Santa! Over here! We're over here!

March 6, 2016 9:13 AM

My extended family wants to do Christmas "away" this year. Looking for recommendations of awesome (and affordable) Xmas Away locales you have enjoyed.

We're in Colorado, so a mountain/ski trip is probably not what we're looking for. Warm and sunny is nice, but not required. Bonus points if you have a recommendation on lodging for about 10 people!

posted by ecorrocio to Travel & Transportation (11 answers total)

Can you provide more info on what you're looking for? Are there kids and, if so, what are their ages? Do you want someplace with major local festivities, or are you planning a quiet family celebration? Do you like outdooor activities? How much do you need to keep expenses down? Can you fly anywhere, or do you need to be able to drive?

Our group of nine (including four children) rented a condo in St. George, Utah, last year, and we loved it. There are some local museums, and it was warm enough to go hiking at Snow Canyon. It's also close to Zion National Park.
posted by FencingGal at 9:31 AM on March 6, 2016

I can assure you wholeheartedly that if you want affordable, you can rule out Hawaii right now.
posted by town of cats at 9:50 AM on March 6, 2016

Given that there are so many nice, sunny, warm spots, maybe lean toward the ones that you can fly to directly and quickly from your nearby airport. We spent a magical Christmas in Puerto Vallarta last year. And part of it was that, yeah, PV is great. But another, not inconsiderable aspect was that we could fly there from Chicago with no stops in 4 hours.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:03 AM on March 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

Phoenix or Scottsdale. You could drive down, saving tons on airfare (and all that hassle!)

Christmas would be high-season, but check out VRBO for homes, you might get lucky.

Lots to see and do, and while it won't be super hot, it'll be balmy and chilly at night.

If you're interested in Walt Disney World, they do all inclusive deals on the property which include meals. I've done it and it's a pretty good deal. Another option in Orlando is Holiday Inn Orange Lake Resort. Timeshare condos without having to buy a timeshare or sit through a presentation. They're about $500 a night for a 3-bedroom Villa which should suit your party just fine (adults in the bedrooms, kids in the living room). Do a park for just a day, and spend the rest of the time in the resort. It's a big water park and the rooms are amazeballs!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 10:08 AM on March 6, 2016

Response by poster: More info for fencinggal...

Mostly adult. A couple teens. One 12 yr old. So probably not a Disney type thing. Mostly curious what people have done and how they liked it. Thanks.
posted by ecorrocio at 11:49 AM on March 6, 2016

A friend of mine went away with family to NYC for Christmas and absolutely loved it. They did a big group Christmas Eve dinner in little Italy, where the food is relatively cheap and every block is all done up in Christmas lights. They went to the Met, enjoyed the outdoor rinks in Central Park and Rockefeller Plaza, and went to plays, which are affordable if you know where to look. Those are things they love, so if the indoor stuff isn't what you're looking for, it may not be a good fit.

Oh, and if you are really thinking about NYC, make sure to be outta there by New Year's Eve. Room rates skyrocket for New Year's what with the Times Square ball drop.
posted by Pearl928 at 12:02 PM on March 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

We did Puerto Rico for Christmas this year and loved it. As a US Territory you don't need a passport. It's no different than flying to any US city.

San Juan
Rincon
posted by COD at 3:01 PM on March 6, 2016

We've been vacationing for Christmas for quite a few years, went to St. Martin last year for Christmas and had a great time. We've also been to Puerto Rico and Aruba. Would do any of those again. Rent a house on VRBO or HomeAway, but get started early for the greatest selection.
posted by Runes at 3:47 PM on March 6, 2016

We've done Hawaii a couple Christmases-condo rental on Maui-and it's so amazing. Easy, mellow, cuts out on most the Christmas crazy. Affordable is very subjective-airfare and can be nuts at Christmas but rentals can be relatively reasonable. We stay in Kihei, which we live, and it's cheaper than many other areas of the island. If you have a bunch of frequent flier miles to throw at it...
posted by purenitrous at 6:42 PM on March 6, 2016

I came in to vote Hawaii, as well- but actually St. George, mentioned above, is a pretty great idea; not too warm, not too cold, adjacent to a lot of really great hiking and biking if any of you are outdoorsy in the slightest. It would be pretty cheap, as well, and there's always a day trip to Vegas if you get bored.
posted by charmedimsure at 7:18 PM on March 6, 2016

India? Not cheap to get to, but cheap once there. The weather's great in December.
posted by kjs4 at 4:18 AM on March 7, 2016