The Best Cities for Top-Down Driving This Winter

When winter begins to roll in, snowbirds start chasing sunshine and looking for any chance to ride with the top down. To find the best places for warm-weather cruising, this analysis compared 66 U.S. destinations that stay comfortable through the colder months. The goal was simple: figure out where you can enjoy great weather, great scenery, and an easy path to getting behind the wheel.

This ranking combines climate data, search trends, car rental availability, and local demographics to determine which cities offer the best overall driving experience. Use these insights to choose a destination that delivers sunshine, smooth roads, and plenty of chances to drop the top this winter.

Key Takeaways

• Fort Lauderdale and Miami, FL, and Sedona, AZ, are the best cities for snowbirds to drive with the top down this winter.
• Sedona had the most combined search interest per 10K residents for "convertible rental near me," "scenic drives," "scenic drives near me," and "convertible driving routes" during the winter months.
• Fort Lauderdale and Miami had the most car rental places on Yelp.
• Hawaiian cities dominated the warm winter temperature rankings, with Kailua-Kona (75.1°F), Honolulu (74°F), and Lahaina (73.2°F) taking the top 3 spots.

Top Cities for Snowbird Cruising

Winter travelers chasing blue skies and open-air adventure often look for destinations that pair warm weather with effortless driving. These top-ranked spots offer the strongest mix of convertible-friendly conditions for anyone escaping colder climates.

 

Fort Lauderdale landed in the No. 1 position thanks to its wide availability of car rentals and consistently warm winter temperatures, perfect for grabbing a convertible and logging some easy miles.

Miami followed in second with the same strengths, giving snowbirds plenty of options for top-down cruising along the coast. Sedona rounded out the top 3 cities, driven by its large population of 60-plus and the highest search interest in scenic winter drives.

Out of all 66 destinations reviewed, Santa Fe, New Mexico, ranked last due to colder temperatures and lower driving-friendly metrics.

Where Car Culture and Convenience Meet

We next break down the top and bottom performers in each category to show how different destinations stack up for snowbird drivers.

Fort Lauderdale and Miami have the best access to rental cars, with 494 and 489 listings on Yelp, respectively. This level of availability gives visitors more flexibility to find a convertible and get out on the road quickly. Though if you already have your own ride, this factor may not matter as much for your plans.

Sedona showed the most enthusiasm for open-air adventure, recording about 1,759 winter searches per 10,000 residents for terms like “convertible rental near me” and “scenic drives near me.” It also has a large retiree population, with 44.4% of residents over age 60. This mix of eager explorers and older residents creates steady demand for convertible-friendly routes through its desert landscapes.

Hawaii came out on top for winter temps, with Kailua-Kona, Honolulu, and Lahaina all sitting in the low-to-mid 70s. It’s hard to beat that kind of steady, top-down cruising weather.

Finding the Perfect Winter Drive

Winter doesn't have to put great drives on hold, especially when places like Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Sedona make warm weather and open-air cruising easy to find. The data shows how climate, convenience, and local driving culture shape the best destinations for top-down travel. And if you're traveling in your own convertible, a quick tune-up of the top or replacing worn components can help you get the most out of those warm, open-air drives.

Whether you're exploring coastal highways or winding desert routes, the right city can turn a winter escape into a season-long adventure. With these insights in hand, you're ready to pick a spot, drop the top, and enjoy the miles ahead.

Methodology

We analyzed 66 U.S. destinations with moderate to warm winter climates to identify which cities offered the best overall conditions for top-down driving. Each location was reviewed across five weighted categories using publicly available data sources.

Categories and weights:

• Average warm temperatures in January, February, and March (35%): Temperature data came from NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals from the nearest long-record weather station.
• Car rental availability on Yelp (25%)
• Search volume per 10,000 residents during the winter months (25%):  Search terms analyzed via Google Trends included "convertible rental near me," "scenic drives," "scenic drives near me," and "convertible driving routes."
• Census population over age 60 (15%): Census city-level or MSA-level data was used from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey.

Limitations: Some cities did not have detailed Census data, which required the use of MSA-level data. Search activity can vary based on seasonal tourism patterns. Yelp business listings may not capture every rental option in a market. NOAA climate normals do not reflect recent warming trends.

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