159 destinations scored for February.
Where to travel in February
Carnival season, calving season, and the best value month in the winter-sun belt.
The straight answer
The best places to travel in February are Thailand and the Riviera Maya in peak dry season, Patagonia in high summer, and Cape Town at its most reliably sunny, with Carnival in Rio and Venice for festival hunters.
February is January's slightly smarter sibling. The same dry-season destinations are at their best, Thailand, the Maldives, Mexico's Caribbean coast, Costa Rica, but the New Year price spike has faded and the crowds are a touch thinner outside of holiday weeks. The southern hemisphere is still in full summer, with Patagonia, New Zealand, and Cape Town all wide open.
It is also the great festival month. Carnival lands in February most years, which means Rio at full roar, Venice in masks, and New Orleans building to Mardi Gras. These are bucket-list spectacles and they price like it: if you want Carnival, book months out; if you do not, know the dates and steer around them.
The quiet star of February is wildlife. The Serengeti calving season peaks, monarch butterflies blanket the forests of central Mexico, humpbacks fill Hawaiian waters, and the northern lights season is in prime dark-sky territory. Few months reward the nature-first traveler this well.
Our February picks, ranked
Each one opens its own month page: weather, crowds, prices and what is on.
The full February board
All 159 destinations we cover, scored for February.
At their best in February
47 places. One of their best months of the year.
Swiss Alps
Cold, highs near 34F (1C) in the valleys, best snowpack
Dubai
Warm and sunny, highs near 78F (26C)
Egypt
Mild, Cairo highs near 70F (21C), Luxor near 79F (26C)
Cape Town
Warm and dry, highs near 80F (27C), wind easing
East Africa Safari
Warm, highs near 84F (29C), scattered storms
Thailand
Dry and warm, highs near 91F (33C)
Vietnam
Dry in south and center; north cool, brightening late month
Singapore
Hot, drier, highs near 88F (31C)
Maldives
The driest month, highs near 86F (30C)
New Zealand
Warm and settled, highs near 75F (24C), the most reliable month
Sydney
Warm and humid, highs near 79F (26C), the warmest ocean of the year
Orlando
Mild, highs near 74F (23C), low humidity
Riviera Maya
Dry, highs near 83F (28C)
Costa Rica
Driest stretch, highs near 89F (32C) on the Pacific coast
Patagonia
High summer, highs near 60F (16C), winds still strong
The Dolomites
Cold and bright, valley highs near 37F (3C)
Finnish Lapland
Very cold, highs near 14F (-10C), days lengthening
Hokkaido
Coldest stretch, highs near 32F (0C), lows near 18F (-8C)
Palawan
Dry, highs near 88F (31C), lowest humidity of the year
Angkor Wat
Dry, highs near 91F (33C)
Luang Prabang
Dry, highs near 85F (29C)
Sri Lanka
Dry in the south, west, and center, highs near 88F (31C)
Rajasthan
Warm days, highs near 77F (25C), cool nights
Kerala
Dry, highs near 90F (32C), humidity building
Goa
Dry, highs near 89F (32C)
Kuala Lumpur
Highs near 91F (33C), among the driest months
Delhi and Agra
Mild and sunny, highs near 75F (24C), clearer air
Oman
Sunny, Muscat highs near 79F (26C), dry
Abu Dhabi
Sunny, highs near 79F (26C)
Puerto Rico
Driest stretch of the year, highs near 83F (28C)
Jamaica
Dry, highs near 85F (29C)
Turks and Caicos
Dry, highs near 82F (28C)
US Virgin Islands
Driest time of year, highs near 84F (29C)
St. Lucia
Dry, highs near 84F (29C)
Barbados
Dry, highs near 84F (29C)
Punta Cana
Dry, highs near 83F (28C)
Los Cabos
Dry, highs near 79F (26C), breezy afternoons
Puerto Vallarta
Dry, highs near 81F (27C)
Oaxaca
Dry, highs near 81F (27C), cool nights
Belize
Dry, highs near 82F (28C)
Guatemala
Dry, highs near 75F (24C), clear volcano views
Panama
Dry, highs near 89F (32C), steady trade winds
Cartagena
Dry and windy, highs near 87F (31C)
Medellin
Dry and warm, highs near 82F (28C)
New Orleans
Mild, highs near 65F (18C), some rain
Quebec City
Frigid, highs near 22F (-6C), deep snow
Zanzibar
Hot, highs near 91F (33C), humid, mostly dry
Also good
17 places. Solid conditions, no major caveats.
