poolqueen822

We have decided to take a trip next year between Christmas and New Year. Would like to drive if possible (6-8 hours from central PA) but may consider flying. Looking for ideas on where to go. NYC too crowded and we don't ski. I am sure you clever fodorites will come up with things we haven't thought of. Happy New Year to all of you

shaz60

We went to Myrtle Beach one year between Christmas and New Year. Very cheap, great accomodations, decent weather. It was in the 60s that week. My daughter and her friend went in the water but they are used to the water being freezing even in August. Some things were not open but we found plenty to do for a week. The theaters have shows going on. We had a great, cheap, uncrowded time. I would also suggest Boston. Skating, lights, shows, etc. It would be considerably more expensive however. Another idea might be The Balsams. It's a full service resort in NH. Nothing around but I always thought it would be romantic and fun in the winter.

peggionthego

I appreciate Shaz' answer but would love to hear from more people with ideas about travel between Christmas and New Year's. When you have school aged children, sometimes it is your only option but can be so crowded and so expensive. We live in the DC area and are not skiers.

JBHapgood

For some years I traveled to Hawaii, Death Valley, or other reasonable-weather locations during Crazy Week. I'm single and don't have children, but my employer shuts the place down that week. So it's (in theory) an opportunity to travel without using very limited vacation time. The Christmas season, with its continual barrage of idealized images of friends and family, can also be a miserable time for single people who don't have families and whose friends have all "gone home for holidays." So escaping it seemed a good idea.

I eventually reached the conclusion that the crowds, hassles, short tempers, long lines, and substantial extra expense made travel during that week a lot more trouble than it was worth. Instead, I decided that the best thing to do was to barricade the doors, spend a week at home enjoying some quality time by myself, and leave the roads and airports to the legions of harried families who feel obligated to run around like lunatics either "doing" Christmas or escaping from it.

Since you're fortunate enough to have school-age children, maybe you should use the holiday time as a break from the normal over-scheduling and just enjoy some unstructured time together. That may not sound glamorous or exciting, but it's really more enjoyable than joining the crowds who feel compelled to travel.

My recommendation, for what it's worth.

ANP2

How about taking Amtrak to Washington, DC?

Kerry392

What about Montreal? My husband and I went over Christmas last year and had a great time. The only downside is that it can be a little chilly...