Sherman's Travel

After the holidays, we tend to get stuck in winter slumps. For many of us, as the temperatures drop and the sun goes down earlier, we’re left counting down the days until spring. But instead of hiding inside all winter, use the post-holiday months as a time to travel somewhere new, whether it’s to a relaxing beach, a ski resort out West, or Walt Disney World. All of the deals below are valid for travel throughout January – just in time to nip those winter blues in the bud.

January is one of the best months to visit Orlando, especially later in the month, when crowds at the theme parks are down after the holidays, and temperatures are in the perfect mid-70s. Hotels follow suit and dip down in pricing, like the 4-star Melia Orlando Suite Hotel, which starts at just $125 per night in January – a 45 percent savings on high season rates. The Melia is the closest all-suite hotel to the Disney Parks, and includes a full kitchen in each unit, plus a 360 -egree infinity pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and complimentary breakfast. Dozens more 4-star Orlando hotels are available for low rates in January, like the Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orlando – Orange Lake Resort from $80 per night, the Westgate Lakes Resort and Spa from $97 per night, and the Mystic Dunes Resort and Golf Club from $105 per night. Read more

With the heralded Sundance Film Festival just around the corner, many of the top-tier, priced-at-a-premium lodging options in Park City are being snatched up accordingly. However, while everybody else is preoccupied with the holidays, smart travelers can still nab one hard-to-come-by deal that we’ve just come across at the four-star Hyatt Escala Lodge (which SKI Magazine named one of the top resorts in the country in 2010). Their “Movie Madness” rates coincide with the January indie film fest, knocking off 25 percent from their best available rates, effectively slashing standard rates of $399/night to as low as $300/night. Read more