Best Snowbird Destinations Outside the U.S.

With the recent changes between the U.S. and Canada, including the U.S. imposing tariffs on Canada, Trump calling Canada the “51st state,” and the new rules requiring foreign nationals to register if they stay in the United States for more than 30 days, it’s not surprising that many Canadian snowbirds are reconsidering their travel plans to the U.S.

If you are trying to decide on the best snowbird destination, we’ve compiled a list of four alternative destinations to consider for your next snowbird trip.

Mexico is one of the most affordable snowbird destinations outside the United States. With warm weather year-round and a growing snowbird population during the winter, it’s a great option to consider for your next trip.

We compared flight options from Vancouver and Toronto to two popular destinations in Mexico—Cancun and Puerto Vallarta—as of April 2, 2025.

• Vancouver to Cancun: If you’re flying from Vancouver to Cancun, according to Skyscanner, the cheapest month to fly to Cancun from Vancouver is at the end of the snowbird season in April 2025, with prices from CAD 319. The second most affordable month during snowbird season is September, with prices starting at CAD 438.

• Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta: The most affordable time to travel to Puerto Vallarta from Vancouver is again in April 2025, when flights start from CAD 343. October and November are close in price to April, with fares starting from CAD 382 and CAD 375, respectively.

• Toronto to Cancun: The cheapest snowbird month to fly to Cancun from Toronto is April 2025, with prices from CAD 340. You could also travel in September when flights start as low as CAD 370.

• Toronto to Puerto Vallarta: In 2025, April is the most affordable month to travel to Puerto Vallarta from Toronto, with prices starting from CAD 287. You could also travel in January or February, with prices from CAD 411.

According to Budget Your Trip, the average daily cost per person in Puerto Vallarta is CAD 170, including accommodation, food, local transport, and sightseeing. If you plan to spend a month, the average cost is CAD 5,103 per person.

The average daily cost for travel to Cancun is slightly higher than Puerto Vallarta. Again, including local transport, sightseeing, food, and accommodation, you can expect to spend around CAD 203 per person daily or CAD 6,098 per month.

If you plan to travel to Puerto Vallarta during snowbird season, you can expect temperatures ranging from 17°C to 32°C. January and February are the coolest months, with temperatures between 17°C to 27°C. The hottest average temperatures during the snowbird season are in September and October, from 24°C to 32°C.

If you want to travel to Cancun during snowbird season, the weather averages between 20°C to 34°C. Expect the lowest temperatures of the year in December, January, and February, with the highest average temperature being 28°C and the lowest being 20°C. September is the hottest snowbird month, with temperatures ranging from 24°C to 33°C.

If you are a Canadian national and plan to stay in Mexico for less than 180 days, you are not required to obtain a visa to enter Mexico. You do not need a minimum period of validity on your passport, but you must present a passport that will be valid throughout your stay in Mexico.

Though you do not need a visa, you need to fill out a Multiple Migratory Form (FMM). The form will be handed to you by your airline or at the port of entry. You may also be asked to present documents showing the purpose of your trip.

There is also a tourist tax requirement if you travel to the Quintana Roo region (Cancun, Cozumel, Tulum, etc.). If you are visiting other states in Mexico, this tax does not apply.

The Canadian government has an overall advisory for the country and regional advisories for travel to Mexico, which indicate the risk level for traveling to specific regions. There are four levels of risk:

• Level 1: Take normal security precautions

• Level 2: Exercise a high degree of caution

• Level 3: Avoid non-essential travel

• Level 4: Avoid all travel

As of now, the risk level for Mexico is Level 2, but you should avoid non-essential travel in some regions. These advisories are updated regularly. You should check Canada’s travel advice for Mexico before your trip to see if your travel region is affected.

If you travel to an area with an advisory to avoid non-essential travel or to avoid all travel, you may not have coverage under your travel insurance policy if you need to make a claim. You should check with your insurance provider before traveling to confirm their policy wording.

If you’re looking for a sunny European destination with beautiful nature, look no further than Spain. Traveling to Spain may take longer than Mexico, but it is one of the closest sunny destinations in Europe. If you’re looking for warm or mild temperatures during your travels, Peninsular Spain experiences mild to warm temperatures year-round.

We compared flight options from Vancouver and Toronto to one of the most popular destinations in Spain for snowbirds: the Costa del Sol region (flying into Málaga).

• Vancouver to Málaga: The most affordable month to fly to Málaga is June, from CAD 741. If you want to travel during snowbird season, October or November are the cheapest months, starting from CAD 851 and CAD 853, respectively.

• Toronto to Málaga: The best flight deal in 2025 is in September, with prices from CAD 736. For other affordable options, consider traveling in October 2025 or February 2026, with prices from CAD 817 and CAD 835.

As Costa del Sol is a region in Spain, we will highlight the average cost of vacationing in two cities in the region: Marbella and Málaga.

Budget Your Trip has noted that the average daily cost per person in Marbella is CAD 226 for accommodation, food, local transport, and sightseeing. If you plan to spend a month there, expect to pay an average of CAD 6,777 per person.

Málaga is a larger city with a higher average vacation cost than Marbella. With accommodation, food, transport, and sightseeing, expect to pay around CAD 258 per person per day or CAD 7,713 per person per month.

As Marbella and Málaga are situated close to each other, they tend to have similar average temperatures year-round.

If you plan to travel to either Marbella or Málaga during snowbird season, you can expect temperatures ranging from 8°C to 28°C. January is the coldest month, with temperatures between 8°C and 17°C. December and February follow closely behind in coldest temperatures, with an average one degree higher. The hottest average temperature during snowbird season is in September, with an average high of 28°C and a low of 19°C.

