The 5 Hottest Cities In California To Escape The Cold, According To Data

There's no denying it, winter in certain parts of America can be bitterly cold. Average winter temperatures across the continental U.S. tend to sit around 33 degrees Fahrenheit, but the highs and lows differ greatly between states. Certain states, especially those in the north and eastern areas, have to endure below-freezing average temperatures between 10 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live somewhere that feels the cold, chances are you're due for a warm-weather vacation.

Americans have a few go-to domestic destinations for warmer climes during winter. One of these is California, where you'll find some of the hottest cities in America. While this might be a deterrent during summer, when some of these California cities' temperatures can hit triple digits, come winter, they might be your ideal destination for warming frosty bones.

To help you find the best California city for a warm winter escape, we've used data from official sources, including meteorology sites like Weather Spark. Instead of focusing on the hottest summer destinations in the state, we've looked at the cities that consistently get warm weather during winter. We've cross-referenced this information with local testimonials and blogs (where possible) to ensure people who actually live and visit these places attest to their warm winters. Here are the five hottest cities in California for escaping the cold, in no particular order.

Palm Springs is located in the Sonoran Desert, about 110 miles east of Los Angeles. While this California city is an absolute scorcher during summer (highs above 100 degrees Fahrenheit), its warm temperatures in winter are a delight for anyone who prefers their winters short or non-existent. According to Weather Spark, between December and March, the average temperature here sits between 56 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit. This includes average highs of 69 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than summer in some U.S. states.

Despite this warm weather, you might still not be getting in the hotel pool. Palm Springs locals and visitors on the r/PalmSprings community on Reddit say low overnight temperatures can make unheated pools too cold for swimming. Others on the same thread recommend choosing your pool hours during the hottest part of the day and drying off immediately after getting out. Fortunately, you have plenty of resorts with heated pools to choose from here, including Agua Caliente, a top-rated casino resort with luxe dining.

One of the best parts of visiting Palm Springs is how pleasant it is to be outside exploring. Many people on the r/PalmSprings subreddit recommend hiking in the surrounding national parks this time of year. AllTrails lists over 70 different hiking routes near the city, including the 4.7-star-rated Tahquitz Canyon Loop. This 2-mile moderate hike takes you to a scenic waterfall and includes sprawling valley vistas. Start walking early to avoid the crowds and bring plenty of water even in winter.

Nestled along the Santa Ana River, the aptly named Riverside is a consistently warm California city to enjoy a well-deserved break from the cold. Average temperature highs between December and March tend to range from 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, with lows sitting around 44 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Current Results also ranked Riverside as the 11th warmest U.S. city for overall winter temps and the seventh for the total number of winter days above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Locals on the r/Riverside community on Reddit mention the nights get cold here, but those mid-40s temperatures are still quite pleasant compared to a lot of cities.

Warm days and cool nights mean you can mix up your experiences in Riverside. During the day, you may want to explore the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park. This 1,500-acre natural playground offers an ideal environment for hiking, biking, horse riding, and picnics. As a sanctuary for rare and endangered flora and fauna, it's also perfect for encountering wildlife, including around 90 types of birds, coyotes, gophers, and numerous butterflies found within the city. Come nightfall, you could visit the Fox Performing Arts Center in downtown. They stage entertaining shows and live music, including tribute bands, dance troupes, and touring Broadway musicals.

El Centro is one of California's most affordable cities, with border flavor, festivals, and desert charm. It also happens to be among the hottest cities in the state. Located in the southernmost reaches of California, only a 20-minute drive from the U.S.-Mexico border, El Centro's winters benefit from its hotter-than-average climate. If you're looking for practically guaranteed warmth during winter, El Centro can deliver, only two hours from San Diego.

According to Weather Spark, the average temperature here between December and March sits between 54 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the hottest it can get during this time ranges from 69 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. These consistently warm temperatures are a big reason why travel blog Better Where included El Centro in its ranking of the top 10 warmest cities in California. Although this time of year sees more rain than any other, in classic desert city fashion, it's still under three days of rainfall per month on average. So, you can spend plenty of time outside.

El Centro is considered one of the best desert cities in California. If you're visiting during winter, you may want to check out the Jacumba Hot Springs. They're about 50 minutes' drive away and offer mineral-rich pools, popular for soaking and relaxation. These pools range in temperature from 96 to 103 degrees Fahrenheit, so you'll want to save them for a cool afternoon or morning. The city is also renowned for having top-notch Mexican food. Letty's Casita is one of the highest-rated Mexican joints on Google, with 4.5 stars. They sell authentic Mexican food, including quesadillas, tostadas, tacos, burritos, and breakfast specials.

Indio is a burgeoning city in California's Coachella Valley and is a yearly pilgrimage for many music lovers attending world-famous festivals like Coachella. Fortunately, Coachella tends to take place around April, so you won't have to deal with the crowds and inflated accommodation prices when visiting here during winter. Indio also has a year-round festival lifestyle that's made it a more youthful, hipper Palm Springs. Classic winter events here include the Southwest Arts Festival in January and the International Tamale Festival in December. The former hosts art and live music from around the world, while the latter is (you guessed it) a haven for lovers of tamales.

Indio's warm winter climate makes these outdoor festivals possible. Between December and March, the temperature reaches an average high of 69 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Indio also benefits from over 350 days of sunshine a year, with around 1 inch of rainfall each month during winter. That means plenty of clear-sky days for experiencing its outdoor attractions and experiences.

One of the most popular things to do near Indio is The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. The drive is only 20 minutes, which is well worth the opportunity to see rhinos, giraffes, and other animals up close. The zoo is committed to supporting wildlife conservation locally and around the world, including restoring native desert habitats. You can appreciate the desert's numerous ecosystems more by hiking through over 50 gardens home to beautiful desert plants within the zoo's grounds.

Cathedral City is only about 17 miles from Indio, so you could easily combine both places during one winter vacation. Both are also close to Palm Springs International Airport, which is only 10 minutes' drive from Cathedral City. Similar to Palm Springs, Cathedral City is a resort-filled destination where you can stay at many staples like Hilton, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Best Western. You'll also find golf resorts and country clubs where you can practice your swing, while elsewhere in the country, people are shoveling snow off their driveways.

The temperature in Cathedral City rarely drops below 47 degrees Fahrenheit during winter, with highs averaging at 69 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit between December and March. Rain tends to steer clear of here during winter, too. The city averages under four days of rain each month. Those are prime conditions for golf or other outdoor recreation.

Keen golfers have multiple courses surrounding the city, including the Gary Player signature course at Mission Hills North. This par-72 course features 18 challenging holes with fairway views of the San Jacinto Mountains. About 10 holes really test your skills with lake hazards, rewarding both power and precision. If the temperature cools off at night, you could head to the Coachella Valley Repertory in the city center. This performing arts center stages musicals and plays, including big-name productions like "Guys and Dolls."

To compile this list, we determined the hottest California cities during winter by cross-referencing data presented by Better Where and Current Results with up-to-date average weather and temperature data from Weather Spark. We prioritized California cities that are warmer, on average, than 70 degrees Fahrenheit between December and March each year.

To back up this data, we also checked online community forums, such as Reddit, for testimonials from locals or visitors of these cities. We used these, where possible, to ensure local experiences matched the data. All cities that met these criteria are located in Southern California, where the weather tends to be warmer and drier.