Iceland
Cold, highs near 38F (3C), daylight growing fast
Morocco
Springlike days, Marrakech highs near 68F (20C)
Mexico City
Dry, highs near 75F (24C), chilly mornings
The French Riviera
Mild, highs near 57F (14C)
Seville
Mild, highs near 65F (18C)
Madeira
Mild, highs near 66F (19C)
Canary Islands
Mild, highs near 71F (21C), coolest sea of the year
The Bahamas
Mild and dry, highs near 78F (26C), water near 74F (23C)
Aruba
Dry, highs near 86F (30C), steady trade winds
Galapagos Islands
Hot and humid, highs near 86F (30C), water near 77F (25C)
Savannah
Mild, highs near 64F (18C)
San Diego
Mild, highs near 65F (18C), the wettest month
Key West
Pleasant, highs near 76F (24C), dry
Los Angeles
Mild, highs near 69F (21C), the wettest month
Banff
Cold and snowy, highs near 29F (-2C)
Sedona
Mild, highs near 60F (16C)
Melbourne
Warm, highs near 79F (26C), dry, occasional heat waves
Quiet value
60 places. Fewer crowds and lower prices, with honest tradeoffs.
ParisStill blissfully quiet. Cafe-and-museum weather; pack for rain and you win.
LondonStill quiet and cheap. Half-term school break in mid-February bumps family attractions for a week.
RomeStill quiet and cheap. Carnival season brings frappe pastries to every bakery window.
FlorenceStill quiet and cheap. Museum-and-ribollita weather; a fine month for a purely artistic trip.
BarcelonaStill calm and cheap. Perfectly good sightseeing weather; the beach is scenery, not swimming.
LisbonStill calm and cheap. A fine museum, pastry, and fado month between rain bands.
AmsterdamStill calm and cheap. Brown-cafe-and-museum weather at its purest.
PragueStill deep off-season. Cozy pub weather; museum and cafe days at rock-bottom prices.
IrelandQuiet and cheap. Lambs appear in the fields late month and the light starts coming back.
CroatiaStill deep off-season, though carnival celebrations liven up Rijeka and Dubrovnik. City-break weather, not beach weather.
IstanbulStill deep low season. Snow on the domes, when it comes, is magical. Hamams and covered bazaars feel made for the weather.
JordanStill low season and cold up high. Aqaba and the Dead Sea stay mild, making a south-heavy itinerary the winter play.
TokyoQuiet, cheap, and underrated. Plum blossoms open late in the month, a preview of spring without the crowds.
KyotoPlum blossoms open at Kitano Tenmangu late in the month. Temples nearly to yourself, prices at their softest.
SeoulWinter's tail end and often Seollal's window. Cheap flights, empty palaces, and street food that tastes best in the cold.
Washington, DCStill empty, still cheap. Presidents Day weekend brings a brief bump; otherwise you own the Mall.
New York CityStill cheap, still quiet. Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown and Flushing are a genuine highlight.
Cinque TerreQuiet villages and cheap rooms. Limited dining, no boats; good for a short, flexible visit.
SicilyAlmond blossom around Agrigento, Sant'Agata in Catania, and Carnival in Acireale. A strong winter pick.
ProvenceAlmond blossom late in the month. Aix, Avignon, and Arles stay open; the Luberon sleeps.
MadridGood museum weather with thin crowds. Nights are still cold.
The AlgarveAlmond blossom in the hills and carnival in Loule. Too cold for most swimmers.
PortoStill rainy, still cheap. Carnival brings some color in the region.
ViennaPeak ball season, including the Opera Ball late in Carnival. Quiet sights, full dance floors.
BudapestStill quiet and cheap. Good for museums, the Opera, and long bath afternoons.
BerlinBerlinale brings stars and packed cinemas mid month. Otherwise quiet and cheap.
MunichFasching (carnival) brings costumed street parties in the old town on the last days before Lent.
CopenhagenThe quietest month. Winter jazz festival programs brighten it up.
StockholmCrisp, bright days in good years, and the best chance of skating on the lakes.
Norway's FjordsCrisp snowy scenery on clear days and winter sports in the mountains. Limited services in fjord villages.
Scottish HighlandsWinter sports in the Cairngorms in good years. Quiet roads, but limited services.
EdinburghStill quiet and cheap. Wrap up for Arthur's Seat.
BrugesBruges Beer Festival in early February. Otherwise very quiet.
SalzburgThe quietest month. Good for museums, concerts, and day trips to the snow.
KrakowStill very quiet. Good for museums and cellar bars; skiing in Zakopane nearby.
AthensStill quiet and cheap. The pre-Lent carnival season (Apokries) often lands now, ending with Clean Monday kite-flying on Filopappou Hill.
