The NYC Traveler's Tip for Your Trip: Beat the January Blues With Travel
- Nov 9
- 8 min read
BEAT THE WINTER BLUES
(see links disclaimer at bottom)
January blues is documented as a real condition, and experts say it's different than Seasonal Affective Disorder (which is caused by a lack of sunlight). No matter the reason or the cause (the blues or lack of sunlight): you feel blah, and that's a fact. This is why many people beat the January blues with travel. Although winter for the northern hemisphere begins mid-December, colder weather can start earlier, but since the holidays and other events in the United States are happening, sometimes it takes a lull in activities to realize that things are kind of slow. For some people, that means autumn, harvest and Halloween fun, Thanksgiving and then the holiday season in December ending with New Year's Day.
For other people, some of the autumn activities can make them feel a little low, especially the ones in December. Once January sets in, they may feel blah.
This article is not intended as medical or legal advice.
It is a blog article about activities to do based on a popular expression.
If you are suffering from serious mental health issues, consult professional medical attention.
Some people have options. Snowbirds are people that spend the summer in locations that get traditional cold and snow during the winter months (December to March in the Northern Hemisphere and June, July and August in the Southern Hemisphere). Some people decide to go to warmer climates during these months. Either they travel for a week or so during the middle of winter (or maybe for more than one trip) or they actually move for the winter season.
Many people run summer businesses in the cooler climates, close up the shops and some hotels at the end of summer and live elsewhere during the winter. Some actually run seasonal businesses on the other end, too, to make it worth their while or they take their vacation during the winter.
Where do people go? For those of us in the US, traveling to our warmer states is a start. In fact, parts of Florida got popular because of snowbirds and from people moving there after retiring from the colder climates.
Others travel to warmer climate countries and regions, such as the Caribbean, Central America and South America. Winter cruises are very popular, with people traveling at holiday times but often at the height of winter, when others are digging out from blizzards. The stereotypical idea of lolling about under a palm tree with a drink with an umbrella in it while your friends are scattering salt on icy sidewalks is too good to resist.
But what if you are not able to travel? Read on.
You can beat the January blues (or June, July August if you live elsewhere) with either travel or activities in your own town, city, state or region and get through the winter months to focus on the rest of the year. If your depression is serious, please seek a medical professional. 1. You can make resolutions, just make a few and phase them in. And you can beat the January blues with travel: plan to travel within your own city, town, state or region! Make your goals realistic. Better yet, celebrate your new year at different times: maybe the beginning of spring, the start of summer or in September. Don't forget several religions and ethnicities have their own days of renewal. For example, Kwanzaa, MLK Day and Black History Month go from December 26-February 28. Do a search for activities in your area. The Chinese Lunar New Year is in January and Three Kings Day (celebrated in many Latino cultures) is January 6. There's something to look forward to in January after all.
2. Take a day trip and get to know your own area: If you live in a cold weather region, you have two choices: embrace it or escape it. Winter sports will be in full peak season. You can make reservations for overnight stays but many resorts have day passes to enjoy skiing, ice skating, snow tubing, riding a snowmobile, etc. The Northeast of the USA is extremely popular (the Berkshires in Massachusetts, upstate New York, the Poconos in Pennsylvania and all over Vermont, just for starters). If you're out west, head out to Washington state, Utah, Nevada, Montana or northern California.
Since we're in the Northeast in New York City, here are our suggestions for our area: charming small towns such as Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, New Paltz, Beacon and Kingston. You can duck in and out of antique and vintage shops while warming up with hot beverages in the many cafes, pubs and restaurants on the main streets.
Ski areas are in the Poconos and Endless Mountains in Pennsylvania; the Finger Lakes Regions in upstate New York, the Catskills and Lake George. Do you want to see a little bit of history? Head to Lake Placid, site of past Olympics. For a real different experience, get some appropriate clothes (check out our winter blogging gear article) and see Niagara Falls...frozen!
