With winter setting in, it’s time to make a big decision: do you want to embrace the last season of the year with a snowy getaway or have one final island adventure before you put up the holiday decorations?
Below, we have 15 destinations that we hope you’ll etch into your travel plans before we tie a bow on 2024 and look forward to 2025 with wondrous hope and delight.
Savannah, GA
Late fall/early winter is the perfect time to visit this Southern Belle. The summer humidity finally dissipates, making the strolls down those moss-coated lanes and riverside streets pure gold. Many of the old Victorian homes here have been converted into lovely B&Bs. Tuck into one for the long weekend, like The Gastonian, shop ‘til you drop on Broughton Street, brunch at Collins Quarter in historic downtown, and take in the sunset down on River Street – especially if you can score a table at the rooftop bar in The Bohemian Hotel.
Destin, FL
Although the Florida Keys are a wonderful way to put yourself on island time, the Gulf Coast presents another opportunity to embrace the warm winter breezes and savor the clear blue waters. Destin is the place to go when you just want a condo on the ocean, a balcony where you can listen to what the waves have to say, and a large space to call home for a few days.
Bar Harbor, ME
Further up the eastern coastline, you have the fairy tale town of Bar Harbor, Maine. While the downtown itself is a quintessential Hallmark movie set with its bookshops and cafes, it also stands in close proximity to Arcadia National Park. With forests to wander through, and beaches alike, you can also make your way to see the lighthouse on a cliff – Bass Harbor Head Light Station – as nature wraps you up in its sweet embrace.
Seattle, WA
The streets of Seattle are anything but sleepy. As winter sets in, that rainy weather can feel a touch colder, but it doesn’t take away from any of Seattle’s splendor. Shop the stalls at Pike Place Market for local, artisanal goods. Sip your way from coffee shop to coffee shop when you need a boost. Breathe in the fresh air that blows off Puget Sound as you stand on the shorelines of Golden Gardens Park and wonder how one nation can feature so many secret delights.
If you’re of the opinion that the west coast is the best coast, here are 30 of the most charming spots to visit.
San Diego, CA
It seems like it’s only ever one season in San Diego: glorious. You don’t need much here: just a happy little cottage near Ocean Beach and a good pair of walking shoes. You’ll be lured to those shorelines every afternoon to see the surfers living their best lives. And, if you’re looking for an additional adventure, you can always drive over to La Jolla to explore some sea caves while aboard a sea kayak.
Austin, TX
Did you know Texas is a bit of a haven for all-inclusive resorts? Lake Austin Spa Resort, in particular, is the place to go for healing. Although you’ll certainly be tempted to venture into downtown Austin, and you certainly should for its eclectic cuisine, you might not even want to leave the property. With healing spa services, massages, classes, and waterfront views for days, this is the perfect place to come when you’re ready to reflect upon 2024 and see what’s in store for 2025.
Santa Fe, NM
Speaking of healing spa services, it seems the whole of Santa Fe is reserved for that. With countless wellness retreats on tap, you can settle into a palace like Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort & Spa for its known healing waters. Then, for some creative inspiration, the entire downtown will be pleased to open their gallery doors for your artistic explorations.
London, England
Now, let’s start seeking out some holiday inspiration. London puts on its prettiest Christmas ball gown as it prepares to celebrate the season. Somehow, Big Ben, London Bridge, Westminster, and other popular attractions take on a new level of beauty when they’re bedecked in Christmas lights. Stroll the River Thames with a warm, woolen scarf around your neck as the majesty of London ushers you straight into the Christmas season.
If you’re a bit of a royal watcher, any one of these royal attractions will seem extra appealing when the spirit of the season sets in.
Colmar, France
If you could pick one medieval village and place it in a snowglobe, it would be Colmar. Rumored to be the inspiration for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, residents here can actually say they live in a fairy tale town. Little Venice, along the canal, is covered in Christmas decorations, as is its stunning 14th-century cathedral. St. Martin’s. All you need is a cup of mulled wine, warm mittens, and a dream in your heart to make the most of your time in pretty little Colmar.
For more on how to bring those dreams to life, here are 15 fabulous things to do in Colmar.
Paris, France
Lovers unite in the City of Lights all year long. But, during the holiday season, all those sparkling lights seem to infuse the air with an extra bit of romance. There’s a small cafe, Café Saint-Régis on Île Saint-Louis, with great views of Notre Dame and the Seine. Order a cup of vin chaud, sit under their heaters, nibble on a charcuterie board, and know that life doesn’t get any better than this.
Basel, Switzerland
From France, it’s just a short, picturesque train ride to Basel – a true winter wonderland. Come for the mulled wine, stay for the Christmas markets, and ski to your heart’s delight while you’re here. Grindelwald and Engelberg are known to have some of the best slopes for residents and visitors alike. When you’re in either locale, you can savor the sight of the mountains and know the only tough decision you’ll have to make that day is whether to order dinner to your room or venture downtown for some local cuisine.
Bergen, Germany
Known for having one of the best Christmas markets in the world, December is a wonderful time to visit Bergen. Their Christmas market sets up shop right in the heart of town at Festplassen. If homemade trinkets and savory treats are your kind of fun, you’ll get lost amidst all these stalls. Like Colmar, Bergen knows how to epitomize the true joy of the season. Come for the Christmas market, book into a sumptuous hotel like Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz, treat yourself to every savory delight you’d like, and give yourself a pat on the back for closing out another year in style.
Zagreb, Croatia
Croatia, you say? Not Prague or some other fairy tale land? If 2024 has been a tough year on your heart, you can unite with fellow passengers at the Museum of Broken Relationships. With one of the coolest concepts in the world, museum curators here collect momentos from lost relationships and display them for all the world to see. You’ll find all manner of surprising objects – from silver rings to rubber bunnies. Each display is accompanied by a short blurb, explaining the significance of the object in their former relationship. It’s a wondrous world of short stories that illustrate the sadness of a broken relationship and the resilience of the human heart.
Galway, Ireland
If you have a song in your heart, Galway will be glad to match your tune. Known for its plethora of live Irish music, this glorious west coast city takes the celebratory nature of the season to new heights. Head to Quay Street, the pedestrian-only lane lined with restaurants, pubs, cafes, and shops. Each restauranteur will be happy to welcome you inside for a warm cup of soup. Then, come five o’clock, the live Irish music simply pours out of the pubs and onto the streets, inviting everyone to pull up a barstool and make themselves at home, even if only for a night. Since you’ve made it to Galway, keep things going with these Irish coastal treasures.
New York, NY
If you’d like to end the year in a winter wonderland, you simply cannot overlook New York. All you need is a room in Midtown Manhattan and a good pair of walking shoes to take in all the sights. Bryant Park has its own version of a Christmas Market. Located behind the famous New York Public Library, you can tackle all your Christmas shopping in one stop. Of course, you’ll need to visit Rockefeller Center next to see the tree. And, if it happens to lightly snow, go for a stroll in Central Park to wonder how such a greenscape can exist in one of the most bustling metropolises in the world.
A Toast to 2025
We hope you’re able to round out 2024 with a full heart and a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Whether you raise a glass to the golden sunset in Ocean Beach or bundle up for the Christmas markets in Colmar, we hope you’ll take a moment to congratulate yourself for another successful year.
With a heart full of wonder and hope, let’s make 2025 even better. We’ll be happy to help you plan all your travels with our long list of destination guides. There’s likely something in there to help you craft the perfect itinerary for wherever the wind blows. If all goes well, we hope we’ll bump into you on the streets of Santorini someday!