Best Places to Travel in January with Kids (2027)
The best places to travel in January with kids: warm places where the ocean is warm enough to swim, sunny pool trips, snow and ski, with 2027 dates.
January is a great month for a family trip, once the holidays are over. Prices drop, lines get shorter, and the rest of the world is back at work.
There's one catch most lists skip. Warm air doesn't mean warm water. Plenty of "warm" January places have an ocean that's too cold for kids to swim in, and that's the biggest letdown of a January beach trip.
So we sorted the best places to travel in January with kids by what they'll actually do. Will they swim in the ocean, swim in a heated pool, hike in the sun or play in the snow? Every temperature below is a January average from NOAA or the local weather service, and every date is for 2027.
Our top picks at a glance
| Place | January high / low | Ocean warm enough for kids? | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 83°F / 72°F | Yes, about 81°F | Rough surf on some north-coast beaches |
| Maui and Oahu | 81-82°F / 64-67°F | Yes, 76-77°F | Long flight, big winter waves on some shores |
| Florida Keys and Miami | 76°F / 61-66°F | Cool but swimmable, 72-73°F | Cold fronts bring chilly days |
| Cancun and Riviera Maya | 84°F / 68°F | Yes, about 81°F | Passports; check the seaweed report |
| Aruba | 86°F high | Yes, high 70s | Passports; pricey |
| Punta Cana | Mid-80s | Check your beach | Windy, rough water on some beaches |
| Costa Rica (Pacific) | Around 90°F | Check your beach | Long drives with little kids |
| Walt Disney World | 72°F / 50°F | No ocean; pools heated | Cold snaps; some closures |
| San Diego | 66°F / 50°F | No, 58-59°F | Beach weather it isn't |
| Phoenix and Tucson | 67-68°F / 41-46°F | No ocean | Cold nights; ask how warm the pool is |
| Palm Springs | 71°F / 47°F | No ocean | Chilly evenings |
| Everglades | 76-78°F / 55-58°F | No swimming | Long tours for toddlers |
| Ski trips (Colorado, Utah) | Low 30s / single digits to teens | Snow! | Expensive; best from about age 4 |
| Yellowstone in winter | 28°F / 1°F | Snow! | Very cold; most roads closed to cars |
When to go in January (the dates that matter)
The best weeks are the ones right after New Year's and the weeks after MLK weekend. Kids are back in school, so crowds and prices drop.
A few dates change everything in January 2027:
- New Year's week is still holiday crowds and holiday prices. Things calm down after January 2 or 3.
- Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend runs January 6 to 10, 2027. Disney hotels get busy and pricier those nights.
- MLK weekend is January 16 to 18, 2027. It's a long weekend for many schools, so popular places fill up. It's not the deal it looks like.
- The quiet stretch is the weekdays between those dates and the second half of the month.
Good to know: January is also cold and flu season at home and on planes. Pack a small medicine kit and a thermometer, and check your travel insurance before you go.
Warm places to visit in January (where kids can swim in the ocean)
These are the places where the ocean is warm enough for most kids in January. The water temperatures are January averages.
Puerto Rico
Best for: any age, including babies. January weather: a high of 83°F and a low of 72°F on average. Ocean: about 81°F.
Puerto Rico is the easiest warm-water trip from the US. US citizens don't need a passport, so you don't need to get one for the baby. If you're there on January 6, you'll see Three Kings Day, a big public holiday. Celebrations start the evening before, and kids leave grass in a shoebox for the Kings' camels.
The catch: some beaches on the north coast get strong waves and rip currents in winter. Pick a calm, protected beach for little kids, and swim where there's a lifeguard.
When to go: any time after New Year's.
Maui and Oahu, Hawaii
Best for: ages 5 and up are easiest on the long flight. January weather: a high of 82°F and a low of 64°F in Kahului, Maui; 81°F and 67°F in Honolulu. Ocean: 76 to 77°F.
January is whale season. Humpback whales are in Hawaii from November through April, and the peak is January through March. Kids can see them spout and splash from a whale-watching boat, and sometimes from shore.
The catch: it's a long, expensive trip, and winter waves on north-facing shores can be big. Swim at calm, lifeguarded beaches. No passport needed. See our guide to Honolulu with kids.
When to go: mid to late January, after the holiday rush.
The Florida Keys and Miami
Best for: any age. January weather: a high of 76°F and a low of 66°F in Key West; 76°F and 61°F in Miami. Ocean: 72 to 73°F.
This is some of the warmest beach water you can drive to in January. Many kids will happily swim at 72°F. Some will find it chilly, so pack a rash guard.
