Hot spots to melt away winter's blues: careful planning can lead you to a warm-weather paradise

Ebony, Jan, 1996

IT'S bound to hit again this year. You know the symptoms: mood-swings, irritability, aching joints and a lack of concentration. No, it's not some medical disorder, it's simply a case of the winter blues. But you can de-ice your senses, destress your body and relax your mind--far away from the season's blustery elements--with a dose of warm-weather fun in the sun.

Once you've consulted with your travel agent about the numerous travel deals available, you need only to set aside that briefcase or tool box and pack your bags. It's time for the vacation of a lifetime.

But your vacation of a lifetime shouldn't take a lifetime to prepare, plan and pay. Careful preparations, which include checking everything from magazine articles to the Internet, can result in your best getaway yet.

Look for bargains. Check credit card companies; some offer patrons discounts on airline tickets and savings on car rentals. What about your long-distance carrier? Certain carriers reward usage with discounted or even free travel privileges. Also, check bus lines, Amtrak's passenger railway system and, of course, airlines that often offer vacation packages. United and USAir, in particular, make vacationing in a warm-weather paradise affordable with discounted rates and bargain buys on hotels and car rentals. Through United Airline's United Vacations, a family of four can easily enjoy the flora, fauna and festivities of Florida and other sunbelt states without wearing a hole in the family budget.

It might seem like a hassle, but it's well worth the effort. Once you're snorkeling in the clear-blue waters of the Bahamas, sampling the delectable fare of Jamaica, lapping up the sun's balmy rays in Trinidad or frolicking at any of Florida's many fun-filled destinations, you're bound to appreciate the homework you did.

Whether You're interested in packages that offer a lavish spa experience, ecological tours, golf and gambling jaunts or a weekend packed with festivals and feasts, there's a trip tailored especially for you.

Headed South? Miami is one of the places to be for festivals galore, exciting nightlife and the beauty and warmth of a tropical paradise. Tourists visiting the sunny Florida coast on New Year's Day will witness history-in-the-making as the 62nd Orange Bowl Game kicks off at the Orange Bowl Stadium for a final time before the annual football game moves to Joe Robbie Stadium in 1997. In February, visitors can enjoy the city's food and music fest befittingly pegged the Taste of the Beach or join in the fun for Dade Heritage Days festive celebration (March through April), which includes more than 100 events showcasing the county's rich historic and cultural heritage. Mall hounds will be thrilled by Miami's discounted shopping extravaganza better known as the World's Largest Indoor Flea Market (March 13 through 17).

Miami's not the only place to defrost your senses in the Sunshine State. Orlando's warm climate and even hotter adventures are sure to melt away winter's blahs. Coastal visitors in January can celebrate the contributions of folklorist Zoru Neale Hurston at the festival held in her honor in nearby Eatonville (January 20 through 23), and still have enough time to stop by Walt Disney World Resort for more excitement and thrills.

The adventure capital introduces a number of new, action-packed sites and scenes for the whole family. In February, you can take up a new hobby, experience a new craft or hone your culinary skills at the hands-on Disney Institute, a new kind of Disney resort.

Early planners may still have time to cash in on great Disney World savings through the Disney Sunshine Get-away promotion (January 1 through February 13). This package allows for a quick, three-day whirlwind getaway for just $129 and includes resort accommodations, a breakfast, coupon savings and complimentary transportation through selected theme parks.

Bargains, attractions and festivals also top the calendars in a number of other Southern warm spots.

Are you seeking lush tropical splendor amid a vacation getaway too exciting to forget? The twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago may leave you begging for more. Just off the eastern coast of Venezuela, Trinidad is home to hundreds of tropical birds, orchids and butterflies, and its capital, Port of Spain, brims with the energy and rhythms of calypso music and steel bands.

In Trinidad and on most Caribbean islands, Carnival remains a central festivity, often celebrated for days on end with lively parades, colorful costumes, scrumptious dishes and glorious nights filled with rousing rhythms.

In case you are looking for more of the Carnival spirit, Jamaica is raring to go. The stage will be set in Kingston, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay (April 4 through 11) and locals and tourists alike will party until dawn in a series of street dances and parades. Those vacationing in Jamaica at the beginning of the year will be just in time for the traditional Accompong Maroon Festival. This event, which dates back to the 19th century, is always filled with the sounds of Maroon drums and the precision of ceremonial dances.