MaltaMalta Carnival often falls in February, with floats and costumes in Valletta and a wilder version in Nadur on Gozo.
MallorcaThe almond trees bloom white and pink across the interior, usually from late January into February. Cyclists begin arriving for training camps.
KotorThe Feast of St Tryphon and Kotor's winter carnival bring local life to the squares. Herceg Novi's Mimosa Festival is nearby.
Lake BledQuiet and cheap. Good for winter walks and skiing at Vogel above Lake Bohinj.
Hong KongOften Chinese New Year month: harbor fireworks and flower markets, but many small businesses shut for a few days.
OsakaPlum blossoms appear in the Osaka Castle plum grove late in the month. A value month for eating your way through Dotonbori.
OkinawaPeak humpback whale season around the Kerama Islands and early cherry blossoms at Motobu. Spring training baseball camps too.
NepalDays lengthen and trails start to wake up. Losar, the Tibetan and Sherpa new year, often falls this month or early March.
BhutanStill cold but clear, and some years bring the Punakha Drubchen and Tshechu festivals late in the month or in March.
BorneoRain starts to ease on the west coast; Kinabalu often has clear mornings. Still wet in the east.
UzbekistanStill winter, still cheap. Tashkent's museums and metro make it a decent city break.
BermudaUsually the coolest month. Good-value hotel deals, but many beach businesses are closed.
San FranciscoLunar New Year festivities and one of the largest Chinese New Year parades outside Asia. Hills start turning green.
Las VegasGood value and good hiking weather. Super Bowl weekend and Valentine's Day push prices up.
CharlestonThe Southeastern Wildlife Exposition takes over the city one weekend. Camellias bloom in the gardens.
NashvilleQuiet and cheap. A good month for the Hall of Fame and writers' rounds.
SeattleStill the quiet season. Longer days start to help.
AustinMostly pleasant patio days with the odd blue norther. Cedar pollen fades by late month. A solid low-price pick.
Grand CanyonStill peaceful and cheap. Presidents Day weekend is the one busy spike.
ZionStill quiet and cheap. Snow on the red cliffs is a real possibility and a real highlight.
Glacier National ParkDeep winter solitude for skiers and snowshoers. Whitefish Mountain Resort nearby is the main winter draw in the area.
Great Smoky MountainsWinter views through bare trees and empty trails. Gateway-town lodging at its cheapest.
AcadiaQuiet coast and frozen waterfalls, with very few services. Only for travelers who want winter on its own terms.
Napa ValleyMustard season in full color and easy winery appointments. Pack for rain.Tradeoffs
21 places. Real upsides and real downsides. Read the month page before booking.
VeniceCarnival month most years: masks, balls, and a packed San Marco for about two weeks, quiet and cheap around them.
BaliStill deep wet season. Great for spa-and-villa trips and surf on the east coast, less great for beach days and diving visibility.
HawaiiPrime whale watching, especially off Maui. Presidents Day week spikes; otherwise a decent winter-escape month at winter-escape prices.
YellowstoneSteaming geysers in snow and frosted bison make winter's case. Book snowcoach tours ahead; the season is short and capacity is limited.
CreteStill off season along the coast. Rethymno's pre-Lent carnival can fall in February or March and is among the biggest in Greece.
AzoresSimilar to January. Carnival brings local celebrations, especially on Terceira, where comic street theater is a tradition.
SardiniaCarnival season, with the Mamuthones in Mamoiada and Sa Sartiglia in Oristano. A culture trip, not a beach trip.
CappadociaSimilar to January. Pack for serious cold and build in extra days if you want a balloon flight.
TaiwanOften Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival. Beautiful, but trains and hotels sell out and many businesses close for days.
BeijingChinese New Year often falls now: temple fairs are wonderful, but trains and flights are jammed and some small shops and restaurants close for several days.
ShanghaiChinese New Year often falls now: Yu Garden's lanterns are spectacular, but travel is hard and many small businesses close for days.
Buenos AiresStill hot, but the city starts to come back to life late in the month. Carnival brings neighborhood murga parades on weekends.
Rio de JaneiroCarnival usually falls in February: spectacular, but prices triple and rooms book up months ahead. Otherwise hot and stormy.
VancouverStill the rainy season, still great skiing. Cheap hotels and quiet museums, with early plum blossoms by month's end.
MontrealMontreal en Lumiere's food and light festival runs late in the month. Skating in the Old Port and on Beaver Lake; bitter cold snaps are common.
