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Lisa S.

5 Must-Visit Destinations for Holiday Cheer

Updated: Jun 25, 2024

Experience the splendor of the Christmas season at home or abroad!


If you’re looking to combine a getaway with a good dose of Christmas cheer, look no further than these destinations where the holidays truly come alive. 


From Christmas markets and spectacular light displays to storybook streets dusted with snow, these festive towns and cities deliver the Christmas spirit.


A hand holding a phone capturing a photo of a Christmas tree

New York City, United States


This iconic city lights up at Christmas, and you won’t know where to look. The themed window displays at Bergdorf’s, Macy’s, Saks, and Bloomingdale’s (among others!) take the better part of a year to plan and are all worth visiting.


Look for your own miracle on 34th Street, marvel at the Dyker Heights holiday lights displays, and take in the Empire State Building’s holiday musical light show.


Don’t Miss: Ice skating at Rockefeller Center, home to one of the largest Christmas trees in the city.


A busy city street at night decorated with colorful Christmas lights.

London, England


Whether or not Love, Actually is played on repeat at your house during the holidays, you’ll find merriment in spending your Christmas in London.


Toast the holidays in any number of lively pubs in the city, take in the displays on Oxford and Carnaby Streets, and find the perfect holiday-themed souvenirs at Covent Garden.


Finally, enjoy a traditional Christmas roast with all the fixings.


Don’t Miss: The Winter Wonderland Market in Hyde Park.


A photo of a Christmas street scene

Strasbourg, France


Touted as “the Capital of Christmas,” Strasbourg is home to France’s oldest Christmas markets, dating back 450 years.


Over two million visitors flock to this quaint French town over the holiday season, frequenting its twelve markets and reveling in grand light displays.


Don’t Miss: The renowned Christkindelsmärik market, resting in the shadow of the stunning Strasbourg Cathedral.


A photo of a Christmas market in Vienna in December. The market stalls are decorated with lights and sell Christmas ornaments, food, and drinks. There are people walking around the market looking at the stalls. In the background, there is a glimpse of a church with spires.

Vienna, Austria


The charming city of Vienna drips with seasonal charm. Visit one of its many markets, and indulge in chocolate-covered fruit, roasted and caramelized nuts, and lebkuchen. 


Wash it all down with Weihnachtspunsch (Christmas punch), which is offered in a variety of flavors, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.


For a dizzying display, tour the “Ring,” a wide ring boulevard that encircles the old city and is home to luxury hotels, shops, parks, and two holiday markets. 


Take in the lights by hop-on/hop-off bus or with the comfort of a private car and driver.


Better yet why not have Vienna be the beginning or endpoint of a festive Christmas Markets cruise, so you may experience a large variety of markets in one magical getaway?


Don’t Miss: The Viennese Christmas Market at City Hall and the holiday tree at Rathausplatz.


A gazebo in the middle of a city square decorated with Christmas lights and wreaths.

Leavenworth, Washington, United States


Step back in time a mere two and a half hours east of Seattle, Washington, with a visit to Leavenworth.


Known as one of the best Christmas towns in the United States, Leavenworth boasts displays featuring over half a million lights on and around its Bavarian-inspired buildings, giving you the feeling of being inside a snow globe or strolling the set of a Hallmark movie.


If that’s not enough, you can meet a real, live reindeer at the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm, with the option for an educational tour and a chance to feed these Christmas creatures. 


Dash through the snow courtesy of a horse and sleigh, visit the Nutcracker Museum, or sample some suds at the Icicle Brewery.


Don’t Miss: Sledding at Front Street Park, under the glow of holiday lights.



It's not too late to plan a festive getaway for this year, and it's not too early for next year, either.


If you're dreaming of immersing yourself in the Christmas spirit, let's set up a time to chat and turn that "someday" into "remember when." I'll look forward to it!



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