Travelling (flying I assume?) on the 23rd can be kind of zoo-ey, but the 24th is often rather quiet.

We have travelled on the holidays a fair amount (family with kids), because it is the best time of the year to go to Southern Hemisphere locations and the kids have off. I always feel as though I "missed" Christmas when we do that, though. Even if we get a tree at our destination, which we have done!

As far as VT, personally I think VT in winter is a bit boring if you do not ski. We have been to Stowe to ski a few times, and IMHo there is little else to do. We stay at ski-in-ski-out places, but if you are not skiing, Edson Hill is lovely (super restaurant there too).

But if it were me, I would go to VT in summer, and do the wonderful rails to trails bikeride along lake Champlain. And so many lovely inns. We stayed in the adorable cottage in this one.

We travelled with DH's family over Christmas (cruise) a couple of years ago.

Plus: fun and different.

Minus 1: there were many non-experienced cruisers on the ship (it was packed to the gills) and they were annoying and rude (berating waitstaff, "therapy" dogs peeing in the dining room, etc). I find Christmas season in general can bring out the worst in travellers.

Minus 2: Was traumatizing to my parents. We did a pre-Christmas Christmas dinner but it didn't feel right to them (felt fine to me, though!)

Minus 3: The airports were a little hairy. Not too bad, though.

I would do it again. I think there are points at which we should throw off the shackles of tradition.

DH and I planned a Christmas by ourselves in Florida one year but it was derailed by my grandfather's decline and death. That was stressful in a whole different way.

I was trying to convince my inlaws we should all do a New Zealand/Au cruise over winter but somehow they haven't taken me up on that one yet!

When I dream of going somewhere snowy and magical for Christmas I think of NYC, or maybe London or Paris :) (the latter I realize stand a better chance of being grey and dreary than snowy and magical).

We do staycations in charming cottages in the winter and I quite love them. You get the woodstove snuggles and the crisp snow, so different than the city experience of winter. One year we stayed at Oceanstone resort and set off fireworks on the beach for New Year's.

My experience of small vacation towns in the winter locally here is that unless they are ski-oriented (might not be a problem in Vermont!!) a lot of the shops and even restaurants can close down in the off season or close down over the holidays. So it can be kind of boring. I might tend to research that before I went.

Robo, that's a good point about things closing down especially in a smaller town. I was wondering about that as one of the places I was looking at had lower rates over Christmas which made me think it's a low activity time.

We have family in Southern Vermont. It's lovely but it's small town. Like Mtn said, in the winter if you aren't doing outdoor things there isn't a lot happening. The Equinox hotel might have enough going on to be festive without being overwhelming. It's an easy drive from the Albany, NY airport.

The Equinox

This article seems pretty droolworthy...https://newengland.com/yankee-magazine/travel/new-england/vacations/littletowns/

When DH and I lived across the country from family (for 10 years), we instituted no travel to families for holidays. Too expensive, too harried, no quality family time since everything is hectic. We saw our respective families once a year at an off time (spring or fall). Much nicer all around. So for Christmas each year we would go to a nice hotel/resort in driving distance. One year that was Santa Barbara, one year wine country, etc. The hotels and towns were beautifully decorated for Christmas. They were all lovely trips.

Mom and I did Williamsburg,Va. over Christmas one year. It was one of those bus trip deals, took in other nearby sites such as Jamestown,etc. We enjoyed it so much, Williamsburg decorated for Christmas, the re-enactors, the fireworks. I wish there had been snow,tho.

In fact I have been milling over the idea to go back in December of this year for some time, looked it up and Dec.3rd. is a day of festivities there. Not close to Christmas but at least in Dec. and not November. Would be great to stay in the town itself and not with a tour group. Neighbors got rooms in Williamsburg in 2015 but were unable to last year. It wasn't over the holidays either time.

I agree to avoid a plane ride over the holidays. Why have the added stress?

I would choose a small town that has things to do. My SIL likes James Thorpe PA.

I could recommend my favorite upstate New York town, which is Saugerties NY.

Good restaurants, antique stores, historical lighthouse with a nice nature walk to it, old movie theater etc. Many Airbnb's. Windham and Hunter for skiing.

Woodstock is ten miles away, Kingston NY is ten miles away,

If you want to stay in a cute cottage with a stream, you can find one of those in Woodstock.

I think the idea is for you to get away. So, explore close by areas that have perhaps a unique place to stay.

I so hear you about the holidays. I dislike the holidays and would do what you are doing if I could!

Now is a great time to make your reservations. It seems every where becomes popular around the holidays.

One place that DH & I have vacationed at, and LOVED, is the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. We were not there over Christmas, but have said that we'd definitely try it if we ever were going to spend a Christmas by ourselves. The place is all under glass, temperature and climate controlled, with many restaurants, shops and things to do. And we've heard many stories of how fantastically it's decorated for Christmas. Easy to get to via their hotel shuttle from the airport. At the Gaylord, there are rooms that look to the outside, and rooms with balconies that look inward onto one of these plazas. I would definitely only stay in an inward facing room or suite, on an upper floor. We did and it was drop-dead gorgeous.

