The 5 best destinations for February sun

february can be as bleak a concept as January in terms of the European weather. But with school half-term holidays falling in the middle of the month, parents have the opportunity to whisk their children to a destination where the sun shines in earnest.

This may cause crowded beaches in popular places, but with the Caribbean at its hottest and driest, there is plenty of time for travellers without offspring to find their own escape zone.

1. New Orleans
   
   Is there a better time than February to visit the Big Easy? Not only is the raw humidity of the Louisiana summer yet to awaken, but the city’s most famous carnival, Mardi Gras, dominates the month. February 13 will be the big day of celebration in 2018, but you can expect a full week of parades, music, razzmatazz and merriment on St Charles Avenue and in the French Quarter in the build-up to Fat Tuesday

2. New Zealand
   

The twin-island nation on the opposite side of the planet is rarely an obvious choice for travellers in search of sunshine – but there is much to be said for a tour of New Zealand as February clicks into gear. This is the last month of pure summer in this portion of the Southern Hemisphere (the equivalent of August in Europe) – and if autumn is just starting to flicker upon the trees of the South Island, this only adds to the romance of a road trip.

1. Miami
   

Florida’s most party-centric city never needs an excuse to stay out late, and the bars and restaurants of South Beach will be in full swing if you choose to visit in February. However, the advantage of the second month of the year is that while the Spring Break rush – which turns the metropolis into one giant mass of whooping college students – is yet to materialise, the temperature gauge is still nicely slotted into the Twenties Celsius.

1. St Lucia
   

St Lucia is one of the Caribbean’s most coveted destinations – and with good reason. Its west coast is home to some of the planet’s loveliest beaches, including the golden strip of Anse Chastanet – while the twin volcanic bluffs of Gros and Petit Piton offer hiking and climbing challenges, as well as wonderful photos. All of this is served up in temperatures which cling to the upper twenties Celsius, not least in the dry season of December-May.

1. St Kitts & Nevis

Along with its smaller companion Nevis, St Kitts is a Caribbean “Little and Large” act. The bigger island has an intriguing south-coast capital in Basseterre, and a sandy crescent on its southern tip in the form of Turtle Beach. Its friend across the tiny channel of The Narrows is just as enticing, its charm visible on Nisbet and Oualie Beaches. Both isles are quiet outcrops that do not rouse themselves to wild nightlife – and are all the better for it.