Laura Daily Freelance Writer: Writing Samples

It's that time of year. The walls are closing in, that favorite fuzzy glove has gone AWOL, and your tan in a can is on its last, gasping spritz. Some call it cabin fever. We just label it the blahs. Our advice: Get outta town! Plenty of destinations are easy to get to, are surprisingly affordable, and offer lots to do once the New Year's confetti is swept away. Whether your idea of a midwinter escape is baking on some sun-drenched beach, schussing down a mogul-mad ski slope, cozying up with the latest John Grisham novel by a crackling fireplace, or shopping until your credit cards beg for mercy, there's a getaway that'll do the trick. Five attractive options (and then some):

While a remote tropical isle may be the ultimate winter escape, you need only head to the northeasternmost tip of Florida for an unspoiled, unpretentious refuge. Framed by 40-foot dunes, Amelia Island's white sand beaches are remarkably uncrowded in midwinter, in contrast to their more southerly counterparts. You'll also find plenty of fishing—on the island and offshore—bird watching, and horseback riding, and about 120 holes of that famous Sunshine State golf. Sample 1860s military life at Fort Clinch State Park. Wind your way up narrow staircases to bastions overlooking the Amelia River, or peek into the fort's well-preserved blacksmith shop and garrison infirmary. The Amelia Island Museum of History cuts a wide swath with archaeological finds and historical paraphernalia all stuffed inside the renovated island jail.

Those who can distinguish dormers from gables will want to wander the more than 50 blocks of historic "cottages" in Fernandina Beach, Amelia's only town. Cobblestone paths along Centre Street front shops selling antiques and other specialty items. At sunset, make your way to the downtown docks for the shrimp fleet's return to Fernandina Harbor.

Stay Amelia Island Plantation, doyenne of the island's resorts, has more than 600 guest rooms including one- to three-bedroom villas nestled amid beaches, marshes, and a lagoon (888-261-6161).
Eat La Bodega Courtyard Café's innovative menu favors local produce. Try the Fernandina seafood stew (904-321-1922).
Must Belly up to the hand-carved 40-foot mahogany bar once favored by Carnegies and Rockefellers at Florida's oldest drinking establishment, The Palace Saloon (904-491-3332).
Info (800-226-3542; www.ameliaisland.org).

Head north and enjoy the shopping, the food, the arts, and the brand-name hotels of a major metropolis, but on a more intimate scale. A cab will rarely set you back more than a few bucks, because city sights are so compactly situated. And though midwinter temps hover around freezing, if you don't want to go outside, you don't have to. The PATH, a subterranean concourse, weaves its way for more than 16 miles beneath Toronto's downtown core. Not that outdoor Toronto isn't appealing. High Park, the city's largest green space, offers walking tours throughout its 400 acres, so you can learn how plants and animals adapt to a Toronto winter. Midwinter marks high season for more than 200 performing arts companies including the National Ballet of Canada and Toronto Symphony. Or laugh it up at one of the world-famous comedy clubs such as The Second City. Sweet deal? Pro b-ball tickets. Toronto's Raptors play in the NBA—and the U.S. dollar goes farther up here—so if you can afford only the nosebleed section at home, you might nab a courtside seat at Air Canada Centre for a fraction of the price. In addition, January signals the start of WinterCity, a 14-day celebration of winter, with free outdoor events, concerts, a giant ice lounge, skating parties, fireworks, and street theater.

Stay The Fairmont Royal York is a palatial hotel directly across from Union Station. Even Queen Elizabeth overnights here when in town (416-368-2511).
Eat Vegetarian moussaka and a signature rabbit pie tantalize taste buds at Avli, a cozy Greek taverna (416-461-9577).
Must Ride to the top of CN Tower, the tallest building in the world. Even the cheapest ticket costs $19.49, but if you opt to dine at the revolvIng 360 Restaurant, 1,100 feet above the city, you get the view for free (416-868-6937).
Info (800-363-1990; www.tourismtoronto.com).

