It’s okay to want to spend Christmas with your family as you wish, because we all want to escape grandma’s fruitcake. If you’re looking for great places to spend Christmas away from home, here are a few suggestions to get you out and about!
- Christmas HolidaysReneS at flickr / Foter / CC BY-SA
10: Verbier, Switzerland
What better place to celebrate a winter holiday than the snowy mountains of the Swiss Alps? Ski, snowboard and ice skate to your heart’s content in the world-famous resorts of Verbier.
9: Wheeling, West Virginia
Home to the “Winter Festival of Lights,” Wheeling transforms itself every Christmas with a six-mile display of lights and sparkling tunnels. It’s one of the largest holiday light shows in the country, and definitely not to be missed!
8: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Get all your Christmas shopping done at the Mall of America, then head a few miles north for the annual Holidazzle parade, where giant snowmen ride sleighs with Snoopy and even Jack Sparrow.
7: Paris, France
This stylish city may not be your first idea of winter wonderland, but Paris can still bring the magic to Christmas if you stop by Disneyland, which is decked out every year with enough lights to put even Rudolph’s nose to shame.
6: Fairbanks, Alaska
If you are looking for a white Christmas, head on up to Alaska. Not only will you be close enough to the North Pole to personally search for Santa, but the cool temperatures will bring you lots of cuddling opportunities with your loved ones.
5: Cappadocia, Turkey
It’s a beautiful and culturally rich city any time of the year, but its history takes special meaning at Christmastime when you learn that the first Christians found refuge from the Romans in Cappadocia’s underground passageways.
4: Akita, Japan
Warm up this winter with a trip to one of Akita’s onsens, or hot spring resorts. These bed-and-breakfasts are usually very traditional and extremely focused on customer service and satisfaction.
3: Las Vegas, Nevada
Looking for a more adult kind of fun? Leave the kids at home and hit up Las Vegas at Christmastime, where the eggnog flows freely and the Santa’s are deliberately naughty. Who knows, you might even win big for a real Christmas miracle! There are many places to stay in Las Vegas during Christmas. However, it is always a good idea to book in advance just so you have an excuse a few months before. This will prevent in laws from having hard feelings that you cannot make it this year.
2: Portland, Maine
Gaze at the stars with a trip to the Portland Observatory, then sip a cup of cider in a private rented cabin along the coast of Casco Bay. It’s the perfect place for a relaxing vacation during your downtime.
1: New York, New York
Beginning with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and going all the way until the New Year’s Celebration in Times Square, New York is the place to be if you’re looking for city-wide holiday spirit. Merry Christmas, traveler!
