The best places to travel in December include Phuket for tropical beaches, Vienna for Christmas markets, Rovaniemi for a snowy family holiday, and Queenstown for summer adventures. Oahu offers a warm U.S. escape, Zermatt suits a ski-focused trip, and Seville is a strong choice for a milder city break. Your best option depends on the experience you want, the time you have, and whether you travel before or during the Christmas rush.
December can mean a beach afternoon, a dark Arctic morning, or a long hiking day in the Southern Hemisphere. Even within one country, conditions can differ enough to change the entire trip. Start with the comparison below, then check the regional weather and practical limitations before booking. Below I am sharing a full table of destinations, best fit, december condtions and relative cost.
One of the best things about these locations—along with some other destinations around the world—is that you can visit them with your family, rather than just alone or with friends.”
The best December destinations at a glance
| Destination | Best fit | December conditions | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phuket, Thailand | Tropical beaches and food | Hot; seasonally drier, with rain still possible | Flexible |
| Guanacaste, Costa Rica | Beaches and wildlife | Pacific dry season begins; regional variation matters | Moderate to high |
| Oahu, Hawaii, USA | Warm city and beach holiday | Warm; wetter season and powerful north-shore surf | High |
| Southern Tenerife, Spain | Mild winter sun | Mild coast; much colder at altitude | Moderate |
| Vienna, Austria | Christmas markets and culture | Cold; short days; snow uncertain | Moderate to high |
| Rovaniemi, Finland | Santa experiences and snow | Very cold; very little daylight | High |
| Zermatt, Switzerland | Alpine skiing | Cold; available terrain depends on conditionsf | High |
| New York City, USA | Holiday lights and shows | Cold; rain, wind or snow possible | High |
| Seville, Spain | Food and cultural sightseeing | Mild afternoons; cool nights and winter rain | Moderate |
| Queenstown, New Zealand | Summer lakes and adventure | Early summer; mountain weather changes quickly | High |
| Torres del Paine, Chile | Hiking and landscapes | Long days; wind and fast-changing weather | High |
| Antarctic Peninsula | Expedition wildlife travel | Austral summer; cold and weather dependent | Very high |
How to read the table:
Costs are rough planning estimates for accommodation, food, transport, and activities—not live prices. “Flexible” means you can spend more or less depending on your choices. Holiday dates can also make trips more expensive. Stays listed are for time at the destination.
Warm weather escapes and beach destinations
1 Phuket Thailand for tropical beaches and flexible spending
Phuket suits travelers who want beach time without spending their entire holiday at one resort. A beach base, an afternoon in Phuket Old Town and one weather-dependent boat excursion make a manageable first visit. Couples can choose a quieter resort area; families should prioritize a suitable beach and convenient transfers.
December generally brings better seasonal conditions to the Andaman coast. However, Thailand does not have one uniform winter weather pattern: official UK travel advice identifies a different rainy season around Koh Samui and the southeastern peninsula. Do not assume an island on the opposite coast will offer the same conditions.
Plan the trip: Allow 5–7 nights and arrive through Phuket International Airport. Compare the complete accommodation price, including any holiday meal charges, and keep a spare day for a postponed boat trip. The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s December guide provides seasonal context.
Pro tip: Never book an island tour (like the Phi Phi or Similan Islands) on your very last full day. December sea swells can kick up without warning, and having a buffer day ensures a rescheduled boat doesn’t cause you to miss an international flight.
Choose somewhere else if: You want empty beaches at Christmas or guaranteed calm water. Follow beach flags and local marine warnings; hiring a scooter is a poor shortcut for an inexperienced rider.
2 Guanacaste Costa Rica for a beach holiday with nature nearby
Guanacaste makes sense when you want a Pacific beach base with a few nature outings. Playa Conchal offers a beach-focused option, while Rincón de la Vieja National Park adds a volcanic landscape to the shortlist. Stay near the activities you actually want rather than attempting to combine distant forests, volcanoes and coastlines in a short week.
