Cheap Christmas Vacation
Cheap Christmas vacations can make it possible for many travelers to get together with family and friends during the holiday season, even when their budgets are tight and missing out on family gatherings might look like a real possibility. A great thing about cheap Christmas travel is that there are so many places to go that it’s possible to find one that suits everybody and is also reasonably easy to get to. Major airlines, cruise ships, and even Amtrak and other trains book up early around the holidays, and as it’s such a desirable time to travel, they don’t offer their cheapest rates at this time of year. However, there are a few possibilities to look into when researching your Christmas vacation.
Vacation packages are one of the best ways to go for the holidays; if you can bundle your transportation with accommodations and other necessities, it’s possible to find many more cheap Christmas vacation destinations that you might otherwise. If you’re having a family reunion, then seeing if you can get a group rate on a hotel might be worthwhile, or even better, book a vacation rental. You’ll have the full house to yourself and plenty of room for a large group of family or friends, as well as the chance to have holiday meals together just as if you were at home.
When it comes to destinations, many travelers envision spending the holidays on sunny beaches, surrounded by clear blue water and maybe a few palm trees. There are numerous possibilities for Caribbean resorts, such as on Barbados, Jamaica, or the Bahamas (all of which have great kid-friendly resorts), as well as smaller Central American destinations such as Costa Rica or Honduras. These later options can be particularly good deals, as they’re still developing as tourist destinations and likely to be significantly cheaper than other places.
Mexico is also a terrific place to go for a cheap Christmas vacation. Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Cozumel, and Cancun are all beautiful beach destinations with great restaurants, resorts, and plenty of things to do, from golf to snorkeling. Many of the resorts in these parts of Mexico are all-inclusive as well, which makes it easy to budget ahead of time, as you can pay a flat fee and not have to come up with extra cash during your trip.
If your plans include a holiday cruise, cheap Christmas vacation destinations from ports of call including Tampa, Ft Lauderdale, San Diego, and Los Angeles aboard the Holland America line offer the entire family a fun-filled cruise holiday vacation. Aboard the ship you can celebrate Christmas with elegant dining, Yule Log parade, lighting of the tree ceremony, Christmas morning brunch, and scheduled singing by a professional choir. For the kids, there are photo opportunities with Santa, Christmas storytelling, and snack time with Santa’s favorite of milk and cookies.
Many travelers also dream of snow during the holidays, and cheap Christmas vacations abound for those willing to do a little research. Luxury ski resorts such as Vail and Aspen will not be so cheap this time of year, but if you’re interested in skiing, why not try one of the smaller ski areas with less expensive accommodations? Vermont, Maine, and New York State are all terrific ski destinations, and Idaho, Utah, and California have their share of great resorts as well. Christmas ski vacations can be the perfect way to spend some time outside before relaxing with the family and enjoying a warm fire.