Fitness
5 Great Places To Go For A December Getaway
Plan a relaxing vacation before the end-of-year chaos hits.
The Tampa Riverwalk stretches along the Hillsborough River through downtown Tampa, Florida.
Lumiere/eStock Photo
Early December always hits like a sneaker sweet spot for travel. And in the name of filling your own cup before it’s time to fill everyone else’s, it’s worth getting ahead of this relatively quiet stretch on the vacation calendar to plan a relaxing mini-getaway before the end-of-year chaos comes roaring in like Black Friday.
After the rush of Halloween and all things Pumpkin Spice right into the marketing machine that’s Thanksgiving and the lead-up to the December holidays, it can feel like there’s no space in December to pause and catch your breath — not to mention plan a trip. But the first few weeks of the month are particularly pleasant in many tourist destinations and offer a quieter window to visit before the shift into full holiday mode.
I’ve always found this a good time of the year to plan a microcation with my girlfriends or even a solo escape before everything gets crazy (yes, I am that last-minute mom who doesn’t even think about holiday shopping until weeks after the Thanksgiving turkey has been made into soup).
Read on for a few great destinations to consider visiting during the first half of December to recharge.
Napa and Napa Valley, California
Crowds swell in one of California’s most lauded wine towns and regions from May through October. But many people don’t realize that even into early December, some vines still glow with autumn’s golden leaves in this treasured part of the Golden State. Downtown Napa and the surrounding Napa Valley viticulture hotspot are atmospheric locales for ringing in some ‘tween holidays fun. With daytime highs reaching around 60 degrees and night time temperatures dipping into the 40s, things are cozy this time of year without being too cold. Fire engines and tow trucks festooned with lights pour on the early season spirit during the Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade on the first Saturday of the month. And consider renting a bike to pedal quiet country roads nearby or booking a seat on the Napa Valley Wine Train. For something casual and spontaneous, pick up gourmet picnic provisions at the Oxbow Public Market and find a picnic spot with vineyard views.
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Todos Santos, Baja California Sur
Humpback whales start arriving in the waters off Baja California Sur in early December. And early-season whale watching, great surf and noticeably fewer crowds than later in the month make the first part of December an idyllic time to visit one of Mexico’s most beautiful coastal towns. Todos Santos, an eclectic surf town north of Cabo San Lucas, is perfect for strolling, with galleries, boutiques and beautiful handicrafts for sale along the cobblestone streets of the main drag, Calle Juarez. Head down to the golden beaches nearby and you’ll likely see humpback whales breaching and blowing right offshore as they arrive from Alaska to winter in the warm waters off Mexico’s Pacific Coast. You can consider roadtripping north for the day, too, to the pretty seaside city of La Paz to snorkel with whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez during the most reliable window for spotting them in the shallow waters of the bay.
Bermuda
Roughly a 2.5-hour flight from New York or Boston, Bermuda is a surprising destination where the palm trees sway and pink sands beckon — yet temperatures get cool enough during the winter months to tempt visitors to stoke a fire and cozy up. Early December is a particularly beautiful time to visit in the lee between summer’s high season and the holiday run-up, with daytime temperatures in the low 70s and evenings dipping into the 60s. Sip a rum swizzle overlooking the impossibly blue Atlantic Ocean, stroll on the rose-hued sands of Horseshoe Beach or plan a spa day to relax at the Hamilton Princess’ new Driftwood Spa, overlooking Hamilton Harbour. After dark, the beautiful town of St. George’s, settled in 1612, glows with festive lights illuminating King’s Square.
Tampa and St. Pete
The sister cities on Florida’s Gulf Coast finally cool down to their most comfortable temperatures by December, dipping into the mid-70s and making this month ideal for experiencing all kinds of outdoor fun in Tampa and neighboring St. Pete. This window is also just before the snowbird crowds truly descend en masse, so you can enjoy quieter beaches and campgrounds in favorite local beaches like Pass-a-Grille and Fort De Soto Park. Both downtown Tampa and St. Pete are delightfully walkable in their urban cores, so set your sights on Water Street District and Hyde Park Village in the former and browse murals, galleries and more in the Central Arts and Edge Districts in St. Pete.
Charlotte
The Queen City is another good bet for a city escape in early December with just the right mix of Southern hospitality and holiday fun on tap. Starting in late November, downtown’s baseball field gets replaced with an outdoor ice skating rink and 10-lane tubing hill for the Light the Knights Festival, with cozy holiday market vibes. Catch the city’s professional NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets, when they’re playing at home (the arena is also right downtown, conveniently walkable from hotels like The Ivey’s, which is housed inside a vintage shopping arcade). And the Sullenberger Aviation Museum is well worth a visit, too, for the chance to see the airplane Captain Sully landed in the Hudson River back on that heroic day in 2009.
Which of the above destinations do YOU love? Let us know in the comments below.
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