Think you’ll be dreaming of a white Christmas when the average Dec. low is 67? Credit: Akira Kumagai.
By Amy Drew Thompson
Every year in Hawaii, the arrival of the “Christmas Tree Ship” – a freighter carrying the first load of yuletide trees to the islands – marks the unofficial start of the holiday season. And while some people prefer staying home for the holidays, merry travelers ensconced in Honolulu hotels seem to get into the spirit just fine.
Power hours: Combine Chicago's world-class shopping with a holiday getaway on the Mag Mile.
By Angie Fratto
While the cold in Chicago may send us locals hibernating until spring, it’s a great time to take in the city and its surrounding neighborhoods. With world-class shopping in both the city and ‘burbs, thie Windy City is poised as a retail mecca for everyone on the holiday list without busting the budget. (more…)
Salt of the earth: Hawaii's Grand Wailea resort is a great place for pampering and holiday gift ideas.
By Mark Chesnut
Time is running out to plan the perfect holiday gifts for friends, families and business contacts. So what’s a harried business traveler to do? Happily, hotels have made it increasingly easy to find great gifts without leaving the lobby. (more…)
By Blane Bachelor
Holiday shopping + San Francisco’s 48 hills = 100 percent exhaustion. Thankfully, the City by the Bay boasts a variety of wonderful spas with an array of antidotes to stress, blisters and Bah-Humbug vibes. Choose from traditional Japanese massage to seasonal, spice-infused treatments, many offered at some top San Francisco hotels.
The poinsettia was imported to the U.S. by Charlestonian Dr. Charles Poinsett. Credit: Charleston Area CVB, ExploreCharleston.com.
By Blane Bachelor
Temperatures may be getting colder, but there’s never been a hotter time to visit Charleston. Home to an exploding culinary scene, this southern belle is also abuzz with its recent ranking as Top U.S. City in 2011 by Condé Nast Traveler readers. See what all the excitement is about this holiday season, when the city gets into the spirit with its popular boat parade, Lowcountry shopping and elegant progressive dinners. (Bonus: Some Charleston hotels feature packages with jolly good extras like carriage rides and hot cocoa.) (more…)
Caribbean Klaus: Sinterklaas makes his appearance -- on a white horse, no less. Credit: LordFerguson.
By Jennifer Olvera
Snowflakes. Jack Frost. Wool everything. In Chicago, wintry scenes (read: freezing-cold weather) and the holidays are synonymous. South of the equator, though, nothing could be further from reality. From Sinterklaas in Aruba to stilt-walkers in St. Kitts, the Caribbean draws clever snowbirds south for a beach vacation. Here are some tropical offerings to sing about amidst those light-strung palms. (more…)
The Bahamas' rhythmic Junkanoo festival is a colorful, lively take on holiday tradition. Credit: ebodie.
By Jennifer Olvera
The New Year’s holiday is a festive affair for Bajans, who usher in the season with Junkanoo. Its roots date back to the 17th century, when it was introduced as time-off celebration for slaves. Today, it consists of parades, traditional dancing, live music and intricate, eye-popping costumes. Festivities spring up islands-wide during the wee hours on Boxing Day (December 26) and on New Year’s Day, providing the perfect excuse to book a Bahamas vacation. (more…)
Aloha, Santa: Holidays in Hawaii are always a thumbs up. Credit: Outrigger Hotels & Resorts.
By Blane Bachelor
For the past two years, President Obama and his family have spent Christmas in his native Hawaii. It’s not clear yet if they’ll be headed there this year, but if you are, you can be sure Hawaii lays out the red carpet for all of its guests — especially during the holidays. Many Hawaii hotels feature seasonal twists on tasty island fare, stores and shops ring out with localized versions of classic carols and Santa Claus switches his sleigh for an outrigger canoe. Here, some island-specific offerings guaranteed to make you say “Mele Kalikimaka” (that’s how to say “Merry Christmas” in Hawaii). (more…)
Rockefeller Center, the axis of NYC holiday celebrations. Credit: Tishman Speyer-Photographer Bart Barlow.
By Erin Behan
Tourist or not, there’s something special about New York come the holidays, and the excitement starts with the Rockefeller Center tree lighting on Nov. 30. The 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. event is not an affair for the agoraphobic, as it’s attended by tens of thousand other like-minded souls, but the heart-swell when the Norway spruce lights up — illuminated by 30,000 LED bulbs — is well worth the frozen toes and shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. (more…)
The twilight zone: Twilight enthusiasts will gather in Orlando starting December 9, vampire gear intact.
By Jennifer Olvera
Vampires. Werewolves. Everyone loves them these days – especially when they’re fighting over a certain doe-eyed teen. Whether you’re on team Edward or team Jacob, you can curb vampire cravings during one out-there version of Orlando vacations, when the Twilight Convention takes a bite out of Hilton Orlando Resort Lake Buena Vista, December 9-11. (more…)
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