The Best Places to Travel This February
Though the calendar’s second month is also its shortest, you still need a break, even if “the year has just started.” The best places to travel in February wipe away the winter doldrums and inject your schedule with a burst of fresh energy, whether that's by showing you the latest and greatest in India's “City of Lakes,” or taking in mid-century design in the Californian desert. Most of the destinations in this guide also appear in our lists of the Best Places to Go in 2026; they've also got upcoming cultural events and hotel openings that make this coming February the ideal time to check them out, like an antique car show to classical music concerts to the Winter Olympics. No matter where you go, we're here to give you the tips for where to stay, plus additional intel that can help you navigate while you're on the ground. Here are the best places to travel in February.
This gallery has been updated since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Caitlin Morton, Jing Yang, Jaclyn deGiorgio, Malavika Bhattacharya, and Anna Prendergast.
GettyPalm Springs, California
Why go in February:
Palm Springs relishes its reputation as a chic enclave of mid-century design all year, but never more so than in February during Modernism Week. The event takes place from February 12 to 22 in 2026, featuring more than 400 events ranging from home tours to architecture lectures. (Tickets for every event tend to sell out quickly, so book as early as possible.) You can also visit the 200-acre Sunnylands complex, with its haute modern pink-roofed mansion built by the late media magnate Walter Annenberg and his wife. To explore houses that are usually off-limits, join one of the self-driven Signature Home tours, where visitors will see houses built in a variety of modernist styles.
Where to stay:
The best hotels in Palm Springs are as wide-ranging as the area’s visitors: You’ll find a variety of tranquil boutique hotels, sprawling resorts, and adult-only getaways. Check out Casa Cody, the oldest operating hotel in Palm Springs, with velvet furnishings and wood-beamed cottages providing a nice contrast to the stark modernism you’ll be immersed in all week. Or head to Thompson Palm Springs, By Hyatt, which puts you in close proximity to everything Palm Springs has to offer, from the ever-growing restaurant scene to vintage shops and the impressive art museum.
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GettyShenzhen, China
Why go in February:
Once a fishing village at the mouth of the Pearl River, Shenzhen has transformed into China’s most dynamic Special Economic Zone over the past 40 years. Today, the city of around 18 million people anchors the Greater Bay Area, its futuristic skyline rising straight from the water’s edge. But in 2026, it have more than just business: The city's cultural calendar will be buzzing with the Verbier Festival will travel from its home country of Switzerland to Shenzhen and bring with it a roster of global musical talent from January 30th to February 8th. Many of the inaugural festival’s headline performances will be staged at a new and futuristic-looking landmark, the Shenzhen Longgang International Art Centre, which opens at the end of 2025. Plus, Shenzhen Design Week and Art Shenzhen will return with audience-friendly explorations of design, consumer tech, and contemporary art.
Where to stay:
High above the bay, with beautiful skyline views, St. Regis unveiled a second Shenzhen property in the Bao’an commercial district in 2025, paying homage to a century-old classic and following the Shangri-La, which has opened a new flagship in Nanshan. There are luxury brand debuts on the horizon too: Rosewood will open on busy thoroughfare Shennan Boulevard in 2026, and Mirage by MGM promises to bring a splash of resort glamor to Xiaomeisha’s coastline by the end of the year.
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GettyMilan, Italy
Why go in February:
From February 6th to 22nd, Milan will co-host the Winter Olympic Games, along with ski town Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites. The Games are poised to be the most widespread in history, spanning 8,500 square miles between the two hubs and their outlying venues. And if you'd rather go in the spring: From April 22nd to 26th, design devotees will descend on Milan for the 64th edition of Design Week, or Salone del Mobile, the world’s largest furniture fair. As 2026’s theme, Be the Project will aim to bring sustainability and social impact into focus, expanding on last year’s Connected Worlds, which explored AI and digital interconnectedness.
Where to stay:
Sports and design are hardly Milan’s only draw. In 2026, a trio of five-star hotels will open. In the Quadrilatero della Moda, the golden rectangle delineating the upscale fashion district, two 19th-century palazzi will house the 70 guest rooms of Rosewood Milan. Six Senses will debut a short stroll away in the Brera, set in a post-war rationalist building with 68 guest rooms, including 15 suites (two with plunge pools), a spa, rooftop bar, and sky pool. A short stroll from Piazza del Duomo, Mett Milan will claim the top nine floors of the Torre Velasca, a 26-story 1950s skyscraper with a protruding top reminiscent of a medieval watchtower. Until then, there are always the classics: the Park Hyatt Milano for a central location; the Mandarin Oriental, Milan for hip luxury; and the Hotel Principe di Savoia, Dorchester Collection for traditional grandeur.
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Leela PalaceUdaipur, India
Why go in February:
In a valley within the ancient Aravalli mountains, Rajasthan’s 16th-century “lake city” has always drawn glamorous travelers to its Rajput palaces and stately havelis. If you’re inspired by such sumptuous architectural details, visit The House of Things, Udaipur’s new address for Indian design, where more than 200 homegrown brands, including Jaipur Rugs and Aadyam Handwoven, come together under one roof in a collection curated by locals Astha and Manan Khetan. One of the marquee events on the cultural calendar: From February 20th to 22nd, vintage automobiles will rumble through the grounds of the Oberoi Udaivilas as the Oberoi Concourse d’Elegance car show returns for its second edition. Sir Jackie Stewart, Jacky Ickx, and Giacomo Agostini are among the expert panel that will judge the showcase of European and American classics, heritage Indian cars and automobiles of erstwhile maharajas.
Where to stay:
The 226-key Marriott has debuted on the northern edge of Fateh Sagar, encircled by hills, and filled with sweeping marble terraces and stone-carved jharokas. And tucked into the forest surrounding the 19th-century Monsoon Palace—the former hunting retreat of Maharana Sajjan Singh—Fairmont Udaipur Palace is a palatial 327-key hotel filled with Pichwai art, intricate chattris, and nods to Rajput-era design. Heads up that more hotels are on the horizon: Boutique Indian brand Minimalist Hotels will bring its signature design-forward style to the banks of Lake Pichola in the coming months, with an intimate 20-key property, while Hilton is set to arrive in early 2026.
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GettyCosta Rica's South Pacific Coast
Why go in February:
The southern coast of Costa Rica is getting a well-deserved moment in the sun. Eco-lodges like solar-powered ocean-view Kura Boutique Hotel have made tracks into the tropical rainforest, while private villas such as Villa Kañik and Villa Sueño bring high-end hospitality to secluded locations enveloped by dense jungle. On top of that, in February 2026, underground music and wellness festival Envision will return to the area after a year’s hiatus: The lineup has yet to be announced, but previous performers have included experimental electronic producer CloZee, Sonoma folk soloist Ayla Nereo, and house heavyweight Gordo. Farther south, the 50th anniversary of Corcovado National Park is a reminder of the efforts to keep this place, on the whole, raw and wild: A proposal to increase the number of visitor permits was recently rejected in order to preserve the unique ecosystem, which is thought to contain a staggering 2.5% of the world's biodiversity.
Where to stay:
On the border of the national park, in a private reserve so remote it’s only accessible by boat, the new Corcovado Wilderness Lodge is an immersive way to stay, offering jungle treks and marine-biologist-led snorkeling excursions. Combine both Uvita and Corcovado with a base at Drake Bay, where 20 breezy new treehouse-style bungalows (all with private pools) are opening at Sandglass property Tibo in 2026.
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