YosemiteThe Horsetail Fall firefall draws big crowds for about two weeks in mid to late February, when clear skies and flow allow. Otherwise quiet.
NamibiaThe quietest, cheapest month. Some gravel roads and river crossings flood after storms; Etosha is beautiful but game is harder to find.
Okavango DeltaThe deepest discounts of the year; a handful of camps close for maintenance. Storms, bugs, and dramatic skies.
Victoria FallsHeavy rains upstream push the flow up fast. Impressive volume, growing spray, and lower rates.
SeychellesStill rainy and humid, but with plenty of sun between storms and lower rates. Cyclones rarely reach the main islands.
TahitiStill wet and humid, with cyclone risk. Some of the lowest rates of the year for overwater bungalows.Think twice
14 places. Heat, storms, closures, or the year's worst crowds.
SantoriniDeep off-season continues. Fine for a contemplative escape; wrong for the classic Santorini trip.
FijiStatistically among the highest cyclone-risk months. Low prices and lush islands for gamblers; everyone else should aim for the dry season.
AlaskaStill shut for mainstream travel. Aurora season continues strong, and Anchorage's winter festival season warms things up locally.
PeruThe Inca Trail is closed all month for maintenance, and heavy rain can disrupt trains and trails elsewhere. Machu Picchu stays open; coastal Peru is at its sunny best.
The Amalfi CoastStill deep off-season. Fine for a quiet walking trip from Amalfi town, poor for a classic coast holiday.
Lake ComoStill off-season around the central lake. Pretty snow on the peaks, not much open below them.
MykonosDeep off-season. Ferries run on reduced winter schedules and rough seas can cancel them.
Atacama DesertPeak altiplanic storms. Flooded roads and canceled tours to El Tatio and the high lagoons are common, and stargazing suffers.
ChicagoStill deep winter. Restaurant Week deals are the bright spot.
BostonStill deep winter, gray and slushy. Only for bargain hunters and museum lovers.
MadagascarThe most likely month for a cyclone strike. Only for travelers who can absorb cancellations and closed routes.
MauritiusThe peak of cyclone season and the rainiest month. Many days are fine, but the chance of a washed-out week is highest.
Great Barrier ReefTypically the wettest month in Cairns, with the highest cyclone risk and poorest visibility from runoff. Trips can be cancelled for weather.
UluruStill extreme heat, with some chance of dramatic storms and waterfalls on Uluru. Only sunrise and sunset are comfortable.The US in February
4 states are in their best window.
New Orleans
Mardi Gras season builds for weeks of parades before Fat Tuesday. Book far ahead for Carnival weekends, or come the week after for a mild, cheap city.
Hawaii
Peak humpback whale season off Maui and the Big Island, with winter surf still pounding the north shores.
Colorado and Utah ski country
Statistically deep snowpack and long-enough days. Dodge Presidents Day week and you dodge the month's only real crush.
Scottsdale and Phoenix
Sunny 70F (21C) golf-and-hiking weather while most of the country shovels. Spring training crowds start arriving late in the month.
Think twice about: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia.
February events worth flying for
Chinese New Year
China, plus Singapore, Hong Kong & Taipei
Late January or February, on the new moon that begins the lunar year; the date moves with the lunar calendar, and festivities run about 15 days to the Lantern Festival
Venice Carnival
Venice, Italy
Roughly two weeks ending on Shrove Tuesday, so usually within late January and February; the dates move with Easter
Humpback Whale Season in Maui
Maui, Hawaii
Roughly December to April, with the peak from January to March
The Great Migration
Serengeti, Tanzania and Masai Mara, Kenya
Year-round, with calving in the southern Serengeti from roughly late January to March and river crossings from about July to October
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Officially opens January 5 every year, with the main ice park often opening in late December and running into February while the cold holds
Holi in India
India nationwide, best known in Mathura, Vrindavan & Jaipur
Late February or March, on the full moon of the Hindu month of Phalguna; the date moves with the lunar calendar
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The week before Ash Wednesday, usually in February and sometimes early March; the dates move with Easter
Mardi Gras in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
Fat Tuesday falls in February or early March, moving with Easter; the parade season builds for weeks before, peaking in the final two weekends
Holidays and breaks in February
A holiday week has its own crowds and prices. These guides rank the world for that exact week.
Where to go for Presidents' Day Weekend
The peak of the ski season and the Caribbean high season in the same week. Pick your warm or your snow early, or pick the week after.
Where to go for Winter Break Ski Trips
Four holiday weeks, every family on the same lifts. Pick the resort by the snow and the calendar, not the brand name.
Hidden gems in their February window
56 places from our lists whose best window includes February.
