by Susan Breslow Sardone

Wondering where to go for the best vacation experience in November or December? Most of the northern hemisphere is heading toward winter. That's good news for skiers, but those who prefer a warm-weather vacation will have to travel south for balmier temperatures.

In the USA, the last weeks of November and December are peak travel periods because of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. So it's wise to book vacation flights, hotels, and cruises far in advance and, if at all possible, avoid traveling during holiday weekends.

USA

• Arizona
• Southeastern US
• Colorado
• Ski Resorts

  TROPICAL DESTINATIONS

• Caribbean beginning December 1
• Mexico
• Belize
• Costa Rica
• Summer begins in South America

  SOUTH PACIFIC

• Asia
• Maldives

  Sure Things

• Year-round, the weather's usually perfect in Hawaii.
• Somewhere around the world, every month of the year, a cruise ship is sailing some place wonderful.

  Beat the Crowds

• Try your luck in Las Vegas, which clears out during family holidays, then goes into overdrive New Year's Eve.
• Many resorts and cruises are childfree during the first two weeks of November, before schools break for holidays.

  Not the Best Time to Visit

  Despite its popularity as a honeymoon haven, Bermuda is no place to visit in the winter. It's cold and windy and there's not much to do until the weather warms.

  Check Another Vacation Month

• January/February
• March/April
• May/June
• July/August
• September/October