Underrated Travel Destinations For The Holiday Season

For a lot of people, Christmas means going to home be with family. But for others, the holiday season is the perfect time to take a vacation! Everyone has a least a few days off anyway, so why not get out of town for a few days and check out some place you’ve never been before. If the latter sounds like a good idea to you, then check out this list of some of the best places in America to visit during the Christmas season.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

HERSHEY PARK, PENNSYLVANIA

Hershey Park, Pennsylvania is practically the Christmas capital of America. They have one of the most elaborate light shows you’ll ever find with over 200,000 lights in all, and you can take them in in all their glory while dancing and singing along to your favorite Christmas songs.

Hershey Park also offers Christmas-themed roller-coasters, cookie workshops, and a very convincing Santa thanks to his nine live reindeer! So if you’re already on the East Coast, or if you feel like going across the country this holiday season, Hershey Park is definitely worth a visit.

GRAND WAILEA, MAUI, HAWAII

I think, for a lot of people in America, Hawaii is the last place they think of when they think about Christmas. But it really is a great option for vacation over the Christmas holiday. And Grand Wailea in Maui is the best place in Hawaii to spend Christmas.

The theme there that time of year is “Tis the Season of Aloha,” so you know they take it seriously. And when you see Santa show up in a 25-foot outrigger canoe to kick off the tree lighting ceremony, you’ll understand why Grand Wailea is such a great place to spend Christmas.

ASPEN, COLORADO

If you’re like me and prefer the “winter wonderland” elements of the holiday season, then Aspen, Colorado is an awesome Christmas vacation destination for you. I mean, Aspen (and Colorado in general) is a beautiful place regardless of the time of year, but all those snow-covered mountains in the winter just make it a truly breathtaking sight to see.

And separate from all the great skiing and hot chocolate drinking you can do, they still have the great Christmas tradition of the Little Nell Tree Lighting ceremony. Which, naturally, includes plenty of carolers and an appearance by Santa Claus and his real live reindeer.

COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA

Similar to Grand Wailea in Maui, Cocoa Beach, Florida is an awesome beach town to check out during the holiday season. Especially if you prefer warmer weather and relaxing on the beach. Everyone in Cocoa Beach is full of Christmas cheer every year, so you’ll see plenty of surfing Santas, holiday-themed stilt walkers, and the best part of all, the annual holiday boat parade.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Utah is right up there with Colorado for being one of the most beautiful states in the country. So, naturally, their biggest and brightest city, Salt Lake City, is a wonderful place to spend Christmas. Every year they host the Dickens Christmas Festival that features absolutely stunning light displays, Olde English shops, fortune tellers, and Father Christmas himself. Not to mention the yearly performance by the Utah Symphony, and the Hogle Zoo, which puts on its own incredible light decorations every year.

NORTH POLE, ALASKA

What better place to spend Christmas than the home of Santa Claus himself, North Pole! Well, to be fair, this isn’t that North Pole. But the too-quaint-too-handle Alaska town of North Pole is a beautiful place to be around Christmas. Their annual Winter Festival includes a bevy of fun activities and entertainment, including breathtaking ice sculptures and awe-inspiring firework shows.