Skip to main content

The Best Travel Destinations to Visit This December

It’s that time of year again when flannel, winter lagers, and holiday overconsumption are back in-season. Unless you’re a lumberjack or a snowboarder ready to embrace the next three months of blizzards and Polar Vortices, however, you’re eagerly planning your first winter vacation. Although holiday travel is typically expensive, it can also be a great time to getaway. Based on the weather, travel prices, and goings-on, here are five of the best travel destinations to visit in December.

Tropical Escape

U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. Virgin Islands
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even before the harshest winter weather sets in, most Americans are already daydreaming about escaping the cold. The Caribbean is an easy choice —it’s warm, it’s a short flight from the U.S., and it’s often cheap. This year, think outside the resort-shaped box (we’re looking at you, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic) next month with a getaway to the U.S. Virgin Islands. St. John is like the Key West of the Caribbean. It’s compact, lush (two-thirds of the island is a national park), chill, and the beaches are among the best in the world. It’s the antidote to many of the region’s larger, busier, more tourist-centric islands. For a more affordable alternative, check out neighboring St. Croix or St. Thomas. Both are easily accessible by ferry or a quick, island-hopping flight. Plus: Because the USVI is part of the U.S., travelers needn’t worry about passports, visas, customs declarations, and the like.

Winter Wonderland

Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City, Canada
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re happy to fully embrace the bitter North American cold this December (“In for a penny, in for a pound,” right?), why not head even farther north? We’re not going to lie: Canadian winters aren’t unlike those in Siberia. They can be downright brutal. But, the absolute best time to visit Quebec City, in particular, is the dead of winter. The continent’s most Francophile-friendly city is gorgeous at any time of year. Come Christmas, however, it feels like a Charles Dickens novel come to life inside a snow globe. Cobblestone streets, freshly fallen snow, European-style Christmas markets, and plenty of words you probably don’t understand all create the illusion that you’ve traveled far across the pond. Also: The best, most authentic poutine in the known universe.

Culture Shock

Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto, Japan
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s a reason we’ve dedicated dozens of articles over the years to Japan. The country’s beauty is unmatched and unlike anywhere else in the world. December, in particular, is the ideal time to visit. Oshogatsu, the Japanese New Year, is the most important holiday on the country’s calendar with a full month of celebrations leading up to the event. Every city, town, and rural village throughout the country is packed with markets, festivals, lighting demonstrations, and beautiful ceremonies. As Japan’s cultural hub, Kyoto is the ideal place to celebrate it all.

Edge-of-the-World Expedition

Antarctica

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Unless you’re trekking to the South Pole or working on the next Blue Planet project, there’s no practical way to explore Antarctica by land. The vast majority of tourism to the White Continent takes place via cruise ship. Each year, the window for boats to access the continent opens around December. Plan your trip around the holidays — think “spending Christmas morning on a remote Antarctic island surrounded by glaciers and penguins” — and you can save a boatload (pun intended) off traditional cruise prices. Because late December marks the start of the Antarctic summer, day-time temperatures are often surprisingly mild. In some cases, it’s warmer than in Chicago, New York, or D.C. Seriously.

Party Like It’s 2019

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
canadianPhotographer56/Shutterstock

There are plenty of reasons to visit Brazil in (our) winter: It’s relatively inexpensive, flights are quick and easy, and the weather is better than most places in the United States (including Florida). If you’re keen to forget about the holidays and ring in the New Year unlike anywhere else on the planet, December is the ideal time to visit for one reason: Réveillon. Every New Year’s Eve, more than two million people gather at Copacabana Beach to celebrate the holiday in the largest, most well-attended, cachaça-fueled beach party on the planet.

Editors' Recommendations

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
This is the best time to book your flights for holiday travel, one expert says
You still have time to book travel
An American Airlines plane in flight with clouds in the background

Despite the presence of twinkling lights, sparkling decor, and joyous celebrations, the holiday season can be a stressful time of year for even the most put-together people. This is especially true when you’re traveling. Not only are holiday travelers more on edge as they rush to greet relatives across the country, but airports are generally more crowded, lines and wait times are longer, and prices are typically at their highest. Unless that is, you book well in advance.
You know the feeling – scrolling through endless flight options, trying to decide when to book, and wondering if you're getting the best deal. Well, here’s a bit of pre-holiday cheer to share: you still have time to book your holiday travel at the best rates. In fact, the best time to book your holiday flights is right around the corner, and flight prices are already on the decline.

Flight prices are dropping
In an interview with ABC, Haley Berg, an economist at Hopper, shared that the cost of domestic airfare for the fall is down a whopping 29% from the peak summer months. So, you can save around $87 per ticket just by choosing to travel in the fall. But why the sudden drop in prices?
Well, it's a combination of seasonal price changes and the international travel boom. "This is the first full summer where folks could head to Europe, Asia with no abnormal visa requirements or COVID-related testing requirements," explains Berg to ABC. With more travel options on the table, airlines are offering competitive fares to lure passengers back to the friendly skies.

Read more
Portland’s VooDoo Doughnut voted most overrated tourist attraction in the world (and we know why)
We welcome you to Portland - and we won't take you to VooDoo, we promise
Austin, Texas USA - January 27, 2020: Selection of donuts on display in a colorful case at Voodoo Doughnuts in a popular specialty doughnut chain shop

 

What was once a Portland novelty has grown into a brand synonymous with the Rose City. En route, VooDoo Doughnut grew a little too big for its own good and lost sight of the same eccentric sweets that made it famous.

Read more
CheapCaribbean has a ridiculously simple new way to find the best beach vacation travel deals
Find the best beach resort deal for you with this new tool
An idyllic Caribbean beach resort with crystal-clear water and a blue daytime sky backdrop

There's honestly nothing more relaxing to me than laying beachside, soaked in sunshine, with the sound of waves crashing in the background, but I also want to make the most of the money it takes to achieve a perfectly planned beach vacation. When it comes to vacation planning, simplicity is the name of the game. Long gone are the days of trekking to a travel agency to sit desk-side while a stranger plots and plans a trip for you. Now, the internet holds nearly unlimited access to desirable locales worldwide. When you want to get away, a few taps on a keyboard will get you there. But what about when you want the best of the best on a budget?

Look no further than CheapCaribbean Vacations' latest innovation: the Budget Beach Finder. The new trip planning tool is here to revolutionize how travelers book their next tropical escape, revealing the best travel deals on beach vacations to the Caribbean islands and beyond. Whether you're a spontaneous traveler, a budget-conscious explorer, or simply eager to uncover hidden gems on your next trip without breaking the bank, the Budget Beach Finder has you covered.

Read more