Merry Christmas in July, Friends! Yes, it’s that time of year again, and while most of us are just getting into our summer groove of beach days, pool parties and al fresco summer evenings, we are also somehow at the halfway point to Christmas.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen a huge uptick in the “Christmas in July” theme this year, from souvenir beach shops promoting their tropical Santa ornaments to craft stores scheduling Christmas crafts this month. And while those things provide a cute reminder that we’re at the halfway point, in the Travel Industry, planning NOW for any vacations or trips during the Holiday season isn’t just a cute “Christmas in July” activity, it’s a necessity.
Even though it seems so far away, we all know the Holiday Travel Season is the busiest Travel Season of the year, so if you want the most options when it comes to Holiday Vacations, whether you want to take a Disney Trip to experience Holidays in the Parks, or you’re looking for a festive Holiday cruise, booking now is the best time to secure your top choices.
Plus, if you read our blog about What Vacations to Book When, you might remember that there are certain types of vacations that should always be booked about six months to a year (or more) in advance, and that includes holiday travel and cruises, especially those with limited sailings, such as the highly sought after Christmas Market River Cruises, and any Holiday-themed Disney Cruises, too. Though, of course, there are more options besides cruises for your Holiday Vacations that also need to be planned far in advance, just because of the sheer number of travelers going from place to place during the last months of the calendar year.
Speaking of which, here are…
Five Festive Destinations for the Merriest Holiday Vacations
Table of Contents
1. New York City
New York City transforms into a winter wonderland during Christmastime, offering an array of enchanting experiences and activities that make it a must-visit destination for the holiday season. The city’s iconic holiday decorations begin with the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a towering evergreen adorned with tens of thousands of lights and a magnificent star topper. This spectacle draws visitors from all over the world, creating a magical atmosphere as people ice skate on the rink below, surrounded by the grandeur of Midtown Manhattan.
Strolling down Fifth Avenue, visitors are treated to the dazzling holiday window displays of major department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, and Bergdorf Goodman. These displays are not store advertisements, but instead elaborate works of art that tell whimsical stories, capturing the spirit of the season. In addition, Macy’s offers a one-of-a-kind visit with Santa inside the transportive Christmas workshop on the eighth floor of the Herald Square location (Pro Tip: make reservations in advance because the standby lines make Disney lines seem short!).
The immersive experience continues at Bryant Park’s Winter Village, where the European-inspired open-air market offers unique gifts, festive foods, and a charming ice skating rink surrounded by the sparkling cityscape.
Central Park, with its serene snow-covered landscapes, offers a tranquil retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle. Horse-drawn carriage rides provide a nostalgic and romantic way to take in the park’s winter beauty. Additionally, the Central Park Zoo is a delight with its holiday-themed decorations and events, making it a fun destination for families.
A visit to New York City during Christmastime can be capped off by catching a performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The Rockettes’ dazzling dance numbers, coupled with impressive special effects and festive music, create a show that is both heartwarming and breathtaking. For a more traditional experience, Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic offer beautiful holiday concerts that fill the air with the sounds of the season.
Overall, New York City embodies the quintessential Christmas experience with its blend of grand spectacles, cultural events, and festive activities. The city’s unparalleled energy, combined with its dedication to holiday celebration, ensures that every visitor leaves with cherished memories and a strong sense of holiday spirit.
2. Orlando, Florida
When you put the Magic of Disney, the Thrill of Universal AND the Magic of the Holidays together, it becomes very obvious that a Christmastime Vacation in Orlando is not something you should be missing out on!
To start, Disney is well known for its spectacular Holiday additions, from the themed parties in the Parks, to the decadently decorated Resorts, to the celebratory cruises on Disney Cruise Line; if there’s one thing that’s for sure, it’s that Disney knows how to celebrate in epic, Magical fashion!
Plus, Disney is so into celebrating Christmas that they extend the festivities from early November to early January, and not only that, but Disney also takes every other opportunity throughout the year to bring back some Christmas fun, too! In June, Disney celebrates Halfway to Christmas with special Holiday treats throughout the Parks, and they also release some details about what this year’s Holiday Season has in store for visitors.
However, June’s Holiday Season announcements are just teasers for what is traditionally released this month, for Christmas in July, of course! July is typically the month when specifics about dates, Holiday Parties and all Holiday events are released, so there’s no better time to plan your Holiday Vacation than during the Christmas in July excitement!
