Note: All travel is subject to changeable government restrictions frequently – please check federal, state and local advice before scheduling a trip.
Does it drive you crazy the day after Halloween when department stores flood their shelves with holiday products? We don’t! We believe that the sooner the holiday season starts, the better, and that’s because, from coast to coast, the US is engrossed in festive activity – from glittering boat parades to dragging Queen Spectators! So much so that we have created an advent calendar of holiday activities for travelers – up to a Christmas for each day in December.
Related: 15 Holiday Things You Can Do Only In Las Vegas
Hanukkah’s Eight Nights (November 28-December 5) begins earlier this year, and again San Francisco celebrates its annual favorite Jewish holiday. The Bill Graham Menorah ProjectA daily light (also presented virtually) of its huge menu at Union Square.
If you think Griswolds is lighting up their house for the holidays, wait until you walk down the street in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Ozark’s light (November 20-January 1) More than 400,000 downtown lights, as well as holiday music and winter treats for everyone.
If you run a wine-swelling boss, go to the charming Walla, Washington Holiday Barrel Testing Weekend (December 3-5). Think three days of wine, art, food, and music. Bonus: Annual Walla Walla Light Parade Same happens this weekend!
Holly Foley’s Jingle Bell Run | Photo: Provincetown Business Guild
Instead of a Holly Jolie Christmas, how about a Holly Foley (December 3-5) A Holiday performance from the Holy Foley Shop, Hop & Stroll, Jingle Bell Run and Champagne Branch and Boston Gay Men’s Chorus in Provincetown, Massachusetts?
All ships! Sunny Tampa, Florida Thanks for going all out this season Winter Village in Curtis Hickson Park (November 19-January 2) where visitors can order a festive drink from Icicle Craft Kitchen, ice skating with views of the Tampa Riverwalk, get gifts from a winter village shop, or take a Curtis Hickson Chu Chu ride.
Avoid skiing and go instead Christmas at Gaylord Rockies (November 19-January 2) in Aurora, Colorado. The resort is dazzling with its over-the-top lobby, snow tubing, a gingerbread sorting corner and its multi-sensory experience. Mission: Save the Elf featured Christmas.
Also: Sign up for the Orbitz Prize and earn a hotel stay on each trip!
The best place for ice skating in the country is … Honolulu, of course! Lace up Happy winter (December 1-24) at the Hawaii Convention Center which receives a full holiday makeover. Also check out Chinatown Winter Walk And Honolulu City Lights 37th Anniversary.
The North Pole City, Alaska (near Fairbank) is the most famous অপেক্ষা wait for it দিন Christmas! Head Santa Claus House Where visitors can shop at the Santa Workshop, take a picture with Santa on his sled and go to the Antler Academy যেখানে where the reindeer live.
Talk about holiday spirit: A country Christmas (November 12-January 2) The Gelard Aprilland Hotel & Resort in Nashville offers 3 million festival lights, carriage rides, carols, pictures with Santa, winter activities at Pinettop Village and an Oak Ridge Boys Holiday Show.
To be able to Disney’s Magic Kingdom Get even more magic? Yes, Thanksgiving is upon us, which means the holiday season is in full swing. Get your advance ticket here and earn Orbucks travel dollars to boot.
Aren’t you brave? If so, wear some gay clothes (a red speedo is preferred) and hit the road for it Santa Speedo Run, Dash one mile through Metro Atlanta. If you are more adventurous, you can run to Chicago or Boston, where the event started. Brother!
Bind yourself. Michigan has a year-round vacation shop that is 1.5 times the size of a football field. Bronner Christmas Wonderland It is the largest of its kind in Frankenmouth and offers everything from interior and exterior decor to birth scenes, Santa suits and more.
Photo: Jason Heidemann
Going to Sin City for Christmas Veg-Cash? If you feel the need for speed, go Bright light (November 12-January 9) at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. This Drive-Through Holiday Spectacular features 3 million lights and 170 illuminated trees spread across a 2.5 mile track.
Houston’s animals snooze, walk through a 125-foot tunnel of light, sit on an ice throne, and take pictures of the social distance with Santa. Zoo lights (November 15-January 9), an annual tradition at the Houston Zoo.
‘It’s working season! Join Tulsa host Trinity The Tuck and Monet X Change for sex-curved spectacles A Drag Queen Christmas. Not in Oklahoma? (Oh wait, it’s Oklahoma.) No problem; This show travels throughout the holiday season.
Even on a sunny SoCal, it’s best to wear a sweater at night, especially when viewing festive yachts, boats and kayak rides along the harbor for 113.M Annual Newport Beach Christmas Light Cruise (December 15-19), a favorite Orange County heritage.
How about a bird’s eye view on the holidays? After sipping wine and sampling samples at Strobel Winery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, boarded a helicopter. Twilight flight, Town and waterfall park a helicopter ride over winter wonderland. Reservations required.
Many cities have them, but those will reject one Ugly sweater bar crawl Asheville, the capital of Blue Ridge Brew in North Carolina? Admissions include a holiday tea, discounted drink prices, a digital map of the crawl, and ugly sweater after the party.
Visit the historic Olivera Street in Los Angeles and join the city’s vibrant Latino community inns (December 16-24), a nine-night celebration of Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem with bilingual caroling, pinatas and live entertainment.
Need a skull ornament or tooth-shaped earrings for someone special on your tree? Head over Blue Genie Art Market (November 19-December 24) Austin is an annual holiday in Texas and home to all sorts of weird and wonderful products made by local artisans.
More naughty than the Always Lounge and Theater, of course, is the location of a strange cabaret in the Margini neighborhood of New Orleans. Just tie yourself up for one night All I want for XXXmas is you: a tribute to Maria Kerry (Of course dragged).
Ever dreamed of breaking through the snow of thousands of wild elk? Packed on level for Slay rides at the National Elk Refuge (December 14-23, and through the spring) Waves to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and hundreds of grazing elk, plus coyotes, foxes, bison and more.
Shopping for last minute gifts? Don’t look any further Christkindlmarket (November 19-December 24), an annual Chicago tradition inspired by the city’s German immigrants and featuring grilled brats, spicy wines, festive music and Christmas ornaments made in German handicrafts.
Wondering if Santa Claus hangs out at Santa Fe? If you’re vacationing in New Mexico, visit the Spanish-colored capital for its annual Walking to Farolito the day before Christmas Where gallery-lined Canyon Road is illuminated with thousands of Farolito-aka burning lanterns.
Photo: Tishman Spear-photographer Bert Barlow.
This is the most wonderful time of the year in NYC. Go to Midtown to see the iconic Rockefeller Christmas treeWalk past the ornate display windows at Bloomie’s, Massey’s and Sax, then take the subway to Brooklyn to explore the glitter. Dyker Heights Holiday Light.
Tagged: Alaska, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, California, Chicago, Chicago, Disney, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Michigan, Midwest, Nashville, New Mexico, New Mexico, New Mexico, New Mexico, Orlando, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
Note: Orbitz compensates authors for appearing on this site.