By Sinaiyouth 
Need to unwind after the stress of the holidays? Start your year with a vacation in January. I’ve chosen five stunning getaways featuring everything from old-world beauty in Rome to movie magic in Hollywood. I’ve also included two stunning beaches and a snowy wonderland to inspire you. The five places I recommend sparkle in January and offer plenty of fun for adults and children.
1. Hollywood, California
Los Angeles is made up of dozens of neighborhoods, so the key to a stress-free Los Angeles vacation is to focus on a specific part of the city and avoid wasting valuable vacation time in the busy traffic of this sprawling city. And, bonus: While cold weather covers much of the United States in January, Los Angeles stands out for its mild winter temperatures (highs in the mid-to-high 60s are pretty standard).
Hollywood is both glamorous and spunky, and its central location makes it a solid base camp. Movie buffs won’t want to miss the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a mile-long sidewalk with star-shaped plaques honoring famous artists past and present.
Located just east of Hollywood, Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. It is home to the Los Angeles Zoo, the Griffith Observatory and the Travel Town Museum with its vintage locomotives. Universal Studios is just over the hill in the San Fernando Valley. A tour immerses visitors in the world of cinema, with a theme park where you can explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World.
Where to stay: Hollywood glitz is on full display at the Kimpton Everly Hotel, with views of the iconic Hollywood sign and fun perks like a pool table, rooftop pool and free PUBLIC bikes. The subway is just down the street and will take you to Universal Studios in 9 minutes, without the need for a car.
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 waves in the sun, but this city is worth exploring.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a state-of-the-art, functioning marine hospital that rehabilitates rescued sick or injured animals and releases them into their natural habitat when they are ready. Animals that cannot be viably released remain, so those are the animals you will 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 car-free travel, hop aboard the Clearwater Jolley Trolley and travel sustainably across town.
Where to stay: At the JW Marriott Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa, families enjoy an oceanfront location with an ultra-scenic pool and rooms with private balconies.
3. Rome, Italy
Few cities welcome family travelers like Rome does. The premises will welcome your children as if they were their own, kissing their cheeks and offering them extra desserts. January is low season, with few people.
Plan your visit for January 6 and you’ll experience a uniquely Italian 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 receive real candy. The windows of local sweet shops display fabulous edible candy creations to commemorate the holiday. Join Roman families visiting spectacular nativity scenes in Piazza Navona, St. Peter’s Square, and many more in churches and squares across the city.
BEST TRIP EVER: 101 Best Family Vacation Ideas for All Ages
Rome is full of breathtaking sights such as the Sistine Chapel, Piazza di Spagna and the Colosseum, but the Eternal City is much more than the sum of its parts. Allow yourself time to get lost in the maze of alleyways and watch the Romans weave through traffic on mopeds for a true appreciation of The sweet life.
Head to the elegant Villa Borghese and enjoy its gardens, playgrounds and low-tech zoo. Villa Celimontana is a tree-lined retreat near the Colosseum, where historic statues surround the playground. Ice cream should only be eaten when it is hot, says who? Romans enjoy it all year round, available in a range of scrumptious flavors, making an ice cream crawl a delicious part of your Roman vacation.
Where to stay: A world-class art collection adorns the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria hotel. The park-like gardens, swimming pools and sumptuous rooms offer a relaxing oasis in the big city.
4. The Catskills, New York
Long a playground for New York City residents, the Catskills feature a mix of indoor and outdoor winter adventures. It’s a snow lover’s paradise, with skiing and snowboarding at resorts such as Belleayre and Hunter Mountain. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowtubing are other ways to have fun outdoors in cold weather.
The region is home to many small towns with interesting attractions. In Bethel, the Bethel Woods Museum is located on the site where Woodstock took place in 1969. Today, visitors can enjoy multimedia exhibits and artifacts that highlight this seminal pop culture event that many consider a catalyst for important events. cultural transformation.
Continuing the psychedelic theme, the Emerson Resort & Spa in Mount Tremper is home to the world’s largest kaleidoscope. To fully enjoy the bursts of color, lie down on the mat and soak it up. Foodie families won’t want to miss Phenicia Diner at Phenicia, where local ingredients and homemade breads are mouth-watering. There is a large children’s menu for guests under 12 years old.
Where to stay: Once known as the Borscht Belt, trendy kid-friendly hotels are springing 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 vibrant party scene, New Orleans has a reputation as a destination for adults. Scratch the surface and you’ll discover that 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 arrival of a storm of visitors to celebrate Mardi Gras in February or early March.
The old-world architecture and vibrant life of the French Quarter should not be missed. Allow time to enjoy the sound of an impromptu zydeco trio on the sidewalk and sample the sugar-dusted donuts at Café du Monde. The state-of-the-art Audubon Aquarium is located just outside the French Quarter. Watch free-flying birds zoom overhead, penguins and seahorses frolic, and alligators lounge at the Down at the Bayou exhibit.
FIND A DEAL: 12 Best Cheap Hotel Booking Sites
At the new Vue Orleans (at the top of the Four Seasons along the waterfront), families can learn about the city’s history and culture in a fun and interactive way, then be taken to the observation floor for views of the city and many other interactive elements, including trying to pilot a river barge.
City Park is an urban oasis with playgrounds, a New Orleans-themed mini-golf course, and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a visual wonderland with more than 90 large-scale works nestled among magnolias and live oaks. The Louisiana Children’s Museum is adjacent to the park, with interactive indoor exhibits and outdoor features, including sensory gardens, a floating classroom and wetlands, connecting young visitors to the natural world.
New Orleans is synonymous with music, from jazz to blues to ragtime and beyond. Locals introduce their offspring to the joys of live music from a young age and visitors can do so too. Preservation Hall, one of the city’s best jazz spots, welcomes children with open arms. Each set lasts 45 minutes, a manageable length for little attention spans.
Where to stay: The Intercontinental New Orleans offers fine service and an excellent location two blocks from the French Quarter. Between the French Quarter and Garden District, directly across the street from the huge and attractive National World War II Museum, the Higgins Hotel offers comfortable, modern rooms, restaurants, and a canteen for coffee and gifts.