Christmas week vacations...$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!!

[wvjules]

DBF and I are both off December 22 - January 2. We were thinking about heading somewhere warm and beachy, or cruising December 26 - January 1. Wow sooooo expensive! DBF is not a beach person so him wanting to go has me wanting to take advantage of the opportunity. Sucks that it cost so much!

Any ideas for a warm weather 4-5 day vacation from DC that won't break the bank?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Gulf Coast - weather is hit or miss though. Could be in the 80’s, could be in the 50’s.

 

[sam_gordon]

DBF and I are both off December 22 - January 2. We were thinking about heading somewhere warm and beachy, or cruising December 26 - January 1. Wow sooooo expensive! DBF is not a beach person so him wanting to go has me wanting to take advantage of the opportunity. Sucks that it cost so much!

Any ideas for a warm weather 4-5 day vacation from DC that won't break the bank?

That's some prime travel time for families. Unlike Spring/Fall breaks where schools are out on different schedules, that week has EVERY school across the country out.

 

[OhMari]

We went to Arizona to visit our dd between Christmas and New Years and the price wasn't too bad.
Book your airfare now with Southwest. If the price drops, they will give you a credit for up to one year.
Fly into Phoenix and rent a car and you can drive in different directions.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

We are doing a Carnival cruise to the Bahamas out of Charleston for 5 days (including Christmas Day) with our two college kids. It was pretty reasonable since we can drive to Charleston. The New Years cruise was pricier.

 

[easyas123]

I think you can get to Bermuda n/s out of BWI these days, although I don't think that it's super warm there at that time of year.
Are you guys boaters? Have you considered the Abacos - they have weather that is equal to that of South Florida that time of year (usually!)...flights might be pricey though.

 

[Wishing on a star]

OMG, yes.... Holiday travel is just HUGE now, and with cruises, they will be at the capacity limit for number of kids and 3rd/4th passengers onboard.
If you are looking for a less crowded, and less 'family', lower key couple getaway, that might not be the best week.

I am thinking that a shorter, or less expensive, cruise over the Holidays might be difficult or actually impossible to find???

If you are thinking about increasing your budget, due to the higher cost, would an Adult Only All-Inclusive resort be an option.
I am not recommending current travel to Mexico, but am wondering if there has been enough of a decrease in travelers where there are some not-as-high rates/specials being offered????

I just did a quick search on one of the big online booking sites... They show No Availability, thru them, for many resorts for that week.
I notice that Live Aqua (a nice All Adult with a pretty good following on trip advisor) shows flights/all-inclusive package starting at just over $1600. pp. This would be for 4 nights, flying out on Christmas day.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Holiday travel has always been huge. I remember a friend booking a trip over Xmas 21 years ago and being aghast at how expensive it was. She thought it would be cheaper for some reason. It's the busiest time of year to travel so the prices of rooms and often flights, are jacked.

When we've gone to Maui over Xmas we had to book our hotel and condos by mid March. Even by then it's slim pickings.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

The weather in South Florida is usually very nice at that time of year. If you're willing to avoid the touristy areas of Miami & stay in a hotel off the beach, you shouldn't have a hard time finding a reasonable place to stay in South Florida. Around here, Lyft & Uber are plentiful. We never wait long for a pickup. There are also towns that offer a shuttle from downtown to the beach. Personally, I wouldn't be focusing solely on the beach, if it isn't that important to you. There is so much to do & so many great places to eat in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami & the smaller cities that you could easily spend a week without ever seeing the beach. If I was looking for a cheaper getaway, I'd book a room in any town East of 95 from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami & use Lyft, Uber or public transportation to get to the sites I wanted to see. (As always check out the specific area. Some areas East of 95 are dicey. This is especially true in Miami, but check all the specific areas to be safe.) Los Olas Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale & Downtown Hollywood have shuttles to the beach & plenty of great restaurants & nighttime entertainment within walking distance. The hotel options are extremely limited, but you could check to see if you can find something that works for you. The other towns have plenty of chain hotels & a variety of restaurants, but not as much nightlife. From any of them, you'll find plenty to do an Uber or Lyft ride away. We usually avoid Miami as much as possible, but you can find anything you could possibly want to do there.

 

[amberpi]

The weather in South Florida is usually very nice at that time of year. If you're willing to avoid the touristy areas of Miami & stay in a hotel off the beach, you shouldn't have a hard time finding a reasonable place to stay in South Florida. Around here, Lyft & Uber are plentiful. We never wait long for a pickup. There are also towns that offer a shuttle from downtown to the beach. Personally, I wouldn't be focusing solely on the beach, if it isn't that important to you. There is so much to do & so many great places to eat in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami & the smaller cities that you could easily spend a week without ever seeing the beach. If I was looking for a cheaper getaway, I'd book a room in any town East of 95 from Ft. Lauderdale to Miami & use Lyft, Uber or public transportation to get to the sites I wanted to see. (As always check out the specific area. Some areas East of 95 are dicey. This is especially true in Miami, but check all the specific areas to be safe.) Los Olas Blvd. in Ft. Lauderdale & Downtown Hollywood have shuttles to the beach & plenty of great restaurants & nighttime entertainment within walking distance. The hotel options are extremely limited, but you could check to see if you can find something that works for you. The other towns have plenty of chain hotels & a variety of restaurants, but not as much nightlife. From any of them, you'll find plenty to do an Uber or Lyft ride away. We usually avoid Miami as much as possible, but you can find anything you could possibly want to do there.

I was thinking the exact same thing - south FL. Maybe even look at Boca, it's gorgeous and may be less pricey.