Wailea, United States
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Oceanfront Wailea resort with an adults-only pool and whale-watching views from many rooms.
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January is peak season for warm-weather escapes and mid-winter skiing. These picks pair reliable dry-season weather in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere with the Northern Hemisphere's best snow.
Why January
Humpback whale season is at its height (roughly December–April), and the south shore around Wailea stays sunny and dry while most of the country is in deep winter.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~80°F (27°C); occasional passing showers
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Oceanfront Wailea resort with an adults-only pool and whale-watching views from many rooms.
Explore Maui →Why January
Dry season is in full swing and humpback whales breach offshore from December through March, with gray whales calving in Baja's Pacific lagoons.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~78°F (26°C); dry and sunny
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Secluded corridor resort known for its personal butlers and Sea of Cortez views.
Explore Los Cabos →Why January
January sits squarely in the dry season, well clear of hurricane months, with steady trade winds, low humidity and calm turquoise water on Grace Bay.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~82°F (28°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Beachfront resort on Grace Bay with adults-only and family wings.
Explore Turks and Caicos →Why January
After the holiday rush, January brings reliable mid-season snowpack across Aspen's four mountains and slightly thinner crowds.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~33°F (1°C); frequent snow
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Aspen's only ski-in/ski-out hotel, at the base of the Silver Queen Gondola.
Hotels in Aspen →Why January
Costa Rica's Pacific northwest is in its dry season (roughly December–April), bringing sunny days, calm seas and easy access to volcano and rainforest excursions.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~90°F (32°C); dry and breezy
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Peninsula resort between two beaches, with an Arnold Palmer golf course.
Hotels in Costa Rica →Why January
The northeast monsoon brings the dry season (about December–April): calm water, the best visibility for snorkeling and the most sunshine of the year.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~86°F (30°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Barefoot-luxury villas on a private island inside a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Explore Maldives →Why January
It's midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere, with long, dry days for Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula and nearby Winelands.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~79°F (26°C); dry, often windy
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
Historic pink landmark set in gardens below Table Mountain.
Explore Cape Town →Why January
The Andaman coast's dry season runs roughly November–April, so January brings calm seas and clear skies for island-hopping to Phang Nga Bay.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~90°F (32°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
Hillside pool villas overlooking a private bay on Phuket's quieter northwest coast.
Explore Phuket →Why January
New Zealand's summer brings long daylight hours for hiking, jet boating and Central Otago winery visits.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~72°F (22°C); mostly dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
Intimate lakefront hotel in a restored 1860s building in central Queenstown.
Explore Queenstown →Why January
Winter is Dubai's best-weather season: warm enough for the beach and comfortable for the desert. The Dubai Shopping Festival usually runs from mid-December into January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~75°F (24°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
The city's sail-shaped icon, with duplex suites and private beach access.
Explore Dubai →Why January
Dry season and low humidity make January ideal for beaches, cenotes and Maya sites like Tulum and Cobá, and sargassum seaweed is typically minimal in winter.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~82°F (28°C); mostly dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Lagoon and beachfront suites with private plunge pools inside the Mayakoba enclave.
Hotels in Playa del Carmen →Why January
High-altitude, glacier-fed terrain makes Zermatt one of the Alps' most snow-sure resorts, with crisp January days and clear Matterhorn views.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~30°F (-1°C); snow
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Grand car-free-village hotel on Zermatt's main street, open since 1852.
Explore Zermatt →Why January
Sunny, mild desert days suit golf and hiking, and the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction is usually held in Scottsdale in January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~67°F (19°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
Sprawling resort at the base of Camelback Mountain with a 27-hole golf course.
Explore Scottsdale →Why January
Patagonian summer (roughly November–March) brings the longest days and the most accessible conditions for the W Trek and park excursions.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~62°F (17°C); strong winds
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
All-inclusive lodge on Lake Sarmiento with guided excursions into the park.
Hotels in Torres del Paine →Why January
Summer beach season is in full swing, the Sydney Festival usually fills January with performances, and Australia Day (January 26) brings harbor events.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~79°F (26°C); warm, humid
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
Waterfront hotel facing the Opera House across Circular Quay.
Explore Sydney →Why January
Warm, sunny winter days and cool nights, plus the Palm Springs International Film Festival, usually held in early January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~70°F (21°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
Playful Jonathan Adler-designed retreat on lush grounds with lawn games and a spa.
Explore Palm Springs →Why January
Dry season and trade winds suit beaches, El Yunque and Old San Juan, where the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián usually take place in mid-January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~83°F (28°C); mostly dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
A five-star stay in Rio Grande, a strong base for Puerto Rico.
Explore Puerto Rico →Why January
This is the driest, least humid time of year in the Keys, with warm afternoons for sailing and snorkeling.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~76°F (24°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
Historic 1920s oceanfront resort with Key West's largest private beach.
Hotels in Key West →Why January
The frozen lake becomes a skating rink, ski season is in full swing, and the Ice Magic Festival is usually held in January.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~18°F (-8°C); cold, snow
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
Lakeside castle hotel facing Victoria Glacier, with skating right outside.
Hotels in Lake Louise →Why January
Sunny, mild days (with cold nights) make the medina comfortable to explore in the quiet window between the holidays and spring.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~65°F (18°C); nights near 40°F (4°C)
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Low
- Price level
- $$$
Legendary palace hotel with century-old gardens steps from the medina walls.
Explore Marrakech →
This month in sports
- Australian Open · Jan 11, 2027 – Jan 31, 2027Opening Week runs January 11–16; main-draw play begins January 17, with the finals on January 30–31.