The catch: cold fronts can bring a few cool, windy days. Book a hotel with a heated pool as a backup.
When to go: after the first week of January.
Cancun and the Riviera Maya, Mexico
Best for: ages 3 and up for kids' clubs. January weather: a high of 84°F and a low of 68°F on average. Ocean: about 81°F.
The warmest big-resort choice close to the US, with the most family all-inclusives. See our picks in the best all-inclusive resorts for families.
The catch: seaweed (sargassum) is usually a spring and summer problem, but it reached the coast early in January 2026. Check the latest seaweed report before you book. Some resort pools aren't heated, so ask. Every child, even a baby, needs their own passport book to fly to Mexico.
Aruba
Best for: any age. January weather: a high of 86°F on average.
Aruba is one of the warmest picks, with an average January high of 86°F. It sits well south of the main hurricane belt.
The catch: it costs more than Mexico, and kids need passports.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Best for: ages 3 and up for kids' clubs. January weather: highs in the mid-80s.
Punta Cana has lots of family all-inclusives.
The catch: January can be windy, and some beaches get rough water and red flags. Ask the resort which beach is calmest, and check how warm the pool is. Kids need passports.
Costa Rica's Pacific coast
Best for: ages 5 and up. January weather: highs around 90°F in Guanacaste.
The Pacific side is in its dry season from December to March, so January is sunny there. The Caribbean side is still wet in January, and rain forest areas inland can be rainy too.
The catch: drives between places are long for little kids. Pick one or two bases instead of moving every day. Kids need passports.
Sunny places for the pool, not the ocean
These places are sunny and mild in January, but the ocean is either cold or far away. Plan on a heated pool, and ask how warm it actually is.
Walt Disney World, Orlando
Best for: ages 3 to 9. January weather: a high of 72°F and a low of 50°F on average.
January is one of the best times to do Disney with kids. Most of the month is in Disney's cheapest hotel season. The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts runs from January 15 to March 1, 2027, and it's included with EPCOT admission.
Disney's resort pools are heated to about 82°F year-round, and kids from cold states swim happily. Getting out of the pool is the hard part, so pack a warm towel or a hoodie.
The catch: Orlando gets cold snaps. In January 2026 it dropped to 31°F one night. Disney water parks may close on cold days, and Typhoon Lagoon is closed for refurbishment as of November 2026. The Disney Skyliner gondola is closed from January 24 to 30, 2027, with free buses instead. Pack layers for 40°F mornings and 80°F afternoons.
When to go: the weekdays between Marathon Weekend and MLK weekend, or late January. See our guide to Orlando with kids.
San Diego
Best for: ages 2 to 10. January weather: a high of 66°F and a low of 50°F. Ocean: 58 to 59°F.
San Diego in January is sunny, quiet and easy, but it's not beach-swimming weather. Plan around the zoo, LEGOLAND and whale watching. Gray whales pass San Diego from late December to mid-March, and most go by in December, January and February.
The catch: the ocean is colder than Florida's, so kids need a wetsuit to play in the waves for long. LEGOLAND California is closed on Wednesdays January 13, 20 and 27, 2027, and its water park is closed in January. See our guide to San Diego with kids.
Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson
Best for: ages 4 and up. January weather: a high of 68°F and a low of 46°F in Phoenix; 67°F and 41°F in Tucson.
Sunny days are perfect for short desert hikes and the pool in the afternoon. Saguaro National Park, outside Tucson, is a great first desert hike, with giant cactuses kids love.
The catch: nights get cold, and a "heated" pool can still be too chilly for kids. Ask the hotel how warm the pool is kept in January.
Palm Springs, California
Best for: any age. January weather: a high of 71°F and a low of 47°F.
Palm Springs is warm, sunny and relaxed. The family favorite is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. It climbs to 8,516 feet, where it's much colder and there's often snow in winter. Kids can play in the snow in the morning and swim in a heated pool in the afternoon.
The catch: bring jackets for the top of the tram and for the evenings.
Best national parks to visit in January
Desert and Florida parks are at their best in January. The days are mild, and summer heat and bugs are gone. A national parks pass is $80 a year and covers your car.
- Everglades, Florida: a high of 76 to 78°F. January is the dry season, the best time for wildlife, with fewer mosquitoes. Kids love spotting wildlife, especially the big wading birds. Entry is $35 a car. Long tours can be too much for toddlers, so keep outings short.
- Death Valley, California: a high of 67°F and a low of 43°F. Winter is the most pleasant time to visit. Entry is $30 a car.
