10 Best Places to Travel in February

Make your February rowdy, restful, or a little of both with trips to these destinations.

February travel doesn’t have to revolve around romance—though Valentine’s Day is the ideal excuse to whisk your beloved off on a surprise trip or treat yourself to a solo jaunt, putting the money you save on chocolates and flowers toward something far better. Head to Asia for some Instagram-ready ice sculptures or the chance to celebrate Hindu heritage; stay stateside to see cross-country ski talents at their finest or combine sweating on the dance floor with sweating on the race course.

Here are the 10 best places to travel in February.

Aerial view of the Las Vegas Strip at twilight, with lots of neon lights

Runners in Las Vegas can expect plenty of pumping music to keep them inspired, as well as entertainment en route.

Photo by Randy Andy/Shutterstock

1. Las Vegas, Nevada

February is great for sweating it out, on the streets and the dance floor.

Where else but in Vegas could you turn a marathon into a major chance to party? Don’t think of the Rock ’n’ Roll Running Series February 22 to 23 as a race, but rather as a chance to come together and tackle a few laps in between making the most of every Sin City indulgence.

Take your pick from a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon; the latter typically allows runners to take on the entire length of the (closed-to-traffic) Strip, while the former is anchored downtown near the dazzlingly retro lights of Fremont Street.

Where to stay: Fontainebleau Las Vegas

The splashiest debut on the Strip for years is this soaring blue skyscraper, which has staked a clear claim as the new luxe spot to stay. Book one of the suites overlooking the Sphere.

Insider tip

Fontainebleau’s Hillary Austin, who runs the property’s VIP programs and Premier Access, suggests a retro souvenir to commemorate your trip. “There’s a great way to grab a piece of history with old playing cards or casino chips, which you’ll find in souvenir shops or even at the airport. They’re from casinos that have closed or discontinued cards from current ones.”

Overhead view of ornate interior of Vienna State Opera, with wide, L-shaped staircase carpeted in green and about a dozen people on it

Make sure to pack a fresh-pressed tuxedo or brand new gown on a trip to Vienna, and to practice your fleet-footed waltzing well in advance.

Photo by Timelynx/Shutterstock

2. Vienna, Austria

February is great for waltzing your way into history.

Vienna is a city that embraces its past and celebrates its traditions, especially during the ball season, which runs from January through April. Among the more than 400 bashes taking place over that period, the most impressive is the Opera Ball at the Vienna State Opera on February 27.

Another standout: the Kaffeesiederball, or Coffee Brewer Ball, at the Hofburg Palace on February 21, which is dedicated to Vienna’s own Johann Strauss, who was born nearly 200 years ago.

Where to stay: Almanac Palais Vienna

Two former palaces were transformed into this elegant hotel, which sits on the Ringstrasse, the handy ring road in the city. Make sure to book supper at the Donnersmarkt restaurant, which offers a plant-focused riff on Austrian cooking.

Insider tip

If you’re with kids, head to the children’s museum at MuseumsQuartier, the city’s gleamingly modern cluster of museums. “They update their exhibitions and interactive experiences every six months, ensuring there’s always something new and exciting to explore,” says Frank Spielmeyer, general manager of the Almanac Palais.

3. Calgary, Canada

February is great for embracing the Arctic chill with gusto.

Why not head somewhere that relishes and celebrates the best parts of the bitter cold, like the Canadian province of Alberta? The fifth year of Chinook Blast runs from January 31 to February 17 and is a multiweek festival that combines outdoor sports, performances, and art installations. Over Valentine’s weekend, for example, you can enjoy a range of folk shows under the Block Heater festival banner (last year’s headliners included Dominique Fils-Aimé and Tanika Charles), while the first weekend of the month is when High Performance Rodeo takes place, the largest arts festival of its kind in western Canada.

Where to stay: Fairmont Palliser

The 407-room hotel in the heart of downtown is a historic pile—it welcomed its first guests in 1914—and can also claim a rare honor: The late Queen Elizabeth II overnighted here on a state visit, and you can book the aptly named Royal Suite to follow in her footsteps.

Insider tip

Palliser’s chef concierge Benjamin Andres recommends coming for the first weekend of the Chinook Blast, as that’s when the activity schedule is most jam-packed. “Stop by the Simmons Building for a Phil & Sebastian coffee to warm up while you explore,” he says.

People taking photos in front of large block of snow sculptures, characters from the animated Golden Kamuy

The Sapporo Snow Festival features huge snow sculptures—pieces can be up to 50 feet high.

