Winter in the southern sun

Here’s a quick little sun getaway guide for this winter’s list of sun destinations available via nonstop and/or same-day connections.

Puerto Vallarta: Direct nonstop flights out of Kelowna on Fridays and Sundays.

Still one of Mexico’s most popular destinations. Great hotel options for both the downtown core and along the golden sand beaches of the Riviera Nayarit. 

Check out the fabulous Hyatt Ziva south of Old Town in the Conchas Chinas district. Wonderful for a family vacation.

Cabo San Lucas: Direct nonstop flights out of Kelowna on Saturdays. Perfect for that winter golf vacation. 

Cabo has six championship golf courses and many all inclusive resorts have discounted green fees. 

Be sure to explore the coastal towns of Las Parrillas for fantastic fishing and kite-boarding, and Todos Santos for a visit to the iconic Hotel California.

Cancun: Direct nonstop flights out of Kelowna on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays.

Destination airport for both the high-rise haven of Cancun and gateway to the idyllic Mayan Riviera. Non-stop development sees new resort additions on an eve- growing basis. 

It has everything from Adult Only, Family Friendly, Party-Party and Rest and Relaxation resorts. Strong demand for the turquoise blue waters and white sand beaches of the Caribbean assure that these flights sell out on a weekly basis. 

Varadero: Direct nonstop out of Kelowna on Fridays.

Beautiful, white, sand beaches that stretch for miles. Foot-tapping, hip-swaying Cuban music. The historic draw of Havana’s architecture and culture. Cuba remains one of Canada’s preferred sun destinations.   

Mazatlán: Same day connections via Calgary or Vancouver four times a week

A favourite long-stay, winter-getaway destination for Canadians for years. Mazatlán fell out of favour in recent times due to national headlines featuring violent crime. 

The Mexican government retaliated with heightened security measures and Mazatlán has slowly returned to it’s former popularity.

Manzanillo: Same day connections via Calgary on Fridays.

Truly one of Mexico’s better kept secrets. World-class sport fishing destination. Very un-touristy and true to its Mexican roots and culture. Some truly beautiful five-star resorts. 

Ixtapa: Same day connections on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The absolute definite “sun” destination with a guaranteed sunshine 350 days of the year. Very much an adult based destination. Relaxing and laid back. 

Zihuatanejo is the bustling city centre filled with culture and shopping.

Liberia: Same day connections Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays via Calgary.

Gateway to Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province and home to the resorts of the Gulf of Papagayo. 

Costa Rica is a great destination for adventure and nature seekers. Rain forests, volcanoes, monkeys and lizards, Costa Rica brings it all home. Pura Vida!

Las Vegas: Direct nonstop flights out of Kelowna on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Always fun for a guy or gal getaway weekend. Easy to fit a week’s worth of activity into a four-day weekend.

Phoenix: Direct nonstop flights out of Kelowna Mondays and Saturdays.

So much more to offer than just golf. Phoenix is a great destination for those of you wanting to extend your road cycle season or outdoor adventure activities.

Hawaii:  Same day connections available to the Big Island, Kauai, Honolulu and Maui via Vancouver.

Kelowna International Airport is becoming our gateway to the world.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.