ESCAPE THE HOMEFRONT: SET YOUR EYES ON THESE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
The holidays are a special time to be with family and friends. Cozy up by the fire and decorate the tree. Fill the house with the scent of fresh cookies and pine needles. But wait, what if you did something different this year? What if you decided to get a plane ticket and celebrate the holidays alone, or take a trip with the whole family? Being home for the holidays is a romantic notion, but it can be stressful. Sometimes the decorations break, the holiday ham burns, snow turns into slippery ice - traveling for the holiday season is not only in your best interest, but it’s also an opportunity to make unforgettable festive memories.
Here are my top four places for you to spend December based on weather and culture.
New York, New York
New York is always a good idea. Some might say New York City is the epicenter of American culture. There’s nothing like traipsing through a snow-covered Manhattan. Whether you travel with the family or alone, there’s a million things to do in New York. Snag up tickets to see the Rockettes perform at Radio City Music Hall and go ice skating at Rockefeller Center. There are even free activities you can do in New York during the season. Allow yourself to be mesmerized while walking past the holiday window displays at Macy’s. Become a kid again while walking through the FAO Schwarz. Feel like you’re in a snow globe by walking through a snowy Central Park. The possibilities are endless and the magic of Christmas is abundant!
Cabo San Lucas
Get away from the winter weather by flying to Cabo San Lucas, a city on the west coast of Mexico. Cabo is filled with elegant all-inclusive resorts that provide incredible holiday dinner menus and buffets, seasonal performances, and activities that make leaving the resort nearly futile. While your friends back home are vacuuming up pine needles around the tree and shoveling snow out of the driveway, you will be whale watching from a catamaran and sunbathing by the pool. Sure you might miss snow, but not enough to not get lost in the Baja Sur Sunshine.
Rio De Janeiro
Many holidays fall during Brazil’s hottest summer days, so if you book a Rio Holiday Vacation you will be sweating in the summer sun instead of shivering in the bitter winter. On the 25th of December many tourists and locals go to Lagoa, the city’s lake, to swim. During the holidays, Lagoa has a wooden tree decked out in lights at the center of its waters, creating an epic festive attraction. When traveling to Rio for the holiday season, make sure you celebrate by going to the Botanical Gardens, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Costa Verde.
Germany
We couldn’t pick one spot in Germany, solely because everywhere in Germany is well known for being a scenic space for the holidays. With many small towns with a medieval vibe and cities with modern architecture, Germany has it all when it comes to holiday travel. The best part of spending the holidays in Deutschland are the Christmas markets they have in every town far and near. To name a few, some of the best markets are Dresden Striezelmarkt, Düsseldorf Christmas Market, and Weihnachtsmarkt Schloss Charlottenburg. Beyond the markets, Germans have an array of other Christmas traditions that they are known for including German gingerbread cookies (Lebkuchen), Christmas stollen bread, and mulled wine.
There are an array of other places you can travel to experience different holiday traditions. What is most important is that you give back to yourself and your family this season by going on a holiday adventure that you will never forget. Take the time to travel during the most festive time of year.
