Help-need suggestions for a Christmas vacation!
 

For the past 10 years, our family of four (two adult kids) have "done" our Christmas holiday trips overseas in Europe, Madeira,Canary Islands and North Africa . However, this year we must stay in the US and US islands so am wondering if anyone can give us some ideas as to where to spend the week between Christmas and New Years.
We are traveling with our new son in law,daughter and son who are all in their 30's. We will be flying from the Midwest to our Christmas destination. Our interests are history,food/wine,culture and the ocean.We would prefer something warmer than Chicago in December.
Any suggestions? Thanks for any help-

Maybe postpone this discussion until the next hurricane passes the places that might be our best suggestions. Also consider that the favorites among the warm-weather holiday destinations will likely already be booked solid.

While we're waiting, what sort of accommodations do you have in mind - condos, houses, hotels, B&Bs, and how much can you spend?

Might a snowy but somewhat warmer destination suit? Tahoe comes to mind.

Why the US? Passport issues? I take it that means no Canada either?

Do you mean warmer than Chicago (almost everywhere is) or warm as in beach weather? Because the latter would be the hurricane zone right now or Hawaii.

Is a cruise a possibility? Tahoe or somewhere in Colorado would probably be my pick, but you said ocean...

Puerto Rico. It has everything on your list. It was never on my list of desired vacation locations until I went there a few years ago with adult dtr - by default (long story). Genuine things to see and history. Interesting food - both local and more specialty restaurants. The best coffee I have ever had (take the Old San Juan food/history tour). Southern coast has beautiful beach resorts if you want to split it up between city/authentic and relaxing.

And, stupid me. I figured out that no passport, non-stop flights from east coast US, no special cell phone arrangements, good WiFi - just made it an easy trip.

I also thought of Puerto Rico, but as stated above, we have to wait and see how things are after Irma passes.

Yes, PR, after the storm and realize it's late in the game for your first choice of accommodations. People begin booking for Christmas right after the previous Christmas. It's high season in them parts.

Yes, warm places in the US for the week between Xmas and New Year's are already largely booked, so act fast!

How about Palm Springs or Palm Desert?

Indeed, the CA desert, and if it rains as much as it did last winter you could even have the ocean on your doorstep.

Scottsdale,AZ

Oops I missed ocean...

San Diego...

<i>Our interests are history, food/wine, culture and the ocean.</i>

Look at splitting the time between Santa Barbara followed by Palm Springs. Santa Barbara has wonderful history, great beaches (even if the water's too cold for swimming) and needless to say great food and wine options.

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Then head inland (around 3 hours) to Palm Springs. Fabulous ring-a-ding mid-century architecture, lots of food options, and Joshua Tree National Park is easy as a day trip. It's a fantastic area.

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You could fly into/out of LAX, or fly into Santa Barbara and rent a one-way car which you'd drop and fly out Palm Springs.

Hawaii

I'd probably pick Hawaii also but lodging wise pickings will be pretty slim this late. Puerto Rico also sounds interesting.
Actually I would pick Mexico, but OP says has to be in the US.

<We would prefer something warmer than Chicago in December.>

Wouldn't that be almost any place?

I would not be sending people to the Caribbean what with what is going on there now. Depending how it plays out things may or may not be put back together by December.

The way things have been going with the weather there are potential problems almost everywhere. Torrential rains and record mountain snow on the west coast, the obvious in the Caribbean. Maybe the answer would be keep it to a city that's a bit warmer closer to home (Boston, NYC, Charleston, Savannah) so in case of bad weather there are indoor activities and better transport options locally and for making it home. I'm not sure there's a good answer for you unless you can leave the country. Personally, I'd choose Mexico, too, if it was an option. Hawaii would certainly be nice, too.

It doesn't have an ocean, but Santa Fe has a lot of what you are looking for. Not hot but warmer than Chicago and lots of history, food, etc.

How about Southern California?

Somehow I don't think a trip to Puerto Rico would exactly be on my schedule right now, either, as Rita is about to hit and probably do a lot of damage. It isn't hurricane season in December, I think the USVI would be fine, if Rita misses it but looks like it may hit the USVI. Or if it is only very minor damage, who knows, you may get a bargain.

Same for Florida.

I like the Santa Fe idea, or Palm Springs. Of course neither of them has the ocean, so that really limits you to maybe San Diego. You never know about farther up the coast how warm it will be at Christmas, could be very hot or cool (eg, LA area). Sure, it will be warmer than Chicago, though, but not necessarily warm enough to swim in the ocean around LA at that time.

Rita ??