This year, as usual, Disney is celebrating Christmas in July with the announcement, and ticket sales, of its Special Events for the Holidays, including Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which features multiple Merry Events, such as Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show, to name just two. Disney’s Christmas in July Celebration also includes the release of new specialty ornaments and collections, which can be found here to get you even more excited about planning your Holiday Vacation!
By this point, if you’re thinking, “If Disney does all this in June and July just in preparation for the Holiday Season, how much must they do when it’s actually Christmastime?”…when I tell you it is a full-on, decked-out, top-to-bottom transformation, I am not exaggerating at all. From Magic Kingdom’s festive ride overlays and Holiday Parades, not to mention Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, to EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays to the Yuletide additions at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, it would take an entire blog dedicated to experiencing Christmas at the Parks just to name all the reasons why Orlando is such a perfect place to visit if Holiday Cheer is what you’re looking for (and we do have a blog on it, here, in the form of an Inspiring Itinerary designed specifically to get the most festive experiences Orlando has to offer, which of course, aren’t just at the Disney theme parks…).
In addition to the spectacular events from Disney during the Holidays, Universal has its own line up of Holiday Themed Events as well. With the ever-present rooftop snow in Hogsmeade, Harry Potter World seems to have a Merriment Spell cast upon it at Christmastime, and Seuss Landing lends itself to the popular Grinchmas Celebrations, of course!
With so much to do and look forward to in Orlando during the Holiday Season, the best way to celebrate Christmas in July is by planning your Yuletide Vacation to the Merriest and Most Magical Place on Earth, which, as always, your favorite Love of the Magic Travel Agent can’t wait to help you with!
3. Anaheim, California
While Walt Disney World in Orlando gets a lot of attention for its Holiday celebrations (and deservedly so, because they are amazing), Disneyland in California has an incredible amount of festivities and cheerful additions that absolutely shouldn’t be missed, either! One of the great things about choosing to visit the California Theme Parks is that there is less ground to cover than the Florida Parks, and while you can absolutely take a full week or more to fully enjoy everything, it’s also possible to get to everything in under a week.
To give you an idea of what the Holiday Festivities are like in California, here are a few Disneyland highlights to start. First, the Christmas Fantasy Parade is agreed by most to be the very best part of the festivities, so be sure to grab a spot in Town Square a little early for the best view. Soon after the Parade comes the Christmas Tree Lighting in Town Square, but that’s not the only exciting illumination in the Park. “it’s a small world” has its own exterior lighting event, in addition to its signature Holiday Makeover. Of course, no night at Disney should end without fireworks, and during the holidays, snow (!!!), both of which take place at Sleeping Beauty Castle during their special holiday show, “Believe…in Holiday Magic.”
Just like in Orlando, all of the Parks get into the Holiday spirit with California Adventure Park offering its own jolly additions. Just like Disneyland, California Adventure features a huge tree, and decorative additions throughout the Park. Always a fan favorite even without Holiday decorations, Cars Land is one of the most impressive areas throughout all of Disney (and by “all of Disney” I mean Disneyland AND Disney World), so all of the seasonal additions in Cars Land really take it to a whole new level. California Adventure also offers a fantastic Santa experience at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, as well as the Viva Navidad Street Party, which happens multiple times from noon through early evening, and takes place in the Paradise Gardens area. The highlight event at California Adventure is Mickey’s Happy Holidays show in Carthay Circle, followed by the Christmas Tree Lighting at the end of Buena Vista Street.
Again, just like in Orlando, Universal Studios Hollywood has its own Holiday vibe for the season with festive additions to the Harry Potter Worlds, and Grinchmas, which takes place in Universal Plaza. And not only that, but just like we have an Orlando-specific Holiday Inspiring Itinerary, we also have a California-specific Holiday Inspiring Itinerary, which you can find here.
Disneyland and the other California Theme Parks can be the perfect choice for a Merry Getaway because many of us are super busy in December, between Holiday school concerts, wrapping, last minute shopping (though this can easily be accomplished in Downtown Disney), and all the behind the scenes “Magic” that goes into the Holidays, so a long weekend trip is just the right amount of time to escape the chaos, without losing too much precious preparation time.
4. London, England
London is a city that epitomizes the magic of Christmas, with its historic charm and festive traditions creating an unforgettable holiday experience. The season starts with the illumination of Christmas lights across the city, with Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Covent Garden transforming into twinkling wonderlands. These dazzling displays set the tone for the city’s holiday spirit, attracting both locals and tourists to marvel at the intricate designs and festive cheer.
