Best places to visit in North America in December
In December, North America's best-scoring destinations are Puerto Escondido (95), Antigua Guatemala (93) and Huatulco (93): 23 of its 176 well-known places are at their seasonal best, mostly in Rockies; Alaska & the Far North averages 25/100.
Each place is scored at its seasonal best — beaches on beach weather, cities on walking weather, ski towns in snow season. Tap any place for the full December breakdown.
Classics at their best in North America in December
15The places you already know, in the month the climate agrees with them. 23 of North America's 176 well-known places are in one of their own top-three months.
- 1Puerto Escondido 🇲🇽 Mexicohot, dry, clean air · best December95
- 2Antigua Guatemala 🇬🇹 Guatemalawarm, dry · best January93
- 3Huatulco 🇲🇽 Mexicosweltering, dry, clean air · best February93
- 4Los Cabos 🇲🇽 Mexicowarm, dry, clean air · best March93
- 5Negril 🇯🇲 Jamaicahot, dry, clean air · best February93
- 6San Miguel de Allende 🇲🇽 Mexiconice, dry, clean air · best November93
- 7Guanajuato 🇲🇽 Mexiconice, dry, clean air · best November92
- 8Mexico City 🇲🇽 Mexiconice, dry · best November92
- 9Morelia 🇲🇽 Mexicowarm, dry · best January91
- 10Oaxaca 🇲🇽 Mexicowarm, dry, clean air · best November91
- 11Castries 🇱🇨 Saint Luciahot, a little rain, clean air · best March90
- 12Punta Cana 🇩🇴 Dominican Republichot, a little rain, clean air · best January90
- 13Samaná 🇩🇴 Dominican Republichot, a little rain, clean air · best January90
- 14Zihuatanejo 🇲🇽 Mexicosweltering, dry, clean air · best April90
- 15Acapulco 🇲🇽 Mexicosweltering, dry, muggy air · best April89
Under the radar in North America in December
6Less-visited places whose December weather outscores the classics above — the data's own suggestions.
- 16Guatemala City 🇬🇹 Guatemalawarm, dry, clean air · best January96
- 17El Tunco 🇸🇻 El Salvadorsweltering, dry, clean air · best January93
- 18Querétaro 🇲🇽 Mexiconice, dry, clean air · best January93
- 19Mazatlán 🇲🇽 Mexicohot, dry, clean air · best April92
- 20Puebla 🇲🇽 Mexiconice, dry · best November92
- 21Rincón 🇵🇷 Puerto Ricohot, a little rain, clean air · best January92
Every region of North America in December
20The best-known place in each part of North America this month, even where the month is only fair.
- Puerto Escondido 🇲🇽 MexicoMexican Pacific Coast · avg 91/100 over 5 · hot, dry, clean air95
- Los Cabos 🇲🇽 MexicoBaja & Northern Mexico · avg 93/100 over 1 · warm, dry, clean air93
- San Miguel de Allende 🇲🇽 MexicoCentral Mexico · avg 92/100 over 5 · nice, dry, clean air93
- Negril 🇯🇲 JamaicaGreater Antilles · avg 86/100 over 9 · hot, dry, clean air93
- Antigua Guatemala 🇬🇹 GuatemalaNorthern Central America · avg 83/100 over 4 · warm, dry93
- Castries 🇱🇨 Saint LuciaLesser Antilles · avg 88/100 over 6 · hot, a little rain, clean air90
- Orlando 🇺🇸 United StatesFlorida · avg 78/100 over 12 · warm, a little rain, clean air89
- Vail 🇺🇸 United StatesRockies · avg 66/100 over 20 · freezing, a little rain, clean air89
- Holbox 🇲🇽 MexicoYucatán & Belize · avg 85/100 over 9 · hot, a little rain, clean air89
- Providenciales Turks and Caicos IslandsBahamas & Bermuda · avg 81/100 over 3 · hot, a little rain, clean air88
- Nosara 🇨🇷 Costa RicaCosta Rica & Panama · avg 72/100 over 7 · sweltering, a little rain, clean air87
- Mont-Tremblant 🇨🇦 CanadaNortheast & Atlantic Canada · avg 47/100 over 14 · freezing, rainy, clean air87
- Kauai 🇺🇸 United StatesHawaii · avg 81/100 over 5 · nice, a little rain, clean air86
- Kralendijk BonaireSouthern Caribbean · avg 84/100 over 2 · hot, a little rain, clean air86
- Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United StatesDesert Southwest · avg 73/100 over 13 · cool, dry, clean air85
- Lake Placid 🇺🇸 United StatesGreat Lakes & Midwest · avg 53/100 over 21 · freezing, a little rain, clean air85
- Whistler 🇨🇦 CanadaPacific Northwest · avg 49/100 over 7 · freezing, soaked, clean air82
- Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United StatesCalifornia · avg 65/100 over 14 · nice, a little rain81
- San Antonio 🇺🇸 United StatesUS South · avg 67/100 over 16 · nice, a little rain, clean air80
- Anchorage 🇺🇸 United StatesAlaska & the Far North · avg 25/100 over 3 · freezing, a little rain, clean air27