Hamburg, Germany, Christmas Market — A Christmas market in Hamburg, Germany

The Best Holiday Destinations To Visit This Season

A Holiday Vacation Is the Best Gift of All

By Eben Diskin | Published on January 8, 2024

When you think "holiday season," what do you picture? Do you see your family gathered around a dining room table, enjoying a hearty meal, opening presents, exchanging stories and falling asleep by the fire? How about you and your loved ones on a white sand beach in the Caribbean, or glacier trekking through Alaska? A cruise vacation may be just what you need to shake up your holidays.

A place doesn't have to be decked out in traditional decor or known for a wild New Year's Eve extravaganza to be one of the best holiday destinations. Experiencing the holidays on vacation not only gives you an excuse to get away from the stress of cooking and playing Santa but allows you to experience the holidays against a whole new and exciting backdrop. That might be a tropical paradise where the mere thought of a sweater is ludicrous, or it may be a European city famous for its magical Christmas market. Here's how to plan the ultimate holiday vacation cruise for the whole family.

Why Go On Vacation For The Holidays?

Family time is what the holidays are all about. It's undeniable, however, that too much family time can be quite overwhelming. That's especially true if you're hosting people at your house, and the duties of preparing food, decorating, and making sure your little cousins don't sneak into your bedroom, all fall on your shoulders. Vacationing over the holidays is the best of both worlds. It allows you to forego the many stresses of holiday hosting and making small talk with relatives you haven't seen in years, while also giving you the opportunity to spend quality time with those you love the most. A holiday getaway is the perfect way of "trimming the fat," if you will.

Family of four on a tropical summer beach getaway vacation. The Caribbean.

Enjoy the beach with your family this holiday.

Going away for the holidays also means experiencing the holiday traditions of other cultures. Puerto Rico, for example, is one of the best holiday vacation places for those looking for a tropical getaway. From the Christmas markets of Europe to the colorful costumed festivals of the Caribbean, the holiday season abroad will open your eyes to new traditions beyond the relatively limited scope of what you grew up with. That goes for food and drink, too, including European mulled wine, Germany's stollen Christmas cake, the UK's mince pies, and the rum cake, curry goat and coquitos of Latin America.

Traditional christmas puerto rican dessert cut into pieces

Indulge in stolen Christmas cake.

Indeed, experiencing the holiday traditions of other cultures can go a long way toward influencing your own family traditions. There's nothing wrong with the classic red stockings, Christmas cookies, Menorah lighting, or watching the ball drop on New Year's Eve, but going on vacation for the holidays could be the start of a brand-new family tradition. Instead of shoveling your driveway and adding another log to the fire, escape the cold entirely by heading somewhere tropical. Instead of ringing in the New Year with party hats and noisemakers, celebrate by watching a colorful parade in the Bahamas. Instead of chowing down on turkey like you do every year, indulge in roasted chestnuts, soft pretzels and mutton in Europe. Who knows? You might make it an annual family trip, or start incorporating these traditions back at home.

If you're still not convinced, traveling for the holidays can also be a great way to save money. If you're flexible and don't mind traveling on a major holiday, airfare is often cheaper. In addition, many hotels, cruises and travel companies offer holiday discounts.

If you're looking for a cozier Christmas trip, Europe is one of the best holiday getaway ideas.

How To Pick The Best Holiday Destinations For You

Coco Beach Club Couple Enjoying Infinity Pool , Perfect Day at Coco Cay — Coco Beach Club Couple Enjoying Infinity Pool, Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Enjoy pool time with your significant other.

Before you book your getaway for the holidays, consider what kind of trip you're looking to have. Is it a fun-filled family trip over Thanksgiving break? A relaxing couple's getaway for Christmas? A wild New Year's Eve with a group of friends? Holiday vibes come in many forms.

If you're looking for one of the best holiday destinations for couples, it doesn't get any better than St. Thomas, with its pristine beaches, romantic crescent-shaped bay — perfect for enjoying sunsets — and vibrant restaurant and shopping scene. For families with children, consider the Bahamas, which offers everything from spacious beaches to scuba diving, horseback riding and water parks. There's an abundance of resorts with kid-friendly activities and services. Traveling with a group of friends? A river cruise through Europe is one of the best holiday vacation ideas. Whether you're sampling every mulled wine in town at Christmas markets or taking advantage of the raucous New Year's Eve nightlife in Nice, Amsterdam, or Barcelona, a European cruise is tough to beat.

Celebrate The Holidays Like Never Before

Whether you're traveling with family, friends, a significant other, or solo, there are a few destinations that really shine during the holidays.

Puerto Rico celebrates Three Kings Day every night from December 25 through January 6. The Latin American tradition is based on the gospel account of the Three Kings visiting baby Jesus with gifts and is typically celebrated with live music, alcoholic coquito beverages and a tradition of leaving your shoes outside your door in exchange for presents.

San Juan, Puerto RIco Christmas tree lined road in the old town

Stroll the Christmas tree-lined streets of San Juan.

