6 Christmas Vacation Ideas for a Festive Family Getaway
Hot and Cold Yuletime Escapes Across the Globe
American poet Robert Frost was famously ambivalent about where the mercury would fall in the thermometer at the end of the world. In “Fire and Ice,” he wrote that he’d “hold with those who favor fire,” but that “ice / Is also great / And would suffice.”
He could’ve been talking about Christmas-time getaways rather than the apocalypse. For some, it just isn’t Yuletide without frost, while others want a little warmth near the end of December. So here are six worldwide Christmas family vacations at every temperature.
“The Best Climate in the World”: The Canary Islands, Spain
If you log onto the Canary Islands’ official tourism page, you’ll see a bold proclamation: “The best climate in the world!” It’s not hard to see why this Spanish archipelago makes the claim. With an average winter temperature of 68° Fahrenheit (20° Celsius), you’ll enjoy temperate times while most of the northern hemisphere shivers.
The port city of Santa Cruz on the island of Tenerife boasts a fascinating Museum of Natural History, a 12 hectare botanical garden, and lots of shopping. A Canary Islands vacation isn’t complete without sunbathing on the black-sand beaches on Tenerife or enjoying the lush tropical splendor of Garajonay National Park on La Gomera.
Athletic types can take advantage of ample opportunities to hike, scuba dive, or windsurf, while nature lovers will goggle at the alien lava landscapes on Lanzarote.
North America’s Europe: Quebec City, Canada
“Québec is the idea of going to Europe without really having to go to Europe,” Frommers.com editor David Lytle has noted. “You’re almost guaranteed to have a white Christmas, and Old Québec does it up right with lights, cobblestone streets and a toy parade.”
So what should North Americans check out around Christmastime in this nearly 500-year-old city? Start by admiring the lights strewn around Rue du Petit-Champlain, the oldest commercial district on the continent.
Bundle up for a carriage ride around various historical districts. Young families can watch their kids’ eyes light up when they meet Santa Claus at the Quartier Petit Champlain.
Few trips to Quebec City would be complete without a visit to (or stay in!) the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, which some claim is the most photographed hotel in North America. The Observatoire de la Capitale provides perfect panoramas of the city, while the gorgeous Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec boasts beautiful architecture.
The most haunted places in America are great locations to learn some fascinating history and maybe even have a paranormal experience of your own.
Southeast Asia’s Superior Xmas Shopping: Singapore
Celebrating an Asian Christmas sounds oxymoronic, yet in the city-state of Singapore, Yuletide is big business. Revelers work up a sweat in the tropical heat at the rowdy ZoukOut music festival, and history buffs can enjoy high tea at Raffles Singapore, a genteel throwback to 1940s-era British occupation. But one of the main draws is the Lion City’s tax-free shopping.
The ferociously free market nation goes all in for Christmas commercialism. Singapore’s various malls compete to win the city’s Best Dressed Building award, and the Orchard Road shopping district explodes into a multi-hued light display. So does Cloud Forest, a multi-story botanical garden that soars over 100 feet high.
Stupendous buffet-style spreads are de rigueur in Singaporean hotels, and the Marina Mandarin Hotel serves up Asian-infused takes on American Christmas staples. Those hoping to spend the holiday in worship will find an abundance of Catholic and evangelical congregations conducting services.
