The travel news this time of year is often enough to dampen the spirits of even the most dedicated fan of festive seasonal fun.
Stories of snarling winter storms, packed airports, crowded highways and malfunctioning airline systems are just a few of the things that tend to rear their head during the holiday season.
It's enough to get people down on the idea of traveling at this time of year, period.
Well, I say humbug to that, because there are too many good reasons to take a holiday trip.
The holiday trip is a tradition like no other. It's that little getaway that helps you get in the mood for the season or just lets you grab a deep breath before the business (and work) of the season truly ramps up.
Seemingly, every big city and small town in America rolls out the red carpet for the holiday season, providing an endless array of things worth traveling for.
Denver Christkindlmarkt in Denver, Colorado
Visits with the Big Man. European-style Christmas markets. Carol services. Festive concerts. Christmas tree & menorah lighting ceremonies. Candy Cane Parades. Trains to the "North Pole". Events at botanical gardens and zoos that fill the night sky with a riot of light. Victorian Christmas Weekends. The list is almost as long as Santa's one dedicated to Naughty & Nice.
There are so many types of holiday trips, too.
First, it's the visit to the small town that—sometime in mid-November—morphed into something from a Hallmark Channel holiday movie. (What is it about small towns that seem to go so perfectly with the season?) One look at our recent Best December Events in Every State article will show you scores of small towns that fit the bill. Places like Woodstock (VT), Georgetown (CO) Solvang (CA) Dahlonega (GA) immediately come to mind, but they're just the tip of the iceberg. You stay at a cute bed & breakfast, spend your time perusing local shops for gifts & keepsakes and then spend the ride home wondering what it would be like to live there year-round (and checking Zoopla).
Dahlonega square at night. (Photo via Discover Dahlonega)
But this isn't to discount the appeal of the big city this time of year.
The bustling streets, ice rinks and shopping streets of a major metropolis like Chicago, New York City, or the big city closest to you are also great settings for a holiday trip. And speaking of lights, Grinch or not, there's no denying that walking down a busy urban street under twinkling lights and glowing decorations is a joy. Popular with groups of friends for their annual shopping or theater-going getaway and couples on a romantic escape (some would say it's, ahem, the perfect setting for proposals), the big city holiday trip is an unforgettable one.
Winter in Rockefeller Center, New York City. (photo via JamesPatrickWaddell/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Or how about the holiday trip where you get away from it all, spending a couple of days in a cabin or chalet, sitting next to the fire, watching the snow outside come down. This one's always a solid pick for New Year's Eve.
Last but not least, there's the original holiday trip. The one that takes you back to friends and family to partake in time-honored traditions of the season. Sure, it may not always be smooth sailing when everybody gets together around the table, but you almost immediately look back on them fondly.
No matter the type, holiday trips are as much a part of the festive season as ugly sweaters and eggnog. If you haven't taken one yet this year, don't worry, it's still not too late!
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