Beat the winter blues with the right getaway

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at editor@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Christine Sarkis

Even if you don’t live in a place currently buried in a snowdrift the height of a kindergartener, you still may be feeling the February blues. And what’s the age-old cure for the mid-winter doldrums? Travel, of course!

If what you need is warmth, pure and simple, think of heading south. Check for sales to warm destinations such as the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico. You might also consider air-and-hotel packages from providers such as Pleasant Holidays or CheapCaribbean.com. And if you just can’t wait, there’s always lastminute.com for upcoming weekend packages. You can also read our recent tip about finding Caribbean deals.

If it’s not the good weather so much as a change of scenery you’re looking for, traveling to a U.S. city might be ideal, since you can often find pretty good rates at hotels in cities during this traditionally slow tourism season. Looking for inspiration? Each weekday, Associate Editor Kate Hamman writes about a different Trip du Jour destination, and offers tips on where to play, stay, eat, drink, and shop.

Have a great travel tip you’d like to share? Send your insider travel strategies to editor@smartertravel.com.

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