If you find yourself in the Bahamas during the holiday season, you're in luck. Junkanoo is celebrated in Nassau on December 26 and New Year's Day. The event assumes a Mardi Gras-esque atmosphere, with locals dressing up in masks and traditional costumes and parading through the streets. It's not the Santa parade or New Year's Eve bash you're probably used to — but that's part of the beauty.

If you're looking for a cozier Christmas trip, Europe is one of the best holiday getaway ideas. You might not be escaping the cold, but you will be immersing yourself in a centuries-old tradition that simply can't be matched anywhere else in the world. For a traditional Christmas market experience, head to Rostock of Warnemunde, which hosts some of the best Christmas markets in Germany. Whether you're taking advantage of the carnival-like atmosphere and riding a Ferris wheel or merry-go-round, or indulging in currywurst and hot chocolate, you can't go wrong spending your holiday in Germany.

Traditional christmas market in the historic center of Frankfurt, Germany

Sample all the goodies at a German Christmas market.

Spending the holidays in Europe doesn't have to mean a cold-weather holiday, however. Greece, for example, enjoys comfortable 60-degree weather in December, making Athens the perfect holiday destination for seekers of warm weather and Mediterranean culture. One of the staples of the Greek Christmas tradition are boats decorated in places you'd usually find a Christmas tree — like public squares and plazas. The boats — in honor of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors — are decorated with lights and serve as the centerpiece of community celebrations. Greece is also known for its holiday food and drinks, including mulled wine, raki with honey, vasilopita (New Year's bread), and melomakarona (syrupy Christmas cookies topped with walnuts).

Catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights in Alaska.

For the solo traveler looking for an epic adventure getaway, spending the holiday in Alaska is about as rugged as it gets. Sure, you'll be contending with ice and snow, but since Alaska feels like the land where Christmas was invented, you probably won't mind. What better way to embrace the holiday season — and start a new, unique holiday tradition — than by snowmobiling through corridors of snow-laden spruce trees, or hiking a glacier? There's even a town just 12 miles from Fairbanks called the North Pole, complete with year-round candy-cane decor and a Santa-themed post office. No, it's not the actual North Pole, but Alaska might be the closest you can get to the real thing. And what's more Christmassy than that?

Booking A Holiday Cruise Vacation

City Skyline Downtown, Los Angeles, California

Take in the sights of LA before embarking on a cruise.

Cruises can be the perfect vacation getaway for the holidays. They remove all the stress of planning, hosting, food preparation, and familial obligation, and let you focus on what really matters: quality time with your loved ones.

One of the best vacation ideas for holiday travelers looking to escape a New England winter is a cruise from New York. In just a matter of a few days, you'll find yourself transported from a frigid environment to one of warmth and relaxation. There are several great holiday destinations easily reachable via a cruise from New York and New Jersey, including the Bahamas, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. If you have the time, you could even take an extended vacation of two weeks to the western Caribbean.

Mexico is also one of the best holiday destinations, thanks to its abundance of sunny beaches, delicious food, and warm weather that'll allow you to leave those winter layers at home. Several cruises bring visitors to destinations along Mexico's stunning coastline. Los Angeles — a great holiday destination in its own right — is the most convenient port for cruises to Mexico. From Los Angeles, you can take cruises to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Ensenada.

Row of colorful beach umbrellas on the beach. Galveston, Texas.

Hit the beach in Galveston.

Cruises from Galveston, Texas, will also take you to Mexico. Galveston has the added benefit of being a great holiday destination in its own right, with the perfect mix of southern hospitality, history and natural beauty to explore. From the historic Strand District to the antique shops, restaurants and bars, and the historic Pleasure Pier, there's no shortage of things to do in Galveston. Cruises from Galveston will bring you to destinations in Mexico like Cozumel and Puerto Costa Maya, as well as other Latin American ports like Roatán — a Honduran island off the coast of the mainland. If you're lucky, you might even catch a classic Cozumel Christmas tradition, where children decorate tree branches and bring them house to house singing Christmas songs.

As for warm-weather holiday destinations, Miami is almost too obvious. Florida has long been a haven for snowbirds migrating away from the New England frost, and it's easy to see why: year-round sun, beautiful beaches, world-famous amusement parks, and cruises that can take you throughout the Caribbean. Miami is one of the biggest cruising hubs in the U.S., if not the world, meaning the entire Caribbean is quite literally at your fingertips. Whether you've decided to bring the whole family on a tropical cruise getaway for the holidays, or you're looking for a peaceful escape with your special someone, you'll be able to choose from dozens of islands to help you celebrate the holidays in a unique way.

Written By
EBEN DISKIN

Eben Diskin is a travel writer, amateur pizza connoisseur, avid Indoorsman, and the Senior Staff Writer at Matador Network. While traveling, he pretends to enjoy activities like hiking, camping, fine dining, and museums, when all he really wants to do is drink Jack and Cokes at the hotel bar. He has a degree in History from Wheaton College and a definitely-not-useless Master's in Fiction Writing from the University of Edinburgh.

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