Costa Rica’s tourism board places the Pacific dry season broadly in December through March. That does not make the whole country dry. Its Caribbean side has a different rainfall pattern, with December described as its rainiest month. A Guanacaste beach itinerary and a Tortuguero wildlife itinerary therefore need different weather expectations.
Plan the trip: Allow 6–8 nights. Check flights into Guanacaste Airport at Liberia and the road transfer to your chosen beach. Price transfers or a rental car before committing to a remote property. Reserve popular holiday accommodation early, and ask which excursions suit your group’s walking ability.
Choose somewhere else if: You need a cheap, spontaneous Christmas trip. Also reconsider a packed driving itinerary: travel between regions can consume much more of the holiday than the map suggests.
3 Oahu Hawaii for a warm U.S. vacation with city conveniences
Oahu works well for a mixed group: Waikiki offers a beach base, while Honolulu provides museums, restaurants and indoor alternatives when it rains. Consider Bishop Museum or the historic sites at Pearl Harbor alongside beach time, checking individual admission arrangements. It is a practical choice for families who want several types of activity in one holiday.
NOAA’s Honolulu climate normals put December’s average daily high near 28°C/82°F and low near 21°C/69°F. These are Honolulu station averages, not conditions across every beach or mountain on the island.
Winter is also the wetter season. Hawaii’s official weather guidance warns that north-shore swells and strong currents can make swimming hazardous. Watching expert surfers is a different proposition from entering the water yourself.
Plan the trip: Allow 6–8 nights and fly into Honolulu. Compare parking and resort fees, and check the winter events calendar; early December can have major events too.
Choose somewhere else if: Your priority is low prices or uninterrupted sunshine. Christmas demand can be intense, and no shore is automatically safe for swimming.
4 Southern Tenerife Spain for mild winter sun
Tenerife is a useful compromise for travelers who want outdoor lunches, coastal walks and time by a pool without tropical heat. Choose a southern coastal base if that is the holiday you have in mind; the island’s elevation and regional differences matter.
AEMET’s Tenerife South Airport normals show December average highs of about 23°C/73°F and lows of 17°C/62°F, with roughly 30 mm of monthly rainfall. That is mild winter weather, and a heated pool may be more useful than a promise of beach days.
Plan the trip: Allow 5–7 nights. Tenerife South Airport is the logical arrival point to compare for southern resorts. Mix coastal time with inland sightseeing, checking the weather separately for any mountain excursion.
Choose somewhere else if: You want consistently hot evenings or warm-water swimming. Teide can have snow and ice while the coast remains mild. The island government documents weather-related road closures, so keep mountain plans flexible.
Christmas destinations and winter wonderlands
5 Vienna Austria for Christmas markets and a compact city break
Vienna is a strong December choice when the holiday atmosphere matters as much as the sightseeing. Start with the markets at Rathausplatz or Schönbrunn, then add a museum, a café stop and a concert instead of trying to visit every decorated square in one evening.
The crucial planning detail is the calendar. Vienna’s official Christmas market listings show different closing dates: some finish before Christmas, while others continue beyond it. A late-December arrival will not give you the same selection as an Advent visit.
In my experience, if your heart is set on the magical atmosphere of the Rathausplatz market, aim for the first two weeks of December. By Christmas Eve, several major squares start packing up stalls or switching over to New Year’s themes, and you lose that classic storybook Advent charm.
Plan the trip: Allow 3–4 nights. Arrive through Vienna Airport or by rail, and choose accommodation with a convenient public transport connection. Weekday market visits are a sensible starting point if avoiding the busiest atmosphere matters. Carry warm, weather-resistant clothing and alternate outdoor time with indoor stops.
Choose somewhere else if: Your main goal is a snowy landscape. Vienna offers a Christmas city break, but snowfall is not the basis on which to book it. Festive weekends can also undermine an otherwise modest budget.
