TOP DESTINATIONS THIS HOLIDAY
With the holiday season under way and Christmas and the New Year just around the corner, December is the perfect time to dust off your passport and celebrate in style. Whether you'd like to be sipping mulled wine at Europe's legendary Christmas markets, seeing in the New Year on the beaches of Rio or escaping the snow in the tropics, here are some ideas for where to go in December. These are just some of our top destinations we suggest, but take the opportunity of using this holiday season to indulge with your Marquis membership.
BANFF, Alberta, canada
Banff is an iconic ski getaway that boasts stunning vistas from its slopes. With runs like Delirium Dive and Whitehorn challenging even the most seasoned skiers, it’s a great place to push yourself. Be sure to book flights at least a month ahead — that’s when travelers last year had the best chance of finding a deal. But when you’re looking for something to do off-slope, the town itself has a lot to offer. Hit up the Indian Trading Company, a 100+ year old Banff National Park mainstay that features arts and crafts from First Nation artists. It’s also where you’ll find the infamous taxidermied “Banff Merman” — we just don’t recommend bringing your little ones to see it (unless you’re ready for the night terrors). At night, dust the powder off your jacket and grab a dish of Italian comfort food at Pacini (and maybe a Cranberry Mojito or two). Or, hang with real cowboys at Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon, where you can live out all your two-stepping fantasies in this famous nightclub.
rio de janeiro
Rio's biggest parties kick off in February when the dazzling Carnival crowds take over the city, but another atmospheric time of year to visit is over the Christmas holidays. Of course, nowhere knows how to celebrate like Rio and the festive season means palm trees glittering with fairy lights, surfers riding the waves in Santa suits and the world's largest floating Christmas tree lighting up the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. Stick around for December 31st when Copacabana beach hosts an epic New Year's party, bringing over 2 million revelers to the white sands for a night of live music, street food and fireworks, accompanied by plenty of champagne.
FIJI
With fewer crowds and beautiful weather, December can be a good month to travel to Fiji and with more than 330 tropical islands to choose from, you're unlikely to get bored. Between island-hopping cruises, scuba diving and Christmas picnics on the beach, there's plenty to do, and if you stick around for December 31st, you could be among the first people in the world to welcome in the New Year.