Holiday Travel

Spend your holiday vacation rockin’ around the Christmas tree and head to a city filled with Christmas cheer. Grab some hot cocoa and stroll through city streets admiring spectacular holiday window displays and an enormous tree decorated with millions of lights. Then rent some skates and twirl on a festive ice rink or get tickets to an unforgettable holiday show. Walk (or drive) through a dazzling light display, then search for baked goods and handmade gifts as you peruse a holiday market with a hot beverage in hand. Or head to a mountain town where a day of skiing is capped off by a festive Electric Parade and a visit to a life-size gingerbread house.

A charming small town dusted with snow is the ideal setting for a winter holiday. Enjoy a wagon or sleigh ride through a picture-perfect town, then get in the holiday spirit by singing along with carolers and joining in the fun for a tree lighting in the center of town. Visit a Victorian-style Christmas village for a horse-drawn carriage ride or America’s Christmas Tree Village to see festive light displays and parades. Take the family on a train ride to the North Pole with cookies, hot cocoa, and stories from Santa. And many of these storybook towns have mountains nearby for exhilarating outdoor adventures like skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing to add to the fun.

Looking to escape the snow on your holiday vacation? Head to a warm destination that still has plenty of cheer. You’ll still find plenty of lights and decorations with none of the snow. Journey to a tropical paradise for a holiday trolley tour or a Southern city with spectacular light displays and fun bonfires. Enjoy Christmas festivities, then stroll through downtown shops and marvel at historic homes decked out for the holiday season. Go down by the bay for a holiday boat parade where you can admire the decorated boats as they sail by. Or take the family to a magical theme park transformed into a winter wonderland for the holidays.

Don’t want to head home right after Christmas? Ring in the New Year somewhere new. There’s something about making resolutions in a new place that makes them that much more meaningful and easy to keep. Head somewhere warm with friendly locals and a fun party atmosphere, where you can walk through the streets with a drink in hand, then dance the night away at lively bars and clubs. Celebrate the holiday with food, music, entertainment, and an open bar at a New Year’s Eve ball, or plan a fireworks cruise to enjoy a bayfront display. Or venture to a winter wonderland celebration complete with live music, entertainment, ice sculpting, and a completely unique gondola ball drop.