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Escape To Warmer Weather

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Tell Old Man Winter to take a rain check and hop a flight to one of these sun-drenched locales.

Jessica Merrill

Are the November blahs getting you down as you think about the gray skies, short days, and months of hibernation ahead? Well, don't give in just yet. Leave your coat in the closet and jet to one of these action-packed warm-weather destinations. From snorkeling and golfing to canyon hiking, the laid-back spots featured here offer plenty of ways to explore the local environs, burn calories, and forget about the mercury level back home. Better yet, a mid-fall trip can be easy on the budget-rates go up as the temps keep plummeting. Now where did you put that bikini?

Bike The Beaches

Bermuda
This small archipelago's pink-sand beaches and turquoise waters are just a two-hour plane ride from the East Coast, the perfect distance for a long weekend for many people. Because Bermuda is in the Atlantic (not the Caribbean), temps can get a bit cooler in winter, but they rarely dip below 70 degrees.

Get out there
You can rent "pedal bikes" (the term Bermudans use to distinguish bicycles from mopeds) from dozens of cycle shops and hotels, with prices typically starting at $20 per day. The roads are narrow and winding in spots, so beginners may want to stick to bike paths, such as the Bermuda Railway Trail, a 22-mile former railroad bed that runs almost the entire length of the island. Since it's not one continuous paved path, though, we recommend tackling the smooth section between Watford Bridge in Somerset and Hamilton Harbor.

Off the bike, let the gorgeous hues of the island be your activity guide. Green: Bermuda is home to eight golf courses, seven of which are championship-level. Blue: With 600 square miles of reefs, you'll never get bored snorkeling. The public beach at Church Bay, near Southampton, has a reef that's sheltered from the waves. Pink: Plop yourself under an umbrella on the famous blushing sands and just chill out.

Where to stay
The Reefs hotel-set on a limestone cliff overlooking a private beach-is a Bermuda classic (rooms from $395, including breakfast, tea, and dinner; thereefs.com). The 84 tentlike cabana rooms at the hotel 9 Beaches have five-star ocean views (rooms from $185; 9beaches.com).

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