Last Minute Holiday Vacations
If a holiday getaway is on your wish list, there is still time to make it happen.
Heidi Mitchell, senior editor at Travel + Leisure magazine, has some great ideas for those who want to experience the holiday spirit away from home, but haven't made arrangements yet.
The key is to be flexible and open-minded. There actually may be some deals still available for places that are different and unique, Mitchell says.
Since you are planning a last-minute trip, have realistic expectations. You may not be able to fly direct, so be open to a variety of travel times, dates and routes. A good resource for deals is smarterliving.com.
Remember, a lot of people do not want to travel on Christmas Day or New Year's Day, so flights on those days are cheaper. Also, try to fly out of a secondary airport.
When determining your holiday destination, think about the type of trip you want to have, but leave yourself options. Decide if you want an urban or remote experience, because both are still available. And consider how much of the holiday festivity you'd like to take in.
All of the following suggestions do something special this time of year:
Dublin, Ireland -- There are still availabilities at The Merrion, which is in a row of Georgian houses in the heart of Dublin. During the holidays, the hotel is aglow with roaring fires, decorative lights, and a towering Christmas tree decked with velvet ribbons and gold angels.
This location is featured in the Travel+ Leisure December issue. There are lots of places to go: like pubs, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Roly's Bistro for Christmas dinner, and it is a place good for shopping. Rooms are about $400. Flights are still available. Two people could do a long weekend for under $2,000, which is average.
Sedona, Ariz. -- Red Rock Fantasy is a festival of more than a million lights.Enchantment Resort has a special 4th-night-free promotion. Hotel guests have access to the Mii Amo Spa. This destination is great for families, since there are amazing canyons to see. And temperatures usually range from 50 to 60 degrees there this time of year.
Victoria, Canada -- Victoria is a small town in British Columbia with a great Christmas spirt. There are a lot of hotels with availabilit,y and it is one of the most affordable destinations because the exchange rate is great. The magazine recommends the hotel Grand Pacific (downtown). It is promoting a three-night package, which is $700. It includes Christmas dinner and a horse drawn carraige tour; there is a garden display of lights, and the snow is dusted.
Also recommended is Poets Cove, an hour's ferry ride away. The cost is $300 for two, meals included. And it has a spa. On Jan. 1, the town has a polar bear swim.
Good for sightseeing is the 13th Annual Festival of Trees and the Butchart Gardens 12 Days Of Christmas display.
Chicago, Ill. -- A lot of the hotels are offering great rates, such as the Hotel Monaco (a boutique hotel that is quirky, pet friendly, and hip). It has their "ho-ho-ho holiday rate and jive into '05 special" for $99.
The Burnham Hotel offers a "hot dates, hot rates" special, which is $109.
Chicago is great for shopping, plus there are a lot of big events scheduled such as Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier and the Christmas Around The World and Holiday of Light at the Museum of Science and Industry. There are great new restaurants. And it is right in the middle of the country, so it is a convenient destination for most.
San Francisco, Calif. -- There are a lot of hotels and deals in this town, where the holidays are taken seriously. There is an annual tree and Menorah-lighting in Union Square. And the Fairmont Hotel features a gingerbread village.
Newport, R.I. -- Even though it is usually a popular summer destination, the mansions are decorated for the holidays and some even have dinner parties. Visit newportmansions.org for more information. There are also lots of activities scheduled in this town, including ice skating by the water. The magazine recommends Hotel Viking, which has special rates.