Anonymous wrote:we want to drive from Va, and we have 7 days to do the trip.
any suggestions? my kids want like Hallmark-movie christmas. it's our gift to them instead of presents this year.

Are you sure that's what they want? No presents at all? How old are your kids?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Morristown NJ

The village green is beautifully decorated for the holidays

I had relatives that lived there. The green was cute, but otherwise, Morristown is not charming. And I’m trying to be polite.

What's wrong with it?

We were really disappointed in our NYC Christmas visit. I go there every December for work and a few times the kids and DH have joined me for the weekend. The last time they did this was 2 years ago. Let me preface all of this by saying we are fine with cities, crowds, lots of walking and very cold weather. My kids were 11 and 9 at the time.

So many people go to NYC to do the whole Christmas thing. It was so crowded everywhere we went. We could barely see the store windows or the Rockefeller tree, we were crammed like sardines in every store we entered, and my kids couldn't even see anything walking down the super crowded sidewalks because they were surrounded by adults (who are much taller). It was so cold and windy that particular weekend that even going to the outdoor holiday markets wasn't very fun. Ice skating was fine--again, very crowded. The whole trip was so overrated, IMO. Of course we were doing a lot of touristy things but that's kind of what you get at that time of year. We've had much better visits to NYC in the spring and fall.

Since you have 7 days, I would do (in any order):

NYC: see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, go ice skating at Rockefeller Center, lots of other fun stuff to do.

Bethlehem: https://www.discoverlehighvalley.com/cities-towns/bethlehem/explore-bethlehem-during-the-holiday-season/ and if you want something less stressful than NYE in Times Square, PeepsFest in Bethlehem could be good if you can get tickets)

Baltimore: Miracle on 34th St https://www.christmasstreet.com/ , B&O Museum Holiday Festival of Trains, and maybe the Walters or other museum and the aquarium. Eat at Miss Shirley's

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYC

This

Yes, as long as you're not looking for snow. NYC usually doesn't get snow until January, if then! We got basically nada for the past 2 years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quebec City

i've heard this. but my kids don't have passports.
-OP

Yikes, you should always have passports.

Why?

DP. So you aren’t stuck in the US?

Spoken from such a place of privilege.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quebec City

i've heard this. but my kids don't have passports.
-OP

Yikes, you should always have passports.

Why?

DP. So you aren’t stuck in the US?

How old are your kids? They might like Hershey?

Cape May is indeed beautiful at Christmas, and I really enjoy the coziness of visiting a beach town in the off season, but snow is unlikely.

Agree NYC all the way! Watch the many Christmas movies set there before you go. See the big tree, window shop down fifth and of course skate the rink.

Anonymous wrote:Another vote for Williamsburg

Vote against it. We went there maybe 5-6 years ago during Christmas for this reason. I was surprised it was a bit disappointing.
NYC all the way.

Another vote for Williamsburg

Anonymous wrote:I think what you’re looking for is in NY: Mohonk resort has a Christmas scene.

Mohonk during the holidays is fine, but for kids, staying in Rhinebeck or Woodstock would be better.

Anonymous wrote:Morristown NJ

The village green is beautifully decorated for the holidays

I had relatives that lived there. The green was cute, but otherwise, Morristown is not charming. And I’m trying to be polite.

I think what you’re looking for is in NY: Mohonk resort has a Christmas scene.