If you are a Canadian citizen and plan to stay in Spain for up to 90 days within 180 days, you are not required to obtain a visa to enter Spain.

Spain is a Schengen Area country, and the visa rules apply to visits to any Schengen Area country. If you plan to stay in the Schengen Area for a longer period, you will need to apply for a visa.

You are required to have the following for your trip to Spain:

• A passport valid for at least three months after your departure from Spain

• Proof of sufficient funds for the duration of your trip in Spain (at least EUR 113.4 per day per person)

• Proof of a return ticket exiting Spain

• Proof of accommodation or an invitation letter from an individual or confirmation of an organized trip reservation.

You may also be required to have a health screening (or provide a health certificate) upon arrival in Spain.

The Canadian government’s advisory for Spain is for the whole country, rather than regional advisories like Mexico. However, the travel advisory includes city-specific advice regarding safety and security measures. As of March 12, 2025, the advisory is to exercise a high degree of caution. You should check the advisory before traveling to Spain to see if this advisory has been updated.

Costa Rica is an excellent alternative destination for Canadian snowbirds. With affordable flights, beautiful nature, and great weather year-round, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular destinations for snowbirds.

We compared flight options from Vancouver and Toronto to the largest city in Costa Rica, San José. Snowbirds typically fly into San José and either stay in the city or rent a car to explore the country.

• Vancouver to San José: If you’re flying from Vancouver to San José, the cheapest month of the year is at the start of the snowbird season in September, from CAD 488. The next most affordable month during the snowbird season is October, with prices from CAD 518.

• Toronto to San José: The most affordable snowbird months to fly in 2025 are April, September, and October, from CAD 451, CAD 457, and CAD 456, respectively.

If you plan to spend time in San José, you can expect to spend around CAD 147 per day per person on food, local transport, sightseeing, and accommodation. Spending a month in San José will cost an average of CAD 4,412 per person.

San José experiences warm weather year-round, with the lowest and highest overall averages being very similar throughout the year, so any month you travel to San José will likely be warm.

The warmest snowbird months are March and April. The lowest average temperature in March is 19°C, and the highest is 27°C. In April, the average temperature ranges from 20°C to 27°C. If you’re looking for the mildest temperature, from October to February, expect an average temperature between 19°C and 25°C.

Canadian citizens don’t need a visa if they plan to travel to Costa Rica for less than 180 days.

However, Costa Rica does have some entry requirements and additional information for you to consider:

• Sufficient funds: You must have at least USD 100 to enter Costa Rica.

• Proof of return: You must provide proof of entry and exit from Costa Rica.

• Valid passport: You need a valid passport with a minimum validity of one month after arriving in Costa Rica.

• Departure tax: If you are flying into Costa Rica, you may be required to pay a departure tax when exiting the country. Depending on your airline, this may be included in your ticket fee.

Canada’s advisory for Costa Rica is country-wide, with some safety and security recommendations for specific areas of the country. As of March 18, 2025, you should exercise a high degree of caution in Costa Rica. You should check Canada’s advisory before traveling to see if the risk level has changed.

Portugal is another destination to consider for your trip. With milder temperatures similar to Spain, impressive scenery, and great food, Portugal should be a top option.

We compared flight options from Vancouver and Toronto to Faro and Lisbon.

• Vancouver to Faro: If you plan to travel to the Algarve during the snowbird season, you can fly into Faro in September with prices from CAD 744. The second most affordable month is January 2026, from CAD 759.

• Vancouver to Lisbon: The best deals during the 2025 snowbird season are in October and April, starting from CAD 419 and CAD 443, respectively.

• Toronto to Faro: The cheapest month to fly to Faro from Toronto is June, from CAD 691. To take advantage of snowbird flight savings, you should travel in September 2025 or January 2026, with prices from CAD 744 and CAD 759.

• Toronto to Lisbon: In 2025, May is the most affordable month to travel to Lisbon from Toronto, with prices starting from CAD 408. October is the cheapest month to travel during the snowbird season, starting from CAD 419.

There are multiple destinations in the Algarve that snowbirds choose to stay in during the winter months. As a result, we’ll focus on the cost of travel to Faro and Lisbon.

According to Budget Your Trip, the average daily cost per person in Faro is CAD 249 for accommodation, food, local transport, and sightseeing. If you plan to spend a month there, the average cost is CAD 7,481 per person.

To travel to Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city, you can expect to spend around CAD 252 per person daily or CAD 7,574 per person per month.

The warmest snowbird months in Faro are September and October, with temperatures between 18°C to 27°C and 15°C to 23°C. The lowest average temperatures during snowbird season are in January and February, with lows of 8°C or 9°C and highs of 16°C or 17°C.

In Lisbon, September and October are also the warmest snowbird months. You can expect temperatures between 18°C to 26°C in September and 15°C to 23°C in October. The lowest average temperatures during snowbird season are the same as in Faro, with lows around 8°C and highs around 17°C.

Canadian citizens do not need a visa if they travel to Portugal for less than 90 days. Like Spain, Portugal is a Schengen Area country. If you plan to stay longer than 90 days in 180 days in any Schengen Area country, you will need to obtain a visa.

You are required to have a valid passport with at least three months’ validity after exiting Portugal.

Canada’s advisory for Portugal is country-wide, with safety and security information for larger cities like Lisbon and Porto. As of April 2, 2025, you should take normal security precautions. Check Canada’s advisory before traveling to see if the risk level has changed.

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