Photo by 7maru/Shutterstock

4. Hokkaido, Japan

February is great for eye-popping ice sculptures.

Come to Japan’s snowiest region this month for the 75th anniversary of the Sapporo Snow Festival, where snow and ice sculptures are showcased around town for a week starting on February 4. Talents from across the world come to design them and install them for public view at Odori Park; head up the Sapporo TV tower at the eastern end for the best view.

Families can play in the snow and on slides at the Tsudome sports dome, and you can catch the International Snow Sculpture Contest, too. The winning sculpture from 2024 featured a sleeping fox and a boy.

Where to stay: Stream Hotel

The Stream Hotel in Sapporo sits right in the heart of the buzzy Susukino district; handily, it’s on top of a subway station.

Insider tip

Alys Colayera is an expert in Japan at travel specialist Black Tomato. She recommends taking a tour of the Nikka Whiskey Distillery in the Yoichi district, as well as roaming the port and fish market in Toyoura. “It could be snowy, but it’s worth bundling up and getting lost in the maze of vendors,” she says.

Crowds at Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves, with colorful building at left and wide stairs in background

Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves is a colorful annual celebration in honor of the Hindu god Subramanian.

Photo by cktravels.com/Shutterstock

5. Malaysia

February is great for exploring Hindu heritage.

Malaysia has a population that includes around two million ethnic Indians, mostly descendants of workers who came here during the British colonial period; the vast majority of them are Hindus.

This month there’s a chance to immerse yourself in Hindu tradition and religion via the festival of Thaipusam on February 11. Come to the Batu Caves just outside Kuala Lumpur to experience the festival at its most intense, with a procession of devotees carrying ornately decorated offerings known as kavadis up a staircase to the temple cave.

Where to stay: Belmond’s Eastern & Oriental Express

Explore the country in retro-style via the just-relaunched service operated by the LVMH subsidiary. Wind through the countryside for three nights; take your pick of several routes.

Insider tip

Wolfgang Eipeldauer is the senior train manager aboard Belmond’s express train. He says you can’t leave Kuala Lumpur without sampling some of the cocktails at Penrose, a cocktail bar that’s known for producing classics with a twist. Take the Penrose Gibson, which adds shochu, sake vinegar, leeks, and wasabi to its gin base.

Large, domed, white Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), with plaza and people in front of it

Palacio de Bellas Artes is a famous theater, museum, and music venue in Mexico City.

Photo by Kamira/Shutterstock

6. Mexico City, Mexico

February is great for flexing your creative muscles in Latin America.

From February 5 to 9, CDMX will be the hub of the contemporary art world, thanks to the next edition of ZonaMaco (that’s México Arte Contemporáneo), the anchor fair in this region. The event champions talent from Mexico and elsewhere; now it includes art, furniture, textiles, and antiques. It’s helped birth a weeklong celebration of the arts in the city, including unrelated bashes such as Salón Acme (running February 6 to 9), which invites open submissions from artists that are whittled down by a storied board of curators, as well as talks and concerts.

Where to stay: Casona Roma Norte

This brand-new, 32-room boutique hotel in the tree-lined Roma Norte ’hood is a repurposing of a 1923 Belle Époque–era mansion. It’s been artfully updated in a muted palette, with a few splashy touches; look for the mural by American hyper-realist artist James Bullough.

Insider tip

Start your day with a coffee at either Odette or Pan Para Todos cafés in the neighborhood, says Casona Roma Norte general manager Valeriano Marocco—and don’t miss the Nutella-filled croissant at the latter.

Hundreds of young skiers depart the start line as the Barnebirkie gets underway on Lake Hayward.

The Birkie named after a famous Norwegian event, the Birkebeinerrennet, which commemorates the heroism of a group of 13th-century soldiers.

Photo by Bryan Neuswanger/Shutterstock

7. Hayward, Wisconsin

February is great for cross-country skiing’s top challenge.

From February 19 to 23, the Wisconsin Northwoods town of Hayward hosts a massive cross-country ski contest called the Slumberland American Birkebeiner—or the Birkie. Nicknamed “the greatest show on snow,” it attracts more than 10,000 participants each year: There’s a 31-mile skate route and a 34-mile classic route; both are recognized as particularly challenging given the rocky terrain here.

Last year, the United States managed a clean sweep of winners of men’s and women’s categories in both races. See if Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins can manage a repeat of her skate win in 2025.