- Joshua Tree, California: easy to add to a Palm Springs trip. Entry is $30 a car.
- Saguaro, Arizona: short cactus trails near Tucson. Entry is $25 a car.
Desert nights drop into the 40s, so pack warm layers even if the afternoon feels like summer. Prices change, so check before you go.
Snow and ski trips in January
A snow trip is a great January choice once your youngest is about 4. Younger kids can go too, but ski school for little ones is mostly childcare with a bit of time on skis. Book lessons and childcare before you book flights, because they fill up.
Colorado and Utah ski resorts
January weather: in the low 30s by day, and single digits to the teens at night.
Kids can ski for much less with a state kids' ski passport:
- Colorado Ski Country USA Kids' Ski Passport: $76 for kids in kindergarten through 6th grade. It's good for 4 days at each of 19 member resorts. It's not valid at Breckenridge, Keystone or Vail. Blackout dates include January 16 to 17, 2027.
- Ski Utah Passport: for kids in 4th, 5th and 6th grade, including kids from out of state. It's $79 through November 30, 2026, then $99. Many resorts black it out on MLK weekend, January 16 to 17, 2027.
The catch: ski trips are expensive, between lift tickets, lessons, rentals and childcare. Kids also tend to wake up very early after flying west. Plan an early first day.
Yellowstone in winter
Best for: ages 6 and up. January weather: a high of 28°F and a low of 1°F at Old Faithful, with lots of snow.
Winter Yellowstone is magical: steaming geysers, bison in the snow and far fewer people. Old Faithful Snow Lodge is open from December 16, 2026, into March, and you reach it by snowcoach.
The catch: it's very cold, and the only road open to regular cars runs from the North Entrance to the Northeast Entrance. See our guide to Yellowstone with kids.
Lake Tahoe
January weather: a high of 43°F and a low of 18°F in South Lake Tahoe. It's an easy snow trip from California, with sledding and family ski areas. Go on weekdays to avoid weekend crowds.
Cheap places to travel in January
The cheapest January trip is one you take after the first week of the month, on weekdays, somewhere you can drive.
- Skip MLK weekend (January 16 to 18, 2027) and New Year's week.
- Disney's cheapest hotel season covers most of January 2027.
- Desert parks and the Florida Keys make great road trips, with a campsite or a kitchen to save on food.
- Puerto Rico skips the passport cost if your kids don't have passports yet.
For more ways to save, see our guide to affordable family vacations, with real costs for a family of four.
What to pack for January
- For warm trips: swimsuits, rash guards and a warm layer for cool evenings. A kids' wetsuit top helps in cooler water.
- For desert trips: sun hats and sunscreen for the day, and warm jackets for the night.
- For snow trips: waterproof gloves plus a spare pair, warm hats, snow boots and layers.
- For every trip: a small medicine kit, and passports for every child if you're flying outside the US.
Questions parents ask
Where is the warmest place in the US in January?
Puerto Rico and Hawaii. San Juan averages a high of 83°F in January, with ocean water around 81°F. Honolulu and Maui average highs of 81 to 82°F, with water in the mid-70s. In the mainland US, the Florida Keys and Miami are among the warmest, with highs around 76°F and water in the low 70s.
Where is warm and cheap in January?
Go after the first week of January and skip MLK weekend. Orlando, the Arizona desert and the Florida Keys are warm-ish and easy to drive or fly to. At Disney World, most of January is in the cheapest hotel season. Puerto Rico is a warm option that doesn't need a passport.
Which country is best to visit in January with kids?
Mexico's Caribbean coast is the easiest, with highs in the mid-80s and ocean water around 81°F near Cancun. Aruba is warm, and Costa Rica's Pacific coast is in its dry season. Every child, even a baby, needs their own passport book to fly to these places.
What US state is best to visit in January?
Hawaii for warm ocean swimming and whale watching. Florida for theme parks and the Keys. Arizona and Southern California for sunny days and heated pools. Colorado and Utah for snow and ski trips.
Which islands are best to visit in winter with kids?
Puerto Rico, Maui, Oahu and Aruba all have warm water in January. Puerto Rico and Hawaii don't need a passport for US citizens. Pick a calm, lifeguarded beach, because winter waves can be big on some shores.
Is Disney World crowded in January?
Parts of it are. New Year's week, Marathon Weekend (January 6 to 10, 2027) and MLK weekend (January 16 to 18) are busy. The weekdays in between, and the weeks after MLK weekend, are some of the quietest and cheapest of the year.
Planning further ahead? See the best places to travel in December with kids, our spring break destinations for families, or the best places to travel with kids for every season.