Oh and if you are going to go by air, travel on Christmas Day if possible. We did that a few times and it is great! Airplanes were pretty empty.

Such interesting perspectives all - thank you so much! Robo, that article was very inspiring. I'm ready to go! We are not downhill skiiers but DH is an avid Nordic skier and is quite enthused about Vermont in that respect. I don't think we need a lot of man made excitement. We're interested in history, geography and natural wonders so as long as we're not trapped in a snowstorm we can drive around and see a few things. We're from Minnesota so not bothered by the snow and/or cold as long as the roads are passable. And if we got trapped at an inn in a snowstorm we'd have fun as long as there were other people there and a few staples like coffee, good wine, local beer and fine scotch. Well I guess food would be good to have as well.

I'm thinking we should give this a try and if it's a holiday travel nightmare then we probably won't do it again. Life is as much about the journey as the destination. I'm already making plans for who will handle a furnace outage at either of our MN houses while we're gone. That is something I think about if we are gone in the winter - don't want the pipes to freeze...

Or, come here to Santa Fe . . . which is truly magical over Christmas. Lots of things to do if you don't ski. An easy 50 minute drive , via interstate, from the Albuquerque International Airport. Many hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.

Lynn, I did think about that as NM is another state I haven't been to and I keep thinking about a stay in Santa Fe. It's still a possibility. Where would you recommend I stay if I were to come? I'd like it to be a smaller place where we might get to know other people who are staying there - like a B&B but more of a small inn that doesn't feel so much like you're sleeping in someone's bedroom.

Santa Fe would be a non-stop flight which seems better at this time of year. Hmmm.....need to seriously consider this option.

That looks pretty, Lynn.

Quebec looks nice too. Pretend you're in Europe.

My first choice would probably be The Inn on the Alameda. Easy, quick walk to the Plaza, and many, many shops , restaurants, and museums. Small, beautiful hotel. The Santa Fe Ski area is about a 20-25 minute drive away.

Other hotels you might consider, all in the same general area:

La Fonda Hotel, Inn of the Governors, or the Inn at Loretto.

If you do end up choosing to come to Santa Fe, I'll be happy to give you recommendations for restaurants, shops, and things to do. We do get snow here, but deep heavy snows are very infrequent. We wear winter jackets and coats here , but usually unfastened (lol).

Thanks Lynn!

I would totally choose Santa Fe in the winter, and then do VT and Quebec in the summer or early fall. The only exception would be if you really really wanted to downhill ski... but if your DH likes Nordic, he can do that locally no?

Mtn, that view is from the incomparable Lakeview Terrace, I lived there for eight years, last two years of college and until I bought my first house in Burlington (sadly, not on Lakeview Terrace), it was a great place to live, wonderful neighbors, close to everything and that view, it never got old. We hosted a killer July 4 th, well, 3rd, cuz BTV does fireworks on the third and the yards on the street had a perfect view. It was a dive when I moved there, but was quickly gentrifying when I left.

As far as Christmas in Vermont, it can be snowy, but it can also be depressingly rainy and dark. If you want the "Alpine Village" experience, best to go in January or February, when snow is (likely) guaranteed. The Equinox is nice, lots of shopping in Manchester, but outside of that and downhill or XC skiing, not much going on. I'd go in the summer and stay at Basin Harbor, for an old time resort feel, or in Burlington, tons to do there.

The Woodstock Inn in Woodstock VT is wonderful -- I bet it's decorated beautifully for Christmas. The town is really pretty, with enough shops to keep you busy for an afternoon and some good restaurants (Simon Pearce in the next town has a great restaurant). I've been to the Woodstock Inn twice in the last 3 years and loved it. The spa is great too!

We loved the Equinox too but that was maybe 17 years ago so I can't give it a more current review!

Ahh, but Quebec in the summer with the plein air Cirque du Soleil every night, ...very memorable.... Cirque du Soleil outside is outrageous ...incredible, mon dieu!

I've always thought Stockbridge MA would be a great place to spend the holidays, but I don't know anything about holiday activities....we were there in spring a few years ago.

I'm really just looking for a Christmas destination not a summer vacation spot. We like to stay in MN in the summer as we have a wonderful lake home and Minnesota summer lake time is relatively short. Mtn, you would think DH could cross country ski here but we haven't had decent snow in years. And he is much more excited about a destination with the opportunity for some kind of physical activity vs shops and the like. I'd still kind of like to make this a trip to one of the states I haven't yet visited. I'll see what DH has to say about NM. I know he has been there - not sure about VT. Always fun to ponder and plan!

Sounds fabulous and romantic. Hope it works out for you!!