History-making hurricanes may have thrust Galveston into the headlines, but it's post-hurricane season that keeps this island community on the travel radar. Thanks to balmy Gulf waters, midwinter temperatures hover in the upper 50s to low 60s. You might not frolic in nippy surf, but 32 miles of beach and the 10-mile-long Galveston Seawall provide the perfect promenade for walking, biking, horseback riding, or fishing. Another midwinter bonus: Mardi Gras! Galveston hosts the largest domestic Carnival celebration outside New Orleans.

Trolleys (rides are a steal at a dollar) rumble from the Seawall to the Strand Landmark Historic District and its 19th-century iron-front architecture. Check out The Great Storm, a dramatic multimedia documentary at Pier 21 Theater; it recounts this country's most deadly disaster, the 1900 hurricane that killed 6,000 people in Galveston.Though the storm washed away one third of the city's buildings, five pre-1900 homes are open to the public. Sea salts can go aboard the restored square-rigged sailing ship Elissa, one of the oldest of her kind still afloat, and the Ocean Star, a retired three-legged offshore drilling rig rehabbed into a museum.

Stay The well-appointed beachfront San Luis Resort sits atop bunkers built to defend Texas shores during World War II (800-445-0090).
Eat Willie G's is the spot for shrimp, be it fried, baked, or sautéed (409-762-3030).
Must Sift through genuine naval flight helmets and other authentic government supplies dating back to World War I at Colonel Bubbie's Strand Surplus Senter (800-231-6005).
Info (888-425-4753; www.galveston.com).

The weather is perfect and there's no end of things to do in this dynamic coastal community where the sunsets are beyond beautiful. No need to pay $50 to see marine life at a theme park: wild seals frolic off La Jolla Cove and never charge you to observe their antics. Dolphin sightings are not uncommon, and whale-watching season runs December to March. If you don't want to book an organized cruise, head to the tip of Point Loma peninsula, where the migrating giants are often visible from shore. But San Diego is more than an aquatic playground. Midwinter is an ideal time to head inland to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and its 600,000 acres of untouched wilderness. With some advance planning you can tee off at famed Torrey Pines Golf Course (host to the 2008 U.S. Open) or one of 91 other courses. Smack in the middle of the city, Balboa Park has gardens, theaters, and 15 museums devoted to everything from cars, airplanes, and model trains to fine art, photography, and natural history. And Bai Yun and the other giant pandas hold court at the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

Stay "The Del," as locals call the landmark Hotel del Coronado, has hosted presidents, princes, and Hollywood legends (619-435-6611).
Eat Situated in the center of Balboa Park, The Prado dishes up Latin-Italian fusion (619-557-9441).
Must Explore the decommissioned U.S.S. Midway, now housing the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. Twenty-one restored aircraft are parked on her decks. Self-guided audio tour includes engineering, hangar deck, galley, captain's bridge, and more, open to the public (619-544-9600).
Info (619-232-3101; www.sandiego.org).

Albuquerque has the culture, culinary scene, and ambiance of Santa Fe or Taos without the sticker shock. Old Town (the original downtown) remains the city hub, populated by museums, galleries, and restaurants—not to mention Native American vendors who crowd the plaza with their handmade wares. Here, too, you'll find the American International Rattlesnake Museum, home to one of the largest collections of live rattlers in the world. This is the sunny Southwest, so even during midwinter expect warm, dry days. The active can hike, bike, or golf at one of 15 bargain-priced public courses or, in a "good" year, ski or snowboard at Sandia Peak. No snow? Take the jaw-dropping tramway ride to the top of the mountain anyway. Hot spot takes on a whole new meaning at the National Atomic Museum, devoted to all things nuclear including a weapons casing for "Fat Man"—the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. Immersion into Native American art and lifestyle comes easy at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Dances are performed by various tribes nearly every weekend. On display at the nearby Petroglyph National Monument are more than 20,000 images carved by the ancestors of today's Pueblos and early Spanish settlers into black volcanic rock.

Stay Location is everything for the recently renovated Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, within walking distance of the museum district (800-237-2133).
Eat For authentic Mexican fare try the legendary red-chile pork tamales at El Modelo (505-242-1843).
Must Browse the Palms Trading Company for a great selection of Native American clay pots, rugs, and jewelry (505-247-8504).
Info (800-284-2282; www.itsatrip.org).