6 Rovaniemi Finland for a snowy family holiday
Rovaniemi is best approached as a short winter activity holiday. A Santa visit, a guided snow outing and plenty of warm-up time make a more realistic family schedule than a full day outdoors.
Visit Rovaniemi’s activity guidance says permanent snow is usually in place by December, while explicitly acknowledging that insufficient early-season snow can affect activities. Ask what an operator offers if a booked sleigh or snowmobile experience cannot run.
Daylight is limited to only a few hours. Schedule the outdoor experience you care most about around the brighter part of the day. Northern lights are a possibility, not an entitlement: the Finnish Meteorological Institute explains the importance of darkness, cloud conditions and auroral activity.
Plan the trip: Allow 4–5 nights. Compare flights to Rovaniemi with rail connections via Helsinki. Confirm transfers, winter clothing provision and children’s age limits before booking activities.
Choose somewhere else if: Very cold weather, icy surfaces or short days would spoil the trip. Christmas is also an expensive time to rely on last-minute availability.
Ski destinations
7 Zermatt Switzerland for a ski-focused mountain holiday
Choose Zermatt when skiing is a central part of the trip and the budget can support mountain transport, equipment and accommodation. Non-skiers can enjoy the village and scenic outings, but a ski pass is unnecessary if sightseeing is the real priority.
A resort’s winter reputation does not guarantee that every lift or piste will operate on your dates. Check Zermatt’s official lift and piste status, the winter timetable and conditions for the terrain you need. For beginners, an open glacier is less useful if suitable teaching areas are unavailable.
Plan the trip: Allow 5–7 nights. Zermatt is car-free; the official arrival guide explains rail access and the transfer from Täsch for motorists. Reserve lessons and equipment as well as lodging, and keep sightseeing plans flexible during high winds.
Choose somewhere else if: You need a low-cost ski week or guaranteed full access in early December. Check that insurance covers your intended skiing, rescue and any activities beyond marked pistes.
City breaks for festive sights and milder sightseeing
8 New York City USA for holiday lights and live shows
New York makes sense for travelers who enjoy a busy city and want December’s seasonal displays alongside museums and performances. Plan around two or three priorities rather than filling every hour with paid attractions.
We’ve learned the hard way that midtown Manhattan during holiday peak week requires serious crowd patience. Trying to see the Rockefeller Center tree between 5 PM and 8 PM means shuffling shoulder-to-shoulder; if you want photos without thousands of people in your shot, bundle up and visit after 10 PM or early in the morning before the shops open
The city’s official holiday guide is a better starting point for current events than an undated roundup. Confirm individual performance times and ticket conditions before building the rest of the day around them.
December is cold, with considerable variation. National Weather Service normals for Central Park provide the seasonal baseline; snow should be treated as a possibility rather than a reason to expect a white Christmas.
Plan the trip: Allow 4–5 nights and compare airport-to-hotel travel as part of the airfare decision. A convenient subway connection can matter more than a slightly cheaper room farther away. Keep an indoor option for wet or windy afternoons.
Choose somewhere else if: You dislike crowds or need an inexpensive Christmas break. Holiday displays can be free to see, but accommodation and ticketed experiences can dominate the total.
9 Seville Spain for food and a milder cultural break
Seville suits travelers who would rather walk through historic neighborhoods, visit monuments and linger over food than chase snow. Winter light and cooler afternoons make a different kind of city holiday from the intense heat associated with its summers.
Expect a jacket, not beach weather. AEMET’s Seville Airport normals show December average highs around 17°C/62°F and lows around 7°C/45°F, with about 99 mm of monthly rainfall. Keep a wet-weather option even if the forecast starts out promising.
Plan the trip: Allow 3–4 nights. Compare arrival at Seville Airport with rail connections from another Spanish city. Choose a central base for walking, prebook the monuments that matter to you, and check Seville’s official Christmas information for seasonal activities.