I think the skiing in Taos, NM is very good. You could spend some time in Taos and some in Santa Fe with its fabulous art scene, gorgeous hotels and fantastic boutiques.

PS I apologize if Taos was already discussed. I didn't read the whole thread.

oh yes, we were looking at clouds the other day and I was talking about a trip i once took on Lake Minnetonka one summer evening, just gorgeous. And clouds like I have never seen, like a tumble of round white cotton balls. Can't blame you for not wanting to leave in summer!

I've skied just about every place here in New Mexico. If you're coming for a lot of downhill skiing, and you like the challenge of narrow runs, Taos is great. I don't care much for it in Winter when I'm not skiing, though. I get bored then. My favorite time to be in Taos is in the Fall, for the wool festival, art festival and the gorgeous Fall colors. In my opinion, after living here for the past 30+ years, the very best town during the Christmas Season is Santa Fe . . . hands down. Clear blue skies. Safe. Festive. Gorgeous. Very historic. We speak English. No passport needed. You can safely drink the water (LOL). Wintery, but mild. Fabulous restaurants. Many great museums. Very easy to get around. Shops TDF. We have mountains ( the Sangre de Cristos). And we have skiing, snowshoeing, and other Winter sports here, too. And the night air, it smells so wonderful. Of Pinon pine fires, crackling in kiva fireplaces all throughout the town. And everywhere you go, there are farolitos lining walkways, adobe garden walls, and rooftops. Like I said, Santa Fe is magical at Christmas.

I've stayed at Mohonk Mountain House during the Christmas season and it was just lovely. But it is a destination in itself as a low-key quiet get-a-way for those who appreciate old fashioned charm and nature.

I've always loved the Mohonk setting, but the property was in bad shape for many years. They have now fixed it up and added a spa, maybe 10 yrs ago

The NY Times featured the Mohonk Mt. House in their Sunday travel section recently.

Lynn, you captured all my favorite things about Santa Fe. I need to plan a trip.

We did our first Christmas away a couple of years ago and then again last year. First year Mexico, last year Hawaii. We did have one or both of our kids with us which was great but if there comes a time when we can't be together, we'll definitely go away again. I loved, loved, loved the stress-free-ness of it! We were able to spend quality time together without thinking about anything else. It was wonderful. We haven't discussed plans for this Christmas yet but I'm hoping we go away again. Maybe next year I'll be able to get some enthusiasm up for Christmas at home.

That Mohonk Mountain House is beautiful! However no way on earth I'd ever pay $900 per night for accommodations.

I am perusing this thread and just enjoying all the information shared here. I just remembered several years ago randomly watching some travel show which featured a hotel I had never heard of or about- THE HOMESTEAD in Virginia. It seems somewhat like Mohonk Mountain House in that is an older historic place. It just impressed me as being really special- but other than that I have no knowledge. Hopefully someone might chime in here. It sure looks interesting.

I get email deals for The Homestead all the time. Some from Omni Hotels (the hotel's an Omni) and some from Travelzoo. If you're interested in it, I'd sign up for both sites.

I haven't heard anyone mention ND?!??!

;-)

Wiiiiiiide open winter skies at night, jet black, & sometimes the Aurora will cooperate! Sometimes it's mind-blowing! Oh well.....no skiing, & the towns are too small. Uffda!

Faron

Best friend went to New Zealand this July. They have a second Christmas there with trees, lights and everything. The prettiest Christmas card I ever got was a picture from the Fairmont hotel on

Lake Louise in Canada. I'd like to go there one day. Yosemite at the ahwanee hotel is nice but no waterfalls during winter The bracebridge holiday dinner pageant/feast is wonderful.

Bracebridgedinners.com

Yup, that's just what I was thinking when I came up with this idea - the old Holiday Inn movie. Additional recent cold shoulder from the relatives is pushing me closer to the Christmas adventure away from home. It's really too bad but I'm one to just play the cards I'm dealt and not dwell on the bad hand.

Ironic that this is resurrected today, I just referred to it yesterday.

We have been going to Stowe the week before or after Christmas for the past few years, and its resort is oft cited as the best in the East, but I don't love it and can't see going again.

So I created a whole spreadsheet to analyze other options in VT, which had ski-in-ski-out, base in Dec., lodging, dining, etc. And I thought I might break up the trip with a stay in Manchester or Woodstock, so I looked up this thread.

After all that analysis, I determined that Dec snow in VT is too iffy (2 years ago we went to Stowe, and we had snow for our visit, Dec26 thru NY, but the week before, there was NO skiing at all!!)

So .... we decided to go to Mr Tremblant Quebec. Really nice lodging options, and the USD is strong too. We are all excited. We will stop in Lake Placid on the way up and Saratoga Springs on the way back.

Still need to get to some of those VT towns; maybe we will risk it next yr! I was reminded of a place on my bucket list, too, Twin Farms. Adults only; soon, soon.

3Katz, have you decided yet? I think Conde Nast or TnL had a great article on winter in VT.