By Victor Block
With the arrival of winter comes the forecast for cold weather in many parts of the country. If you're like most people, your daydreams might include basking in the sun on a tropical island while your available vacation time and travel budget tell you that is impossible. Don't despair! Other places closer to home can combine a welcome respite from frigid temperatures with the warmth of the sun's rays.
While most winter visitors to Savannah don't swim in the ocean, the Georgia sun warms the temperature into the pleasant 50s on most days. That's perfect weather for strolling through one of the loveliest cities in the world.
The 2 1/2-square-mile historic district includes more than 1,000 restored mansions and row houses, many of them adorned with elaborate ironwork. Cobblestone streets canopied by giant oak trees draped in Spanish moss provide a lush backdrop for sightseeing, shopping or sitting in the warming sun.
An equally inviting setting beckons from the Golden Isles strung out along Georgia's coastline. Miles of soft sand beaches and outstanding golf, tennis, biking and fishing opportunities are among the many diversions.
Jekyll Island and the exclusive Jekyll Island Club served as a winter playground for some of the wealthiest people in the country from the late 19th century until World War II. The original Queen Anne-style clubhouse now is the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, which is surrounded by 33 mansion-size "cottages" that were built by families with names such as Rockefeller, Gould and Morgan. Today some of them offer additional lodging, while others house museums, art galleries and shops.
Another cure for the winter blahs can be a trip to view the gardens of Charleston, S.C. A leading European guidebook has listed Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, and Magnolia Plantation and Gardens as the three most outstanding attractions in North America. These gardens offer a fairyland of century-old camellias and azaleas in a setting of unsurpassed beauty.
Visitors to nearby Cypress Gardens can float along dark lagoons surrounded by brooding ancient cypress trees. The blaze of color provided by plantings on the banks is intensified by reflections in the water.
A more formal yet no less magnificent floral extravaganza greets visitors to Middleton Gardens, America's oldest landscaped floral display. Color explodes like a fireworks display from masses of azalea bushes, wisteria vines and flowering peach and dogwood trees.
The choice of where to warm up in Florida can be daunting because there are so many inviting alternatives. One destination that combines much of what the Sunshine State has to offer is Sarasota. Those seeking a sun, sand and sea vacation find a selection of beaches to fit almost any preference. The stretch of beaches along the western shoreline of Siesta Key has been recognized by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute as having the finest, whitest sand in the world. Lido Key has three outstanding seashores that are open to the public.
Residents also take pride in the area's self-proclaimed role as "Florida's Cultural Coast." Just one reason for that claim is the elegant 32-room mansion built in 1926 for John Ringling, which demonstrates that his cultural legacy matched his fame as a circus magnate. An adjacent museum houses a world-class art collection with works by the likes of Rubens and Rembrandt.
Despite its many attributes, including midwinter high temperatures that usually hover in the 60s, New Orleans isn't for everyone. A more laid-back warming experience awaits in Cajun Louisiana, centered in 22 of the state's 64 parishes.
The Cajuns trace their roots back to French-speaking Canadians who, after being ousted from their homeland in the mid-18th century, eventually settled in Louisiana. They continue to speak French, savor spicy, palate-numbing cuisine and translate a zest for life into a seemingly never-ending series of festivals. Various attractions offer glimpses of local life and culture, such as the Acadian Village in Lafayette, which is a realistic re-creation of a 19th-century settlement.
Also on the must-see list for visitors is any of the hundreds of bayous that crisscross the area. They served as water highways for early pioneers and settlers, and their sluggish waters still provide some of the fish, crawfish and rice that form the basis of much Cajun cooking.
While many people don't think of Texas as a warm-weather winter destination, South Padre Island, perched on the state's Gulf Coast, is a favorite among visitors from both northern areas of the Lone Star State and sun-seekers from elsewhere. There are many reasons why the barrier island, which has only about 5,000 permanent inhabitants, attracts as many as 1 million guests annually. The subtropical climate is one.
In addition, active vacationers find a long list of choices. Boat trips range from eco-tours and close-up encounters with dolphins to wildlife watching and sunset cruises. Fishermen can try to catch their dinner in bay and gulf waters, and the island is a birders' paradise, with more than 300 species that add sound and color to the setting.
While Las Vegas is known primarily as a gambling mecca, it also offers a full menu of other activities that can fill many hours. Winter high temperatures that hover around 60 degrees provide comfortable conditions for seeing the sights.
You can spend days experiencing "The Strip," the four-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard where most of the largest hotels are located. Many of them offer a list of things to see and do, some free and others reasonably priced. At the Venetian Hotel, guests can enjoy a gondola ride in the lobby accompanied by gondoliers who serenade their passengers in Italian. A corner of the Bellagio's lobby is transformed into a botanical garden of extensive floral displays that change with the seasons. While sharks — not surprisingly — are the major attraction at the Mandalay Bay hotel's Shark Reef, other inhabitants include giant rays, piranhas and the rare golden crocodile.
A choice of equally inviting nearby attractions also beckons visitors to leave the Strip. Exhibits at the Springs Preserve depict the geological and biological formation and history of the Mojave Desert and explain how animal and plant life have adapted to the harsh, barren environment. A tour of the Techatticup goldmine shows how miners working by candlelight extracted millions of dollars worth of ore in the last half of the 19th century.
Perhaps exploring the streets of Savannah or strolling through the magnificent gardens in and around Charleston is your idea of a dream winter escape. Or maybe you'd prefer to immerse yourself in the culture of Cajun Louisiana or find out why so many sun-seekers head for South Padre Island. Whatever your choice, you're sure to return home ready to cope with whatever the rest of winter has in store.
WHEN YOU GO
For more information about these destinations, call their visitors centers or visit their websites.
Savannah: 877-728-2662, www.visitsavannah.com
Jekyll Island: 877-453-5955, www.jeykllisland.com
Charleston: 800-774-0006, www.explorecharleston.com
Sarasota: 800-348-7250, www.visitsarasota.org
Lafayette, La.: 800-346-1958, www.lafayette.travel
South Padre Island: 800-657-2373, www.sopadre.com
Las Vegas: 877-847-4858, www.visitlasvegas.com
Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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