in nearby Clearwater, a small city popular with water sports enthusiasts. Winter rates start at $94 through the end of January and at $110 for February through April.
REFUEL: On the mainland, very close to Caladesi Island, Dunedin's kitsch-filled Casa Tina serves surprisingly authentic Mexican fare. A local favorite is the Veracruz-style fish, sautéed with tomatoes and onions (727/734-9226).
EASY ESCAPE: From St. Petersburg (20 miles), Tampa (24 miles), Orlando (103 miles).
CATALINA ISLAND, CALIF.
Average highs of 64/65 in February/March
Average highs of 64/65 in February/March
You won't entirely escape the state's notorious traffic on this island 22 miles off the southern California coast. But since golf carts are just about the biggest things on the road, you probably won't mind. You can get your own cart through Island Rentals (310/510-1456, $80 for a three-hour cart rental), but to explore the island's rugged interior, you'll need to rent a two-wheeler from Brown's Bikes or enlist the help of an outfitter like Discovery Tours. Spotting one of the island's bald eagles, which were almost entirely wiped out by chemical contamination a few decades ago, will put a feather in your cap. The island is an hour from Long Beach on the Catalina Express ferry ($66.50 round-trip), which drops you off at the town of Avalon, a pleasant place for window-shopping. That cylindrical building on the edge of the harbor is the Casino, an art deco movie house that still screens the latest releases.
SLEEP: On Avalon's main drag, the Hermosa Hotel welcomed its first guests in 1896. Spartan rooms with shared baths start at $45 through the end of January and at $55 for February to April. Cottages with their own kitchens start at $65 for February through April.
REFUEL: This is California, so the home cooking at Original Jack's Country Kitchen includes free-range chicken, and beef and pork raised without antibiotics or hormones. Sound too wholesome? Try one of the gooey doughnuts from its adjoining bakery (310/510-1308).
EASY ESCAPE: From Los Angeles (24 miles), San Diego (107 miles).
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, S.C.
Average highs of 61/67 in February/March
Average highs of 61/67 in February/March
Still weaving baskets from the sweetgrass that grows wild along the coast, Daufuskie Island's tiny Gullah population—descended from slaves—carefully tends to its traditions (see photo). You can take a peek into local life at landmarks like the white clapboard First Union African Baptist Church, built in the 1880s and still in use today. Less than a quarter of this 5,000-acre island has been developed, leaving plenty of open spaces to explore. (And we mean exploring by foot or by golf cart, as no cars are allowed.) One especially nice excursion point is the Haig Point Lighthouse, which has a tower extending from the roof of an antebellum-style house.
SLEEP: As you might guess, there are no big resorts on the island. (The only one, the Daufuskie Island Resort, recently closed.) A good alternative is the two-bedroom Daufuskie Island Cottage, a vacation-rental property that's on a quiet dirt lane in the historic district. In January and February, the rate drops to $115, including use of a golf cart.
REFUEL: There's nightly live music at Marshside Mama's, which one local calls a "put-your-feet-up place." The ladies in the kitchen ladle out a tasty low-country gumbo (843/785-4755).
EASY ESCAPE: From Savannah (44 miles), Charleston (116 miles).
MOLOKAI, HAWAII
Average highs of 76/77 in February/March
Average highs of 76/77 in February/March
When Hawaiians talk about Molokai, they often say it's "how the islands used to be." It's true that there are no traffic lights, no sprawling hotels, and a single chain restaurant. The least visited of the major Hawaiian islands has a rugged northern coast with the world's highest sea cliffs, a southern coast that gently wades into the sea, and a rocky interior punctuated by three extinct volcanoes. The biggest town, Kaunakakai, has barely 7,000 people, along with a three-block-long main street and a tiny airport. The top tourist attraction is the former leper colony in what is now Kalaupapa National Historic Park, a peaceful place reachable only on foot or by mule. The scenery is exhilarating, and the remaining buildings, such as the pair of squat churches, are thought-provoking. There's also a nearly endless string of beaches, including the lovely Papohaku, a three-mile-long stretch of glimmering gold sand.
SLEEP: Lodgings are limited and can be expensive. Try Kaunakakai's Hotel Molokai, a cluster of A-frame buildings set in a tropical garden. Winter rates start at $132 if you book online.
REFUEL: A local favorite is the Paddlers Inn in downtown Kaunakakai. Enjoy island specialties like poke (the local version of sushi) and saimin (curly noodles topped with vegetables, seafood, or whatever else the chef has in the kitchen) on a breeze-cooled patio.
EASY ESCAPE: From Honolulu (50 miles).
SLEEP: Lodgings are limited and can be expensive. Try Kaunakakai's Hotel Molokai, a cluster of A-frame buildings set in a tropical garden. Winter rates start at $132 if you book online.
REFUEL: A local favorite is the Paddlers Inn in downtown Kaunakakai. Enjoy island specialties like poke (the local version of sushi) and saimin (curly noodles topped with vegetables, seafood, or whatever else the chef has in the kitchen) on a breeze-cooled patio.
EASY ESCAPE: From Honolulu (50 miles).