3. Did you save money during the holidays? Then, become a snowbird, sort of. Escape to warmer regions. Winter cruises or Caribbean weekend getaways are popular. Many cruise lines may have sales and will be less crowded during January. But for the Northern Hemisphere, the real challenge is to totally escape winter and head where it is truly summer: Australia, Chile, South Africa. Anything below the equator reverses the seasons. And for those down there, come and see us during June, July and August. We guarantee you can find hot weather that's tropic enough for you to forget your winter.
4. Become a tourist in your area: now is the time to see concerts, shows (the ice skating shows are popular this time of year), movies and museum exhibits. Brunch on weekends, join a gym or stream workouts in your home. The tourists will have gone home and you will have your own town or city to yourself.
In New York, many restaurants, particularly the fine dining establishments, will have tables available. Broadway will be begging for customers and museums will be less stressful.
Grab a kid and explore the childrens museums. In New York, we have the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Children's Museum of Manhattan and on Long Island, the Long Island Children's Museum. But beware: everyone else will have cabin fever, too, so these may be the only places in town that are crowded.
If you are brave or if there is mild day with the weather, shopping is a great way to spend winter days. Head to shopping outlets in Harriman, Riverhead or Deer Park.
5. Get your house in order. Literally. Plan a project you need to do, roll up your sleeves, put on some music and clean out that closet, sort through old clothes, paint the bathroom, do all of those chores that you have been putting off. Or, start a new hobby: learn a language, play an instrument, take up an art. People often paint or make repairs this time of year so that they don't have to spend time doing it when they would rather be outside in warmer weather.
A great indoor project to do is to start your garden. Head to the home improvement or gardening centers and stock up on indoor gardening systems supplies. Your actual system doesn't have to be elaborate or fancy but you may need an indoor light to help get the little seedlings started. Keep watch over the seedlings carefully, they will grow quickly, if you're lucky!
6.Brush up on your cooking. Don't have too much fun (you'll need a gym membership if you do) but a planning new healthy recipe for dinner each week can be a great way to look forward to something. Or, have friends over for any theme you can think of: wine tasting, dessert night, game night, potluck, Mardi Gras.
Plan for next January
How do you pay for these adventures to get you through the winter?
You plan for it now for next year.
1. Watch your spending this year (even as you travel). Being thrifty through the year will feel great when you are on a mid-winter vacation. Don't eat at many fine dining restaurants, see one less show and use your streaming services instead. Pop some corn or bake some cookies and hunker down to watch all of the shows or movie franchises you've always wanted to see and didn't have time for. 2. Use an app to help you save (but ignore the temptation to get the debit card that may be offered). You can set the boundaries about how much you want to save by also scheduling small automatic deposits. You'll be pleasantly surprised in a couple of months when you start to plan your spring, summer or fall trip. One idea is to use those money transfer apps: when people send you money, leave it there. Forget all about it.
3. Many banks and credit unions still have vacation clubs. Try not to link it to your checking (to avoid the temptation of dipping into it during the year). You will be surprised at how much even $5 a week will look like at the end of the year. If your bank doesn't have one, you can use an online service, like the tip above.
4. In the middle of the year, think about a membership to your favorite local museum or botanical garden (after you have recovered from holiday expenses). You'll have someplace to go for the whole year. I'm the NYC Traveler, of course, so we like the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanic Garden and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But look at your local community center, too. And the public libraries have many events, much of them free.
5. Use a travel agent to plan big trips. You may be able to pay in installments. Or, you may be able to pay for one part of it a little at a time: pay for your airfare one month, then the. hotel, then the excursions. Cruises allow payments in installments, also. Planning a trip sets a goal and can help you look forward to something. Watch travel TV shows, follow YouTube Channels such as ours, or read travel blogs like this one. You will get lots of ideas. The key is to try to keep busy and to realize that January doesn't last forever. Only 31 days. Happy Travels!
The NYC Traveler Presents Tips for Your Trips
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All photos and videos created and copyrighted by Marcia Crayton, unless otherwise noted.
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