Have you ever heard of the movie Christmas with the Kranks? In the movie, Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis play parents who decide to skip out on the holidays and take a Caribbean cruise instead. Due to their neighborhood’s strong holiday spirit, however, their vacation doesn’t go exactly as planned.
The fictional Krank family isn’t alone; many people opt out of the traditional holiday experience in favor of a trip of some sort. In fact, research from AAA shows that 91 percent of the nation (89.5 million Americans) celebrated the holidays with some sort of vacation last year.
If you’re planning to celebrate the holidays this year with a trip, here are a few unique travel destinations to consider:
Hotel Hershey (Hershey, P.A.): Vacationing during the holidays doesn’t have to mean palm trees and ocean breeze. Hotel Hershey offers a classic winter feel with excitement you simply can’t get at home. For starters, the grounds are completely transformed to offer guests an exclusive Hershey Park experience. For instance, you can walk down Hershey Park’s Christmas Candylane, which is lit up with over two million LED lights, and children can have breakfast or lunch with Santa. And of course, you can enjoy as much chocolate as your heart desires.
Lake Havasu City, A.Z.: If you’re looking for a sunny holiday, Lake Havasu has average temperature highs of around 70 degrees in December and a number of activities and holiday-inspired sights. For example, you can rent a boat and go out on Lake Havasu or check out the city’s annual Festival of Lights, which starts right after Thanksgiving and ends January 1. Your family can even take a stroll along the London Bridge (yes, the bridge the song was named after!) and see 500,000 lights.
Key West, F.L.: If you’re looking for even warmer weather, consider visiting Key West. The average air and water temperature is just below 80 degrees this time of year, making it perfect for snorkeling and diving. As is the holiday tradition most everywhere across the country, there is also an amazing light display, but with a Key West twist. The city puts on an annual lighted boat parade with judges voting for winners in several categories. For those who live on the east coast, Key West is only about a three-hour flight away.
Nashville: Nashville is known for its authentic country feel, and the city’s culture uniquely adapts to embody the holiday spirit come December. If you love music, you’ll enjoy the playing of Christmas carols and other holiday-themed tunes downtown (some with country twangs). Nashville also offers holiday light shows, parades and performances like “A Christmas Story” at the Tennessee Repertory Theatre. There’s certainly no shortage of activities and sights to see.
Wherever you decide to travel this year, I wish you nothing but a great holiday season! Hospitality leaders: if you’re looking for best practices for efficiently handling the busy holiday season, stay tuned for a blog coming soon!