Choose somewhere else if: You want a tropical escape. For better value, compare ordinary weekdays with Spanish public-holiday periods and Christmas week; “southern Europe in winter” is not a blanket guarantee of cheap rooms.
Nature and adventure trips in the Southern Hemisphere
10 Queenstown New Zealand for an active summer holiday
Queenstown is a good base for travelers who want lakes, day walks and organized outdoor activities during Northern Hemisphere winter. December starts New Zealand’s summer, but the mountains still require a separate weather decision from the town.
Tourism New Zealand notes that summer brings both international visitors and domestic holiday travel. Reserve accommodation and transport before committing to a route, particularly around the Christmas break.
For serious hiking, consult the park authority. The Department of Conservation’s Routeburn guidance requires summer hut and campsite bookings and warns that avalanche risk can extend into December. A sunny morning in Queenstown does not establish that an alpine trail is suitable.
Plan the trip: Allow 5–7 nights locally, or 10–14 nights for a selective South Island itinerary. Fly into Queenstown or build a realistic road trip from your arrival airport.
Choose somewhere else if: You have only a short break requiring lengthy international flights. Families and casual walkers should choose suitable day outings rather than defaulting to a multi-day alpine trek.
11 Torres del Paine Chile for a carefully planned hiking trip
Torres del Paine rewards travelers who can give Patagonia enough time. Long December days help with hiking plans, but wind, rain and abrupt weather changes remain part of the experience.
It is also peak season. Chile’s official tourism guidance identifies December through February as the busiest period. Wide landscapes do not mean quiet trailheads or easy accommodation availability.
Plan the trip: Allow roughly 5–7 nights for a park-focused visit, plus travel days. Official access guidance describes arrival through Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas, followed by ground transport. Book park admission and, for an overnight circuit, the required campsites or refugios separately. Verify current reservations and trail rules with the park.
A base with day trips may suit your group better than a multi-day trek. Choose the walking level first, then book the route.
Choose somewhere else if: You need predictable weather or want to improvise a famous circuit after arrival. Carry suitable windproof and waterproof layers and allow time for a changed plan.
12 The Antarctic Peninsula for a specialist expedition
Antarctica is a December option for travelers who want an expedition and understand the cost, remoteness and uncertainty involved. It belongs in a different planning category from an ordinary winter holiday.
December falls within the Peninsula’s austral-summer visitor season. Ships offer access to icy coastlines and wildlife, but weather, sea conditions and operational rules determine what happens each day. A published itinerary is not a guarantee of particular landings.
Plan the trip: Match the vessel to the experience. IAATO’s guidance distinguishes expedition ships that make landings from vessels carrying more than 500 passengers, which are cruise-only in Antarctic waters. If going ashore matters, confirm that point before comparing fares. Allow for the expedition length, travel to its departure port and a contingency buffer.
Review government travel guidance for Antarctica, including evacuation arrangements and appropriate insurance.
Choose somewhere else if: You cannot tolerate schedule changes, rough sea crossings or limited medical access. Follow all wildlife-distance, biosecurity and site-access instructions; a photograph never justifies disturbing an animal.
Start With the Trip Framework
Before mapping out every gas station and lunch spot, decide on the core structure of your trip. Are you aiming for a relaxed scenic drive or a fast-paced cross-country push? In my experience, trying to pack too much into a single trip is the quickest way to turn a dream vacation into a stressful chore. On one drive through Utah, we tried to squeeze four national parks into three days; by day two, we were so exhausted from racing the sun that we barely enjoyed the views. Always identify your must-see highlights first, and be ruthless about cutting optional detours if time gets tight.
