New York City
New York City makes it onto every best destinations list here on USA Travel, but it is especially gorgeous at Christmastime, making it a favorite destination for many holiday travelers.
In addition to having superb shopping - it's a great place to find unique gifts as well as find everything on your own wish list - New York City also boasts many holiday traditions. There is the giant tree at Rockefeller Center, the lighting of which is celebrated with a special ceremony and musical performances, and the holiday-themed windows at New York's famed department stores. Another attractions that brings scores of tourists to New York City during the holidays is the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, a Broadway-style show put on by the famous, high-kicking Rockettes at the even more famous Radio City Music Hall.
Here is just a sampling of the many amazing activities and events going on during Christmas in New York City. If you can swing it, a trip to New York City at Christmas is well worth it at least once in your lifetime.
Chicago
The Windy City certainly has the brisk weather conditions to deliver a White Christmas, or at least a very, very cold one. But tourists go to Chicago for Christmas for its big city activities, like viewing the millions of lights on the Magnificent Mile and enjoying Chicago's German heritage at the popular Christkindlmarkt, a German Christmas market filled with holiday crafts, traditional wooden toys, and German food and drink. Like New York City, Chicago also has a giant Christmas tree, which is set up in Daley Plaza and inaugurated each year with much fanfare.
Colorado
A ski holiday at Christmastime makes sense for a lot of travelers, as snowy slopes and cozy chalets evoke the sights of the holidays. One of the most popular places to go for skiing in the United States is Colorado, which is home to the chic resort towns of Aspen and Vail, among other skiing centers. Santa trackers will also know that Colorado is home to NORAD, the governmental agency that tracks Santa's gift giving course on Christmas Eve.
Florida
Florida is an obvious choice for the holidays. Most of the state enjoys mild temperatures, even in December, making it ideal for those who want their white Christmases to be made of sand and not snow. In addition to beach destinations, Christmas travelers to Florida also like to visit Disney World, which is decked out in true, over-the-top Disney style, or Miami, where the holidays have a more Latin flavor. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, you can find boat parades and festive light displays in many cities throughout the state. Another great reason to visit Florida at Christmas is to visit Christmas, a little town near Orlando that has become a favorite place to get one's holiday mail postmarked.
Puerto Rico
Why go to Puerto Rico at Christmastime? Besides the fact that you'll enjoy a break from the cold weather up north, Puerto Rico is a very special place to spend the holidays. As is typical of islands, Puerto Rico has its own set of Christmas traditions, ranging from decorations and storytelling to wonderful, wonderful food. While the Christmas season in Puerto Rico can begin as early as November, Nochebuena, or Christmas Eve, is Puerto Rico's most anticipated holiday event.
Alaska
You have to be really committed to the idea of a cold, white Christmas to want to head to Alaska for the holidays. But for some people, Alaska is the North Pole. In fact, since 1952, thousands of children who have written to Santa with their Christmas wishes have sent their letters to the Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska (near Fairbanks). The Santa Claus House also writes letters back to kids, indeed a very exciting prospect for a child still moved by stories of Saint Nick. Wintertime is also prime time for catching the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, in Alaska. Indeed, if you can handle the chill and snow, Alaska provides a picture-perfect place for spending Christmas.
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