A visit to London’s Christmas markets is essential for soaking up the holiday atmosphere. Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland is the most famous, offering a mix of traditional market stalls, an ice skating rink, and even a giant Ferris wheel. The market is perfect for picking up unique gifts, sampling festive treats like mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, and enjoying live entertainment. Southbank Centre’s Winter Market along the Thames is another delightful spot, featuring charming chalets selling handcrafted items and delicious seasonal food, all against the backdrop of the river’s glittering reflections.
London’s rich cultural scene also shines during Christmas. The West End theaters put on spectacular holiday performances, with shows like “The Nutcracker” at the Royal Opera House enchanting audiences with their festive flair. Carol services and concerts at iconic venues such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey fill the air with joyful music, providing a serene and spiritual counterpoint to the bustling city streets.
For a truly immersive experience, a visit to the Christmas-themed events at Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace is a must. Kew Gardens’ Christmas at Kew features a magical light trail through its beautiful gardens, with installations that captivate visitors of all ages. Hampton Court Palace hosts an ice skating rink and a Christmas market, allowing visitors to skate in the shadow of Henry VIII’s historic residence and explore its festively decorated courtyards.
In addition to everything happening within the city of London itself, it’s definitely worth mentioning the Christmas festivities that take place all across the English Countryside as well. From cheerfully festooned medieval castles complete with Christmas Markets set inside their walled fortresses to the quaint village celebrations in places such as Oxford and Stratford-Upon-Avon, which seem straight out of a classic Christmas movie, exploring outside London even just for one day of your trip will be well worth it!
Overall, London’s blend of historic elegance and modern festivities makes it a perfect destination for a quintessential Christmas experience. The city’s ability to combine traditional charm with contemporary celebrations ensures that every visitor can find something to make their holiday season special. From enchanting light displays to world-class performances and cozy markets, London offers a festive adventure that is both timeless and unforgettable.
5. Christmas Market River Cruise
As Disney enthusiasts, we appreciate any experience that brings some extra Magic into our lives, whether it’s spotting the elusive Northern Lights as you gaze up at the Winter Night Sky, or standing beneath a double rainbow in Hawaii, or wandering through the twinkling lights of traditional European Christmas Markets as you sip hot cider (or mulled wine), and listen to carolers sing their way through the market stalls.
The Magic of these moments is undeniable, and while it’s tough to predict the appearance of Natural Wonders, such as rainbows and the Northern Lights, planning to visit the iconic Christmas Markets of Europe is wonderfully reliable, since their existence is, after all, rooted in hundreds of years of tradition.
Exploring Christmas Markets where they originated, in countries such as Germany and Austria, illuminates the Magic of yesteryear, when hand-carved gifts were treasured above technology, and spirits were made bright by children’s choirs singing carols in the square, as the sweet scents of roasted chestnuts and chocolate wafted through the crisp winter air. The gifts you find at Christmas Markets aren’t just the ones that can be bought, but the ones you experience, too; essentially, they are like portals back in time, and Magical in every way you can imagine.
Just as they’ve been for hundreds of years, Christmas Markets are scattered throughout Europe, in big, bustling cities and quaint, storybook towns, each unique in its own way, and each worth visiting. Luckily, with the lengthy rivers running from country to country throughout Europe, it’s never been easier to experience all the different Christmas Markets in one cohesive way: on a River Cruise, of course!
Imagine unpacking just once, settling into your “floating hotel” as you travel from country to country, experiencing the best Christmas Markets of each. You never have to worry about getting from one destination to the next, since everything is seamlessly taken care of for you, with an expertly crafted itinerary bringing you into the heart of the most iconic Christmas Markets in Europe. Whether your Christmas Market River Cruise is a once-in-a-lifetime experience or a yearly holiday tradition, the treasures you find and the memories you make will forever be a celebrated part of your Yuletide season.
Ready to Plan?
Now that you know Five Festive Destinations for the Merriest Holiday Vacations, I’d love to hear which destination you would choose, or if you have other location ideas for your ideal Holiday Season Vacation. And of course, I’d love to help you plan the perfect Holiday Vacation, whether it’s taking that Christmas Market River Cruise that’s always been on your bucket list, or even just visiting family and friends to spread some Christmas cheer to those you love! Contact me today at gina@lotmv.com to get started, and as always, I will work with you to create the unique experience you’re looking for.