Where to stay: Spider Lake Lodge

The 100-year-old lodge started as a rustic fishing camp, but it’s now an all-inclusive resort with eight suites and three stand-alone cabins. Book Ted’s Treehouse for extra privacy and glorious views from the floor-to-ceiling windows out across the namesake lake.

Insider tip

If you happen to make your way over during the summer, Spider Lake Lodge owner Carolyn Wollan says no one should leave without a meal at Tamarack Farms Winery. “It’s owned and operated by ‘Famous Dave’ Anderson, who founded the first Famous Dave’s near Hayward back in 1994,” she says. “It’s the region’s go-to spot for pizza, wine and, of course, barbecue.”

8. New Orleans, Louisiana

February is great for football and pre–Mardis Gras celebrations.

Super Bowl LIX will take place in New Orleans this month, on February 9, at the Caesars Superdome, the home ground of the Saints. Expect a week of celebrations leading up to the game, with fan events and parties aplenty; if the Saints manage to score a slot, be prepared for an especially high-octane experience.

And although Fat Tuesday proper falls in March this year, remember that the weeks running up to Mardi Gras are a nonstop celebration here, too, with mini parades and parties, including the first roll of the month, where the Krewe of Chewbacchus takes to the streets on Saturday night, February 1.

Where to stay: Ritz-Carlton New Orleans

Did you manage to score tickets to the Super Bowl game? The luxe hotel on the edge of the French Quarter is only a 20-minute walk from the Superdome.

Insider tip

Set aside time for a long, lingering Friday lunch, says Ritz-Carlton New Orleans general manager Wayne Morris. “They’re an animal all their own. My favorite of the classic New Orleans restaurants is Arnaud’s. There is nothing better than their golden soufflé potatoes dipped in béarnaise sauce washed down with a perfectly made French 75 [cocktail].” Slip upstairs, if you’re not too tipsy, to check out the secret Mardi Gras museum.

9. Cape Town

February is great for African art.

It’s the 12th edition of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, which brings exhibitors from 20 countries to showcase work for three days, February 21–23. This year’s theme for its curated section: play, both as a verb (delight and joy) and a noun (a game, in every sense). The entire city embraces the arts at this time, with local galleries offering late-night openings, and homegrown auctioneer Aspire hosting sales at its Cape Town location. All that, and you have the chance to check out Zeitz MOCAA, the splashy reimagining of an old grain silo in the city into a cutting-edge art and hospitality complex, funded by the V&A Waterfront.

Where to stay: Art House Collection

Art collector Elana Brundyn runs Art House Collection, which as an assortment of chic options around town. Try the two-bedroom Bantry Bay spot decorated with an impressive assortment of local artwork courtesy of collector Véronique Savigné.

Insider tip

Brundyn suggests picking up a funky souvenir at BR.& (pronounced Brand), a new store in St. George’s Mall: “It’s more than a shop—it’s a collaborative studio.” There, you can buy textiles, woven products, ceramics, and scents from local creatives.

10. Sun Valley, Idaho

February is great for cheering on cross-country’s most impressive skiers.

With an average snowfall of 40 inches this month, the resort town is at its most skiable. The recent Warm Springs lifts opening at Sun Valley Resort, with 35 percent quicker rides and new runs, only makes Bald Mountain more appealing. Come during this month and you can witness the Boulder Mountain Tour on February 1, when 800 Nordic ski racers will compete in a grueling cross-country race.

Where to stay: Knob Hill Inn

The 31-year-old boutique hotel downtown has 29 rooms, all with Sun Valley views from their balconies, bathrooms with heated floors, and on-demand transportation provided throughout Sun Valley and Ketchum.

Insider tip

Make sure to spend time indoors at the Wood River Museum of History and Culture, which explores the history of the area via two galleries: the Tribal Room, dedicated to the Shoshone and Bannock tribes that have long called the area home, and the Cabinet of Wonders, filled with man-made artifacts that tell the story of central Idaho’s more recent history.

British-born, New York–based Mark Ellwood has lived out of a suitcase for most of his life. He is editor-at-large for luxury bible Robb Report and columnist for Bloomberg Luxury. Recent stories have led him to hang out with China’s trendsetters in Chengdu and learn fireside raps from cowboy poets in Wyoming.
From Our Partners
Sign up for our newsletter
Join more than a million of the world’s best travelers. Subscribe to the Daily Wander newsletter.
More From AFAR