Christmas ideas

[Anonymous]

Family plans have changed. Where would you go with these criteria:

1) not crowded/a PITA. No having to game crowds, tickets to stuff, huge lines, etc.

2) one flight max

3) manageable with a preschooler

4) hot or cold, but hopefully not rainy and cold

Budget is pretty flexible. Two weeks off school. Do we go to Europe? Where is good for Christmas time? SW, like Tucson or something? Belize? Number one is really critical. We just don’t want to deal with a trip we have to be playing like a game and that’s why we usually don’t travel at Christmas. Like skiing would be impossibly crowded everywhere, right? Caribbean, same thing? Costa Rica? Grateful for ideas.

[Anonymous]

Phoenix/Scottsdale. You can daytrip to Tucson or spend a few nights there. Nice decorations, botanical gardens with lights, saguaros, good food. Cold for pools but there are hot tubs. Great scenery.

[Anonymous]

I personally wouldn’t do a huge time change (more than one hour) with a preschooler but that’s just me. I’d find a nice hotel in or near Palm Beach and do the Palm Beach zoo, Lion Country Safari, walk the Wakodahatchee Wetlands Loop, etc. in addition to beach and pool time.

[Anonymous]

Look for nonstop flights within a timeframe that you don’t find exhausting. I hate overnight flights to Europe but YMMV.

If you have a big budget, the sky is the limit.

Can your family be happy staying put at a nice beach resort for a week?

How about a luxury cruise? You’ll pay through the nose of there are any vacancies left, but it’s the easiest vacation you will ever take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look for nonstop flights within a timeframe that you don’t find exhausting. I hate overnight flights to Europe but YMMV.

If you have a big budget, the sky is the limit.

Can your family be happy staying put at a nice beach resort for a week?

How about a luxury cruise? You’ll pay through the nose of there are any vacancies left, but it’s the easiest vacation you will ever take.

It would have to be a VERY high end cruise to avoid OP's #1 dealbreaker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look for nonstop flights within a timeframe that you don’t find exhausting. I hate overnight flights to Europe but YMMV.

If you have a big budget, the sky is the limit.

Can your family be happy staying put at a nice beach resort for a week?

How about a luxury cruise? You’ll pay through the nose of there are any vacancies left, but it’s the easiest vacation you will ever take.

It would have to be a VERY high end cruise to avoid OP's #1 dealbreaker.

This is a great idea if we could find one with maybe 50 or 100 guests? Idk if that’s a thing. A big cruise ship is definitely not it because of the crowds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look for nonstop flights within a timeframe that you don’t find exhausting. I hate overnight flights to Europe but YMMV.

If you have a big budget, the sky is the limit.

Can your family be happy staying put at a nice beach resort for a week?

How about a luxury cruise? You’ll pay through the nose of there are any vacancies left, but it’s the easiest vacation you will ever take.

It would have to be a VERY high end cruise to avoid OP's #1 dealbreaker.

Disagree.

You just need to avoid the mega ships to avoid crowds and lines. We prefer small to midsize ships, and we never encounter crowds or hassles.

Cruises really are the easiest vacation with kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look for nonstop flights within a timeframe that you don’t find exhausting. I hate overnight flights to Europe but YMMV.

If you have a big budget, the sky is the limit.

Can your family be happy staying put at a nice beach resort for a week?

How about a luxury cruise? You’ll pay through the nose of there are any vacancies left, but it’s the easiest vacation you will ever take.

It would have to be a VERY high end cruise to avoid OP's #1 dealbreaker.

This is a great idea if we could find one with maybe 50 or 100 guests? Idk if that’s a thing. A big cruise ship is definitely not it because of the crowds.

Have you ever cruised? Tell me the name of the ship so I can let you know what might be a better option.

[Anonymous]

Would never cruise due to illness- spreads like wildfire on them. They are germ incubators - especially during cold/flu season. And rotavirus?! Miserable!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would never cruise due to illness- spreads like wildfire on them. They are germ incubators - especially during cold/flu season. And rotavirus?! Miserable!

Meant norovirus!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would never cruise due to illness- spreads like wildfire on them. They are germ incubators - especially during cold/flu season. And rotavirus?! Miserable!

We cruised last Christmas and nobody got sick.

We know two families who got a stomach bug while skiing over winter break.

We know a family that got covid in grand cayman and Italy during winter break.

Remember when Yosemite had a norovirus outbreak? Google it.

The best way to avoid illness over winter break is to drive and stay in a condo/house rather than a big resort. But that’s not usually as fun or relaxing.