2018 Vacation Alternatives After Natural Disasters

En español | Favorite vacation destinations such as California's Napa Valley and the Florida Keys are working swiftly toward a return to normal after being hit by disasters in 2017 (as are struggling Puerto Rico and Mexico City.) Tourist dollars can help a great deal toward that aim, and residents often go the extra mile to show their thanks. But if your winter travel plans are up in the air because of worries about recovery  — or you’re simply hankering for something new — here are alternatives to the popular challenged regions.

Southern Wine Country

The fast-moving wildfires that raged across Napa and Sonoma counties have long been extinguished, and most of Northern California’s wine country has welcomed visitors back. But about four hours south, “the new Napa” is also calling — and it features both wine (with 250 vineyards) and cowboys. Here, casual style rules at even the best restaurants, but wine making is taken seriously. The area is known for Rhone varietals and stellar whites, but cabernet sauvignon is on the rise. Wineries in Paso Robles are mostly centralized in one region, requiring less driving to tour them and their stunning hillside vineyard vistas. What’s more, pristine sandy beaches like Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon, and Morro Bay are a 20-minute drive away.

A Quintessential Mexican City

Even first-time visitors to Guadalajara, the capital city of the state of Jalisco, may find plenty that feels familiar — it’s the homeland of tequila, mariachi music, wide-brimmed sombreros and the charro (Mexican cowboy), after all. The country’s second-largest city, about 70 miles from Mexico City, is a mix of historic and modern architecture, and includes striking murals by José Clemente Orozco, one of the giants of Mexican Modernist mural artists. Find his work at two historic places: the Hospicio Cabañas (a onetime hospital and orphanage that’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Palacio de Gobierno (Governor's Palace). A guardian of all things folkloric, Guadalajara is also a vanguard of new Mexico, with a wave of artists, curators and chefs as rising stars on the contemporary scene.

Two Key Florida Keys

While all of the Keys have been officially declared open for tourism following Hurricane Irma, the two least affected by the storm may be your best bet for winter fun. In Key Largo, the northernmost and longest of the Keys, you’ll find stunning scenery above and below water, along with plenty of opportunities for ecotourism and water sports. Snorkel or scuba dive at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park to see stunning coral formations and hundreds of colorful tropical fish, or explore the vibrant mangrove forest nearby. On the opposite end of the Keys, and closer to Cuba than Miami, is colorful Key West. Known for its picturesque historic architecture, an anything-goes atmosphere and a circus-like sunset celebration every night, the tiny island appeals to those who want to indulge their irreverent spirit.