Come winter break, it can seem like everyone is packing up their summer clothes and jetting off to luxury resorts in tropical destinations. But there are other ways to enjoy vacation, too, with plenty of riveting and enriching experiences all within a lesser distance – and a lesser budget. 

Read on for the best budget-friendly getaway ideas for your next winter vacation.

A note on food: Although kosher restaurants/takeout are available in many of these locations, you can keep the budget down and simplify your itinerary by bringing your own food or shopping locally for groceries. Check out Don’t Starve on Vacation with these Hotel Room Cooking Hacks, 13 Genius Foods to Cook on the Betty Crocker While Traveling, and Kosher Foods You Can Find at Any Store On Vaca (+ How to Cook Them).

1. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

If you’re looking for:

A secluded getaway with few crowds, a beautiful winter landscape, and a toasty cabin to unwind in at the end of the day.

Things to do:

The town at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee offers lots of fun touristy favorites, such as the famed Dollywood amusement park, Rocky Top Mountain Coaster, and other local attractions. 

The main draw of the area, however, is Pigeon Forge’s proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains, America’s most visited national park. Visiting the Smokies in January offers the opportunity to revel in its stunning winter views without the big crowds that gather in the summer and fall seasons. While many trails and roads leading to the park are closed during this season, look out for the most beloved winter trails, such as Rainbow Falls, a trail to an 80-foot waterfall that can freeze in winter, creating breathtaking ice formations. Just don’t forget your winter hiking gear as conditions can get icy and frigid during this season.

Cost:

Admission to the national park is free, but there is a fee for parking.

During off-peak January, cabin rentals in the area can be as low as $100/night. Flight tickets to the closest airport, McGhee Tyson Airport, can be pricey, so driving may be a good choice for this destination; if you’re coming in from New York, the trip should take under 12 hours. 

2. Savannah, Georgia

If you’re looking for:

A charming city vaca with fascinating history, mild winter weather, and all the frum amenities you can ask for.

Things to do:

Take a leisurely stroll through Savannah’s historic district to enjoy its cobblestone streets and beautifully-preserved antebellum mansions. Nearby Forsyth Park, a thirty-acre park, boasts two playgrounds, an iconic fountain, and centuries-old majestic live oaks covered with Spanish moss.

For entertainment options, consider taking one of Savannah’s many historical museums, a hop-on hop-off trolley ride, the Jepson center art museum, or a nighttime ghost tour. 

Kosher food is available through a caterer at Savannah’s Bnai Brith Jacob synagogue, with a daily rotating menu of takeout as well as a weekly Shabbos menu. Kosher food is also available at the local Kroger near the frum community in midtown Savannah.

Cost:

Flight tickets from NY/NJ can be as low as $200. Hotels and Airbnb lodging in the area can be found for $100-200/night.

3. Denver, Colorado

If you’re looking for:

A rugged winter trip with opportunities for cold-weather adventure, exquisite ecology, and delicious kosher food options.

Things to do:

January is prime time in Colorado for skiing and other winter sports. The Epic Pass at Breckenridge Resort is a great option for skiing. For a more affordable winter sport, the Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park offers free admission to the ice skating rink (though there is a fee for skate rentals.)

Other attractions near and around the Mile High City abound. In Colorado Springs, get free admission to Garden of the Gods nature center and check out the value pricing in January at the nearby Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Warm up at the Celestial Seasonings tea factory in Boulder; the factory tour with complimentary samples is just $6/person.

Kosher food options in Denver offer something for everyone; Brooklyn pizza, East Side kosher Deli, and local King Sooper’s markets for kosher groceries. Don’t miss Bonnie Brae’s ice cream, which one former resident touts as the best kosher ice cream she’s ever tasted.

Cost:

Rentals within the Denver eruv are $200+/night. Lower cost rentals and hotels can be found outside the frum community. Round-trip flights to Denver from the NY area can range from $150-350+, depending on the airline and the chosen dates.

4. Tucson, Arizona

If you’re looking for:

An out-of-the-box adventure with pleasant winter weather and a striking desert landscape.

Things to do:

Located in the Santa Catalina Mountains of Southern Arizona, Sabino Canyon is a desert oasis where you can experience the rugged beauty of the American Southwest through a choice of hiking trails, birdwatching, nature photo opps, and taking a tram tour on the Sabino Canyon Crawler shuttle. Access to the park costs $8 for a daily parking pass; shuttle tickets are purchased separately.

With entertainment and educational value for all ages, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a natural history museum, zoo, art gallery, and botanical garden that showcases the lush desert region’s diverse flora – including mountain lions, hummingbirds, and Mexican gray wolves – and fauna.

The Mini Time Machine museum of miniatures, a one-of-a-kind experience, presents a fascinating display of antique and contemporary miniatures arranged in delightful and imaginative ways. 

Kosher food options in Tucson are limited, but there are groceries that carry an array of kosher products, as well as options for shipping and delivery. 

Cost:

Hotels and home rentals in Tucson can be found for $150+ per night. Flights from the NY area to Tucson International Area are upwards of $400, so this will likely be the biggest splurge of the trip. To stay within a predetermined budget, stick to free or low-cost nature activities, which will be a pleasure during this season, as the daily temperature in Tucson averages at a mild 66.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Washington, D.C.

If you’re looking for:

A historically rich excursion with a profusion of free attractions and experiences.

Things to do:

The National Mall, in the heart of the nation’s capital, is jam-packed with family-friendly activities. The Smithsonian Museums, which include, among many others, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, and the National Postal Museum, are all free to the public. 

The National Mall is rife with meaningful historic landmarks. Take a free tour of the U.S. Capitol led by a professional guide (reservations recommended), visit the Library of Congress, and savor introspective moments at the memorials and monuments, including the Jefferson Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and the Washington Monument.

The kosher options in Washington, D.C. include a few meat restaurants as well places to find kosher groceries. 

Cost:

Washington, D.C. is within driving distance from many communities in the Northeast, which makes it a very affordable vacation. If driving is not an option, this area is one of the cheapest destinations to fly to in the US at this time of year. Hotel rooms are available for $100-200/night.