Best destinations to visit in December in North America
Best destinations to visit in December in North America
December is one of the busiest travel months of the year across North America, driven almost entirely by the holidays.
Christmas travel fills airports and highways in the days surrounding the holiday, with families traveling to see relatives or heading somewhere warm together instead. Ski resorts across the continent move into full season, with snow conditions typically much more reliable than earlier in the winter. The Caribbean and coastal Mexico enter their busiest, driest stretch of the year, popular with travelers escaping the cold further north. National parks stay quiet through most of the month, aside from a handful of destinations built specifically around winter activities. Booking well ahead matters more than usual, given how much of the region travels during this same stretch.
The destinations on our list for North America reflect that same range, from full ski season snow to warm holiday escapes.
Lists by region
City
New York City
Five boroughs of skyline, food and museums
Like a giant snow globe, midtown Manhattan is full of lights in December and the Rockefeller Center tree, lit in late November, stays up into January. Fifth Avenue store windows have moving holiday scenes. Skaters circle the rink below the tree while street carts sell hot roasted nuts to keep hands warm.
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