Japan Beyond Tokyo and Kyoto- Kinosaki Onsen, Kinosaki Onsen, Hyogo. Nov-Mar
Asia's Most Underrated Places- Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang, Laos. Nov-Feb
- George Town, Penang, Penang, Malaysia. Dec-Mar
- Hoi An, Hoi An, Vietnam. Feb-Apr
- Ella, Ella, Sri Lanka. Jan-Mar
- Taitung, Taitung, Taiwan. Oct-Apr
Beach Towns That Are Still Cool- Isla Holbox, Isla Holbox, Mexico. Nov-May
- Caye Caulker, Caye Caulker, Belize. Dec-May
- Nosara, Nosara, Costa Rica. Dec-Apr
- Paternoster, Paternoster, South Africa. Nov-Mar · Aug-Sep
- Sayulita, Sayulita, Mexico. Nov-Apr
Whale Watching by Month: Where the Whales Are, All Year- Humpback season on Maui, Maui, Hawaii. Jan-Mar
- Gray whale lagoons of Baja, Laguna San Ignacio and Magdalena Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Feb-Mar
- Samana Bay and the Silver Bank, Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic. Jan-Mar
- Blue whales off Mirissa, Southern coast, Sri Lanka. Dec-Apr
Winter Sun Escapes: Where It Is Actually Warm in January- Canary Islands, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote, Spain. Nov-Mar
- Madeira, Funchal, Portugal. Nov-Mar
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Nov-Mar
- Oman, Muscat, Nizwa, and the Wahiba Sands. Nov-Mar
- Upper Egypt and the Red Sea, Luxor, Aswan, and Hurghada, Egypt. Nov-Feb
The Best Scuba Diving by Season: Where to Dive, Month by Month- Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Oct-Apr
- Palau, Western Pacific, Republic of Palau. Nov-Apr
- Maldives, Ari and North Male Atolls, Maldives. Jan-Apr
The Best Ski Destinations by Month: Where the Snow Is Best, and When- Niseko United, Hokkaido, Japan. Jan-Feb
- Hakuba Valley, Nagano, Japan. Jan-Feb
- Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada. Jan-Mar
- Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, and Norquay, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Feb-Mar
- Little Cottonwood and Park City, Wasatch Range, Utah. Jan-Mar
Safari Timing Guide: When to Go, Park by Park- Serengeti calving season, Ndutu and the southern Serengeti, Tanzania. Jan-Mar
- Amboseli, Southern Kenya. Jun-Oct · Jan-Feb
- Gorilla trekking in Bwindi, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Jun-Aug · Dec-Feb
- Volcanoes National Park, Musanze, Rwanda. Jun-Sep · Dec-Feb
- Central Kalahari green season, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana. Dec-Apr
The Best Stargazing Destinations, and When the Skies Are Clearest- Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada. Oct-Apr
- Kerry International Dark Sky Reserve, Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland. Oct-Mar
- Finnish Lapland, Inari and Saariselka, Finland. Sep-Mar
Wildflower Superblooms and Flower Seasons: Where and When to Go- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, California. Feb-Mar
Where February works against you
- The Greek islands. Still shuttered for winter: ferries on skeleton schedules, most island hotels and tavernas closed, and cool, windy weather. Wait for May.
- Bali. Rainy season continues with daily downpours and reduced visibility in the water. The dry season starting around May is worth waiting for.
- Northern Vietnam. Hanoi and Ha Long Bay sit under a famously gray, chilly drizzle in February. The south is lovely; the north is not the postcard this month.
- The Inca Trail. The classic trail closes for the month of February every year for maintenance, and it is the heart of the Andean rainy season anyway. Machu Picchu stays open, but this is the wettest window.
February travel, quick answers
Where is hot in February?
Thailand, the Maldives, the Riviera Maya, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean are all in dry-season prime with highs in the 80s F (28C to 32C). Cape Town, Sydney, and New Zealand offer true summer heat in the southern hemisphere.
Where should I avoid in February?
Skip Bali and the Greek islands, one for peak rain and one for winter closures. Northern Vietnam is gray and damp, and the Inca Trail is closed for annual maintenance all month.
When is Carnival, and do I need to book early?
Carnival dates track Easter and usually land in February, occasionally early March. For Rio, Venice, or New Orleans at Mardi Gras, book flights and hotels several months out; rates double or worse close to the dates.
Is February a cheap month to travel?
Outside Carnival cities and Presidents Day week, yes. Europe is at its annual price floor, and beach destinations dip between the New Year peak and spring break. February is one of the best value-to-weather months on the calendar.
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