The holidays are officially over, New Year’s resolutions have slowly begun to wane, and that relaxed RV vacation feeling is all but a distant memory—welcome to February.
For many Americans and Canadians, February means windy, wet, bitterly cold weather. Plenty of people wish longingly to escape the miserable weather. Yet where the weather is frigid or dreary in many parts of the United States, it is superb across the Sun Belt.
Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, the Super Bowl, taking advantage of the Presidents’ Day long weekend, or just taking a break, you have plenty of options for an RV vacation in February. Where to go depends on what kind of a break and weather you’re looking for.
Southern California offers warm February temperatures, but why not try Gold County? Daytime temperatures in February in cities like Jackson and Angel Camp are around 60 F. Explore California’s gold rush history, go antique shopping, or taste the 35 wine varietals from Amador and Calaveras counties.
Thinking about a February getaway but not sure where to go? These destinations are particularly ideal, offering something for just about everyone.
© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved
Saguaro National Park,
Arizona
You know those comically oversized cacti Wile E. Coyote used to fall into?
Those are modeled after the Giant Saguaro cactus, the most distinct feature is
this park straddling the city of Tucson. The park, created to preserve the
cacti, boasts some great hikes. Even during mild weather, a trek into nature
here can take you up 5,000 feet of elevation in 15 miles of desert. Driving
Saguaro will take you through a Western landscape that’s unmistakably Arizona.
© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved
New Mexico
The Land of Enchantment boasts some ridiculously gorgeous desert ‘scapes. Ghost Ranch, the terrain made famous by Georgia O’Keefe, is full of crimson and gold cliffs and big blue sky. White Sands National Monument has a mind-boggling 275 square miles of gypsum sand dunes set in the shadow of the mountains. And we’d be remiss to leave out Carlsbad Caverns, a collection of over 100 caves and one of the state’s top attractions.
The cities are no slouches either. Santa Fe is one of America’s great art destinations, and not just for the turquoise, silver, and artist galleries in the town center. Santa Fe also has an awesome food scene, where meticulously-made Southwestern fare shines with ancient recipes and ingredients. Meanwhile there’s fantastic skiing in Taos, and still far less expensive than Park City or Aspen.
© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved
Alabama State Parks
From a shaded retreat on John’s Bay in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta to the boardwalk atop the highest mountain in the state, the Alabama State Parks System offers an incredible diversity of nature’s wonders to explore. Just north of the point where the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and Mobile Bay converge, Meaher State Park offers a respite from the hustle and bustle that can be seen in the distance on the Bayway crowded with travelers.
Meaher offers 61 improved campsites, 10 improved tent sites, a couple of primitive tent sites, and four cabins. Two more cabins will be available later this year.Part of the draw is the easy access to the Delta and being able to stay overnight between Mobile and Baldwin counties.
© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved
Newport, Rhode Island
If you thought Newport, the former stomping ground of the Astors and the Vanderbilts, was only worth visiting in the summer, think again. The seaside town—known for its Gilded Age mansions and outdoor music performances—is perfect for cold weather getaways, particularly in mid-February. This is when the Newport Winter Festival brings the city to life with concerts, beach polo, and even a chili cook-off.
© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved
Palm Springs, California
Fed by underground springs, the desert comes alive here, not only with signature palms, but also with a string of resort communities—Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Indio, and others, as well as the namesake town of Palm Springs—sporting a cool, mid-century modern vibe and countless ways to relax.
Every Thursday evening, this desert city takes on new life for VillageFest, a weekly street fair that brings casual party atmosphere to its downtown neighborhood.
Give yourself plenty of time to stroll along the swanky El Paseo district in Palm Desert. First, you’ll want to see all the art. A roughly 1-mile strip and adjacent streets are home to one of the largest concentrations of art galleries anywhere in Southern California.
Worth Pondering…
Recently I ran across a few lines by Pierre de Ronsard, a 16th-century poet: “Live now, believe me, wait not till tomorrow. Gather the roses of life today.” Maybe it’s time to stop dreaming about that trip you’ve always wanted to make—and just do it!