Every year, my family and another couple (who currently has a baby girl now!) travel during Christmas. We alternate between choosing warm and cold climates to keep things interesting. However, this year, we're completely stumped on where to go that doesn't cost $1,500 per person! As a family of 4 ourselves, that's quite pricey for a 1 week vaca! So help us out and throw some suggestions out please!! Kid friendly preferably since there will be 3 kids in tow (3yo boy, 7 and 8 month old girls) and international isn't a problem. We all have passports, and love traveling internationally! Thanks!!!
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Where are you coming from? That would impact my ideas and prices.
What about a cruise on a nicer cruise line? Disney doesn’t discount as dates get closer / last minute trips, but all of the other lines do. You can get an ocean view room on Holland America for less than $600/pp for first 2 (and like $125/pp for the additional people/kids) for a week in the Caribbean right now over the holidays.
Look at Groupon getaways too – they always have amazing flight inclusive deals, all over the world.
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@yoursilverlining: We'd be flying out of DFW (Dallas/Ft Worth). I looked into cruises for Carnival and they're charging my kids full adult fares which is almost $800 per person! Yikes! I'll look into Holland America since $125 for each of my kids is way more reasonable and sane.
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Have you looked at Atlantis in the Bahamas? Or a place like Great Wolf Lodge?
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@looch: I didn't even think of Atlantis! I'll look into that. Thanks! We have a GWL here in town.
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@Alivoo01: Have you been to Great Wolf? Do you think it's worth it...thinking about it for my own interests, lol.
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@looch: I haven't, but I have friends that have. If you live in a city with one, they said it's better if you just buy the day pass to visit the pool area vs spending the money on a hotel room, unless you want the full getaway experience. Even then, they think a day or two would be sufficient. They love what the indoor pool has to offer.
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We went to key west 2 years ago at Christmas and it was awesome
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What about Las Vegas? Or another option is an all-inclusive someplace. Cancun and the Dominican Republic have several nice ones that are't crazy expensive.
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How about Breckenridge, CO? Direct flight to Denver - then an hour drive there. Seems like a lot to do!
Or - looks like a direct flight to Ft. Meyers FL - Sanibel & Captiva are great and very relaxing... we brought our 2 year old there a couple years ago.
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@Alivoo01: we've been to Atlantis twice with the kids and it's great! Food is pricy there though.
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@Alivoo01: Really? I haven't been to Great Wolf myself but I live in an area where it's very popular and all the moms go nuts raving about how amazing the whole experience is when you stay there in the rooms. I hope to do it when DD is older.
My only thought about traveling at Christmas is whyyyyy would you travel at Christmas if you don't have to
(Speaking as someone who has to haul our family cross-country to see family every other year). But if that's what you love doing then go for it!
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@Alivoo01: Thank you for the feedback!
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@looch: GWL is part of our girls' Christmas presents this year, we booked a room for one night, on a Thursday hoping it will be a little less busy. I've heard that one night is plenty for young kids and having a room is great for breaks/resting between swimming! We are going to the KC one which is about a 3 hours drive. So we will head down in the morning, shop/explore and then check in and swim!
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We went to St. Thomas once over the holidays and it was awesome! We stayed at a resort called Sapphire Beach. You could go out and snorkel right from the hotel beach. Plus you could take little day trips to Virgin Gorda, St. John's, etc. We loved it. Though the youngest "kid" was 20, so.... But I think it would work with young kids, too!
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@PawPrints: Maybe each location is different? Like you know how Legoland in Cali is supposedly badass, but the local Legoland here is less than desirable?
As for traveling during Christmas, it's because that's what I grew up doing! My family always took us on vaca during this time and it's something I inherently started with my family. DH loves it so we've just continued doing so. We're crazy, I know. Holiday traffic plus holiday crowds at the airport with 2 kiddos. lol
@Tanjowen: Vegas is where my family took us every Christmas (along with 3 other times a year. They're Vegas fiends I tell you!) so we don't wanna go there. A bit Vegas burnt out. Dominican Republic is on my list though!
@hellobeeboston: I'll look into Ft. Meyers!! Thanks for your suggestion. I'm always up for new places to visit, and this is one I wouldn't have thought of myself!
@littlebug: St. Thomas has always been on my list of places to go. Unfortunately, for Christmas, the cost was like almost $5k for the 4 of us. Eek!
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@LuLu Mom: If you remember, please report back!
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@looch: Will do, we go the first week in January (we wanted the day after Christmas but their prices were hiked up and we just weren't willing to pay 3x as much!)
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@looch: we just did GWL with our 2.5 year old. We did 3 nights... 2 would have been ok too. We went to the one in Niagara Falls Canada. So there was other attractions around (shopping,falls) that we did.
My son asks to go back daily. It was a blast. Even better for kids older. Highly recommend.
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New Orleans!
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@Alivoo01: Oh, yikes! Yeah, we were traveling with my parents, so I had no idea how much it was.
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@Alivoo01: no recs but curious if you do "santa"
If so do you have to take all the gifts with you? Sounds like such a pain!
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@Mamaof2: We haven't introduced Santa yet, and we always exchange/open gifts before we leave for vaca.
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We just took my 13 month old on a trip to Seattle and the Olympic Penninsual and it was great!
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@JenGirl: We love Seattle!!! The seafood alone is to die for!
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Have you looked into Park City, UT? There is a lot to do (even if you don't ski). It's an easy 35 min drive from Salt Lake City and its very family friendly.
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@Alivoo01: If you go to Seattle and can spend a little more from your budget you can take a trip up to Whistler (tubing if you don't want to $ki)) and Vancouver on Amtrak. We did that last year and going again this year. Sometimes you find a good place and you just want to keep going!!
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@808love: We did that exact trip 4 years ago!!! Seattle for a day, drove up to Vancouver for 2, then up to Whistler for 4 days then back. We absolutely LOVE Whistler. No boarding place in the U.S. we've gone to before can even compare. We can't wait to go back when the kids can enjoy the slopes too. Those mountains, omg, even the bunny hill is impressive. When I saw it, I was like, that's no bunny hill!! haha!
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@Alivoo01: I have been a few times with just friends and once with LO and DH so although I love it madly, I keep wondering if I should explore other places. But then I think, nah!!! This is it! I loved skiing from when I was a kid. DH is still stuck on the bunny hill. They have great programs for kids. We enrolled LO for a one day lesson last year but I think we will do 3 days this year.
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@808love: How old was your LO when you enrolled? We're looking forward to when the kids can join in on the fun so we can hit up the slopes again!
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@Alivoo01: She was 4 yrs and 2 months. I felt she was using a lot of new muscles and she could only last ONE day without soreness. She was a little sore the next day but not too bad.
They are really good with the young kids and have very small groups. She had a lot of fun and wants to do it again!
(Speaking as someone who has to haul our family cross-country to see family every other year). But if that's what you love doing then go for it!
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