Compare early December with the holiday period
For a flexible traveler, early December is worth pricing first. It can avoid part of the school-holiday rush while retaining seasonal atmosphere. However, Christmas markets, sporting events and popular winter destinations can already be busy. We’ve learned the hard way that a driving estimate on Google Maps almost never matches reality. A listed “6-hour drive” can easily stretch into 8 or 9 hours once you factor in bathroom breaks, traffic jams, and unexpected scenic lookouts.Pro tip: Highway miles and scenic backroads are two completely different beasts. Choosing a legendary drive like the Pacific Coast Highway instead of tearing down Interstate 5 will add hours to your route, but the ocean vistas make it completely worth it—just make sure your schedule accounts for the slower pace.
Travel around Christmas and New Year when those celebrations are central to your plans or your dates are fixed. Expect greater pressure on availability, and check minimum stays, cancellation terms, holiday meals and attraction opening hours. Some Christmas markets close before Christmas Day. When it comes to lodging, lock in high-demand spots months in advance—like booking a cabin inside Yellowstone for a summer trip—while keeping minor highway stops flexible so you can pull into a roadside motel whenever you get tired.
Southern Hemisphere summer adds another calendar. New Zealand’s domestic summer holidays increase competition for rooms and transport. In Patagonia, December is already part of peak season. At the end of the day, leaving room for spontaneous detours and unplanned stops is usually what creates the best memories of the entire journey.
Compare the complete cost before calling a destination affordable
A cheap meal does not make an entire trip cheap. Compare the same dates, accommodation standard and included services across your shortlist.
Trip cost = transport to the destination + accommodation + meals + local transport + activities + entry fees and insurance.
Then account for the expenses tied to your trip style: ski passes and lessons, boat transfers, park accommodation, winter clothing hire, parking or baggage. Build in a contingency for disruption.
For value, start by comparing Seville, southern Tenerife and a modest Phuket stay. Treat this as a shortlist to price, not a claim that one place is universally cheapest. A direct flight and a shorter transfer can outweigh lower day-to-day spending somewhere much farther away.
Match the destination to the people traveling
Families: Oahu offers a beach-and-city mix; Tenerife suits a slower coastal stay; Rovaniemi works when children can manage the cold and the chosen activities. Check room layout, transfer duration and age restrictions.
Couples: Vienna suits a short festive break, Phuket a beach holiday, and Zermatt an active trip where both people want the mountain experience.
Solo travelers: A connected city base such as Vienna or Seville can simplify logistics. Compare single-room charges and organized excursion options before choosing remote adventure travel.
Travelers with mobility needs: Confirm step-free transfers, room access, accessible toilets and the actual surface or gradient of planned routes. Snow, cobbles, sand and expedition landings can create very different barriers. A destination-wide accessibility label is not enough.
Keep the itinerary proportionate to your available time
For a three-night Vienna break, use two days for markets and major sights, with cafés and museums as indoor alternatives. For seven nights in Phuket, choose one beach base and leave room to move an excursion if the weather changes.
With ten nights on New Zealand’s South Island, select a small number of bases and allow realistic driving days. These are suggested trip shapes, not fixed itineraries; confirmed opening hours, transport and your group’s pace should determine the details.
For short holidays, favor the easiest suitable journey from your home airport. “Best international destination” means little if connections consume most of the trip.
What to check before booking December travel
Confirm passport validity, visa or electronic authorization requirements, transit rules and any arrival declaration for your nationality. Useful starting points include Immigration New Zealand, Costa Rica’s entry guidance and the European Union’s official travel portal. Check the destination’s immigration authority for the final rule; do not apply another traveler’s passport privileges to yourself.
Read your government’s current destination advisory and travel preparation guidance. Recheck the forecast, sea conditions, park alerts and transport notices shortly before departure. A seasonal recommendation made in October cannot predict a storm or closure during your holiday.
Book critical reservations first: accommodation, essential transfers, ski instruction, timed attractions or overnight park stays. Then fill in optional activities. Confirm holiday operating hours directly, and leave a buffer before an international flight when a boat, mountain road or regional connection is involved.
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