Although I have taken a lot of vacation since then, the first winter sun holiday that I ever had was actually one of those impulsive, last minute holidays you take when you are young. It was a cheap holiday as well. It had to be, because I was a broke 22 year old student at the time. You see, my best friend Adam had never seen the ocean. I had a few days off before I was due back at school, and I thought that we could take a road trip down to South Carolina. It was either South Carolina or the East Coast, and the weather was pretty nasty in that part of the country. We decided that getting out of the Midwest – we were in Michigan – would do us some good. We barely had enough time to get down there. Basically, we drove, sat on the beach for a day, and drove back. Nonetheless, it was one of the best times I have ever had. It was a true adventure!

Of course, the winter sun holidays that I take nowadays are much more conventional. I go on cruises or stay at luxury islands in the Caribbean. Still, nothing can beat the one I had on that first trip. There is something magical about leaving a frozen, dreary, depressing Midwest winter, driving through the icy Appalachians, and coming out on the other side to find that it's already spring. It was not that warm on the beach, but it was certainly a lot warmer than back home. It was warm enough to enjoy ourselves sitting out by the ocean. And sitting out by the ocean and enjoying yourself is what winter sun holidays are all about!

The great thing about winter sun holidays is, if you are careful with your destinations, you can get great deals and find almost abandoned beaches to enjoy by yourself. If you do what I do and go to the Caribbean, things will be pretty crowded during the winter. If you go to a less obvious place, such as South Carolina, Southern California, or maybe the Spanish coast, you'll still be able to enjoy plenty of warmth without having to put up with huge crowds. Going to a tropical paradise for your winter sun holidays can be really fun, but there is also something to be said for finding a destination where you will have the beach all to yourself.