Favorite City to Visit at Christmas - Warm Climate

Have you considered going to the beach - not shitty FL, but some place like the Outer Banks in NC.

Carmel/Monterey was lovely at Christmas. Despite being near the ocean and warm for December it still had some essences of a pastoral feel.

OH and Half Moon Bay, too. We stayed there at the Ritz Carlton there for Christmas and nothing was more magical than being a few hundred feet from the ocean and having a fire going on Christmas Eve.

Unfortunately, every warm tourist area is overcrowded during Christmas.

I can tell you from experience DO NOT go to Puerto Vallarta over Christmas. Between the Canadians/Americans and native Mexicans, it's overflowing and horrendously overcrowded. Never again.

Anyone have any suggestions for European cities?

Vienna for the winter markets > bundle up

OP, where will you be traveling from? Also, what do you mean by "warm"? San Francisco isn't "warm," but it won't be snowing or freezing.

R7 - traveling from D.C.

Go to Hamburg, Germany they have the best Christmas markets.

Sorry about your Mom, OP. Are you looking for beach weather? Do you want to get in the ocean?

R10 Thanks. I'm pretty open to any place that doesn't involve bundling up in many layers to keep warm!

Traveling by yourself? What do you like to do?

I wouldn’t make plans to travel outside the US right now as restrictions keep changing. A guy I work with has had his European honeymoon cruise postponed three times due to various border closings and travel restrictions.

OP, did you get your vaccine shots? Any budget restrictions?

I am vaccinated. I would travel with my partner. We're both healthy, pretty varied interests, etc. I would say no major budget restrictions, but we're (hopefully) going to Reykjavik next year, so I don't necessarily want to go too crazy.

Key West

Buenos Aires?

Bermuda. Quick an idk wth else.

Santa Fe? Might be chilly but sunny and festive

San Diego.

Bump. I have been dreaming of a sandy Christmas myself. Tired of this house, this area, this crappy weather. I’m fine with a sentimental family dinner then get me the hell out. San Diego sounds nice.

[quote] Santa Fe? Might be chilly but sunny and festive

I love Santa Fe (NM), but I've been there during the holidays and it was cold.

Always the same every year for us - Ft. Lauderdale. Breakfast by the pool, lunch at the shops at Las Olas, happy hour at The Drynk in Wilting Manors, and dancing at Hunters nightclub. I try to escape to Johnson’s for some dick dancer action when he’s talking to friends.

Hawaii? Very long travel time from DC & would need to change planes at least once. Could be expensive at Christmas-time. Would need to wear mask indoors. Would be warm and maybe something cheerful to do since it's your first Christmas without your Mom.

I kind of have to agree with R19 - San Diego is an unexpected choice, but there's plenty to do and there's a lot within driving distance (LA, Big Bear if you want snow, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree).

Florida around Christmas can be a crapshoot. Plus it's an obvious choice, so hotels, car rentals, airfares - all of it will be at a premium.

Go to San Antonio and see the luminarias on the Riverwalk.

San Diego should be around 68-70 as a high, but with the sun it feels much warmer. At night, you're going to need a medium/light jacket as it gets into the 50's. Once in a blue moon, you'll get a couple of days in the high 70's, but I wouldn't bet on it.

We would never consider not being home on Christmas. And if you want warmth, just wait 10 years and go sit anywhere in the world.

Puerto Rico still has some great deals.

Marrakech. Great time to be there.

Anywhere in the sunbelt, call me a human experiment!

Gran Canaria. Get a massage

Christmas in Charleston, SC sounds lovely

If you're driving from DC & cost is a concern, Edenton NC is a pretty, historic little town close to the ocean, but not on the ocean (it's near a river). You could probably get an Airbnb for a couple of days with minimal expense & trouble

Several great suggestions - thanks!

R32 - Charleston has always been on my visit list - but I couldn't in good conscience pump any money into that nasty, Rethuglican state.

And there are too many COVID idiots in Florida - plus the general Florida population, which has a large number of Trumpsters and vile people.

Given that Australia and New Zealand are blocked, Cape Town.

Rincon Puerto Rico