Santa Fe is charming at that time of year but may have snow (don't know if you're trying to avoid snow).

I'm pretty sure Rita's name is Irma

Hawai'i would certainly be warmer, but as jamie noted it might be a bit late to get good lodging or airfare deals. Then again, it's always worth a try. Food's great, you can get good wine (but you'll pay for it), it certainly has history and culture, and you can't swing a musubi roll without hitting the ocean (well, maybe a bit harder in the center of Big Island).

Puerto Rico might get walloped real bad by Irma, but by Xmas time they might be up and running fine and begging for visitors. Depending on the paths of any more of those damn hurricanes...!

East Coast options might be cheaper than West Coast warm spots. I'm thinking specifically of New Orleans (OK, it's Gulf, not ocean, it's on, but it's water, ain't it?!), Savannah and Charleston. Food's good in all of them (especially New Orleans, and I'm not saying that just because I'm Creole), again you can find good wine (not "local", and you'll pay for it, but they have good wine sources), the history is unique. A lot will hinge, again, on if Irma and any other hurricanes wreak lasting damage to these places.

West Coast? LA is still a very popular tourist destination over Xmas/Hanukkah holidays, as is San Diego. Santa Barbara sits a bit north of LA and flies under many tourists' radar, but it ticks just about every box: history, great food and wine (AWESOME wines in and near this southern-edge-of-Central-Coast town), culture (nice museums, performing arts venues, music, etc.), and lovely stretches of the Pacific. I might recommend looking at places like Carlsbad or Laguna Beach; both have their attractions. Yeah, Palm Springs is well inland, but it can be fun for a couple of days. You might think about splitting your time between LA or San Diego and PS. Just a thought.

I'd also, with an understanding that it will be quite cool there, recommend without hesitation a holiday in San Francisco. In a New York minute. Wonderful place. But you know that already.

I am hoping my husband and I can get up to Fort Bragg to celebrate the holidays with family living up there. That part of the coast is quiet and extremely laid-back and boasts coastlines of stark beauty and terrifying sheer drops (sections of Highway 1 through this area is NOT for the faint-hearted or weak-stomached). The wineries of the Anderson Valley produce world-class pinot noirs (seriously some of my favorite wine comes out of Philo), and you can find some incredible restaurants hidden away up there. Culture? OK, a bit small-town, full of aging hippies (I'm not judging, I'm just calling it like it is-- "stoners in late middle-age" describes a lot of my best friends!). You go there to get away from it all, but still have electricity (most of the time) and occasional cell-phone service (but not good and fairly infrequently).

Seattle would be on my list too. Although it's "high" up north, its weather isn't quite as dramatic as Chicago's, and hey-- it's a hotbed of great food, wine and culture. As is Portland.

Actually, now that I think of it, your interest in good food and wine would have me pointing you to the West Coast, cool weather be damned. Start looking now. Look at the southern cities (West or East Coasts) if being warmer is really that important.

The problem with Seattle in December is it is DARK... not the weather so much. Because of being so far north the days are extremely short. Like sunset at 4:15 or so!!

We spend a many Christmas to New Years in Key West. It is just a great time of year to be there. The lights are tacky and fun and beautiful. I love the Dachshund parade on NYE day. Rent a house in Truman annex for the week. Some come with bikes but you can walk to everything from that area easy. Great food, sunset sails, fun and warm. Once you fly into KW take a taxi to your home for the week. No car needed.

I've done Hawaii during Christmas/New Year's a few times, but they were more serious relaxing trips than anything else.

I've also done La Jolla/San Diego and Rancho Mirage. Weather was lovely. Many heated pools. Plenty to see and do.

I have friends who adore certain beaches of Mexico at the holidays.

If you can do without ocean, I think Santa Fe would be a great option and something quite different from what you have done in the past. The city is famous for its luminarias or "farolitos" during the holiday season. Below a link to a faralito walk on Canyon Road. The walk is free but you can also take a guided tour.
www.farolitowalk.com.

Although this was topped off by a spammy post, it is interesting to read the destination suggestions from early September, along with the

Puerto Rico? That's a no.
USVI? My cousin who lives there is at 94 days without power still.
San Diego/Southern California? An inferno. A friend of mine from Ventura is having to sleep on the beach with embers dropping on them.

This has been a year of disasters, natural and otherwise. :'(

Oh man, sludick. I was watching the footage from the Ventura fire and it’s just so scary. Feeling fortunate that I did not plan my Christmas trip for San Diego as I had originally been considering. Hope your cousin and friend have suitable shelter soon! I can’t imagine what they must be feeling.