String of lights and palm trees at dusk

Holiday Travel

There's little as stressful, or as special, as holiday travel. Though travelers do have to deal with extra crowds on holidays, they also get the chance to witness something truly unique—a celebration shared across the globe, or an event cherished by a single locale. Whether you're going home for Christmas (or taking a relaxing beach vacation far away from home), Travel + Leisure knows how to navigate the best and worst of holiday travels. We can even help you nail down the perfect reservation for Valentine's Day or discover the best place in the nation to grill on the Fourth of July.
Latest Stories
TK Mistakes TSA and Airline Employees See During Holiday Travel, and What to Do/Pack Instead
TSA Agents Share the 8 Mistakes That Slow Down the Security Line During the Holidays — and What to Do Instead
A Christmas tree made of legos
This 35-foot-tall Christmas Tree Is Made of 364,000 Legos and Took Over 3,000 Hours to Build — Here's How to See It
The village of Santa Claus is a big tourist attraction in Rovaniemi
The 'Official Home of Santa Claus' Is Also a Northern Lights Destination — How to Visit
The lobby of Orlando International Airport with a large Christmas tree surrounded by palms. Aiport security officwers stand by the entrance to the passenger screening area as travelers wait
The TSA May Unwrap Your Holiday Presents If You Don't Follow These Rules
USA, Washington State, Chelan County, Leavenworth
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Leavenworth, Washington
Fourth of July Independence Day Celebrations National Mall Washington monument Washington, DC fireworks
The Best Fourth of July Celebrations Across the U.S.
Christmas stocking on palm tree at Crandon beach, Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida
13 Ways to Celebrate Christmas in Florida, From Disney Parties to Boat Parades
A holiday market outside of Notre Dame in Paris
How to Spend the Perfect Christmas in Paris
A family of four wearing Santa hats while at the raining of a Princess Cruises ship
7 Cruise Lines Offering Festive Holiday Cruises in 2024
Passenger traffic during the holidays at Leipzig-Halle Airport
15 Holiday Travel Tips for a Less Stressful Festive Season
edinburgh castle scotland
35 Most Haunted Places in the World
Sunset on Sassopiatto and Sassolungo from wood chalet in the snow, Alpe di Siusi / Seiser Alm, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy
15 Best Places to Travel in December
Biltmore Estate in winter
13 Best Places To Go in the Winter, From Ski Resorts to Sunny Beaches
collage of popular Gift Cards for Travelers
The 55 Best Gift Cards for Travel Lovers
The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel decorated for the holidays
20 Hotels in Warm-weather Destinations to Get You in the Holiday Spirit
Santa leans out of a train and waves
13 Festive Train Rides You Can Take for the Holidays
Paddington Bear float at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
These NYC Hotels Have Prime Views of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade — and None of the Crowds
Confetti falls by the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball during 2021 New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square on December 31, 2020 in New York City.
NYC's Times Square Will Welcome Back Crowds on New Year's Eve to Ring in 2022
Krampus
Austria's Krampus Parades, Where Santa's 'Evil Twin' Will Beat You With a Broom
Aerial view of the Christmas Market Vienna, traditional market at Vienna Town Hall in December
I Visited 8 European Christmas Markets in 2 Weeks — and These Were My Favorites
The Best Three Days in Manchester, Vermont
The Perfect 3-day Weekend in Manchester, Vermont
Los Olivos Santa Barbara California
The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Santa Barbara
Getty Images/Panoramic Images
The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Park City
View of Broadway
The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Nashville
Charleston, South Carolina
The Perfect 3-day Weekend in Charleston
The Perfect Three Days in Pittsburgh
The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Pittsburgh
Downtown Portland Maine
The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Portland, Maine
restaurants in Alexandria, Virginia covered in Christmas decorations
This Historic Town Outside of Washington, D.C. Is One of the Most Charming Places to Visit During the Holidays
holiday reefs hanging on outdoor windows
This Is the Best City in the U.S., According to T+L Readers — and It's the Perfect Place to Spend the Holidays
people ice skating on a rink
A Guide to Visiting London During the Holidays: Best Christmas Markets, Festive Displays, and Decked-out Hotels Included
People walking at the Cologne Christmas Market, Germany
13 Best German Christmas Markets — Including the Oldest in the World
Lights and Christmas trees line a street in Zurch during Christmas
How to Spend the Holidays in Zurich — Twinkling Christmas Markets, Mouthwatering Fondue, and Luxury Hotels Included
winter decorations on the streets of Tokyo
This International City Is Google’s No. 1 Destination for Christmas and New Year’s Travel
Mickey in a christmas parade
How to Plan a Magical Trip to Disney World for the Holidays
The Best Places to See Christmas Lights in Every State
The Best Christmas Light Displays in Every State
Rothenburg at Christmas
The Best Places to Go for Christmas
A tree decorated on the grounds of the Montage Laguna Beach hotel
25 Best Christmas Towns in the U.S.
Christmas Eve at Travelle at The Langham
15 Festive Hotels in the U.S. That Make the Holiday Season Even More Magical
The Christmas Lobby tree at The Dorchester
The Most Festive London Hotels to Visit Around Christmas
A view of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree during the 89th Annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
The 2024 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Will Take Place in December
La Befana, Italy
12 Unique Christmas Traditions Celebrated Around the World
Tappan Zee Bridge
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Sleepy Hollow, New York
A pumpkin statue
This Small Town in Minnesota Is Called the 'Halloween Capital of the World' — With Spooky Ghost Tours and Haunted Bars
Exterior of The Stanley hotel
I Stayed in the Haunted Hotel That Inspired 'The Shining,' and It’s Full of Real and Imagined Ghosts
exterior of The Jackson Hotel
I Stayed in a Haunted Hotel in a Small Town in Nevada — Here's What It Was Like
Prague, twilight overview of Charles Bridge, city and river, Czech Republic
13 Best Places to Visit for Halloween Around the World
The Winchester Mystery House is a well-known mansion in Northern California.
12 Real Haunted Houses In the United States
Large mickey themed pumpkin decoration
Everything to Know About Halloween at Disneyland
Majestic live oaks flanking a dirt road at the iconic Wormsloe Historic Site in Savannah, GA.
5 Haunted Hotels in Savannah, Georgia — One of America's Most Haunted Cities
Fall/Halloween decor, jack-o-laterns, on Main Street at Walt Disney World
Everything to Know About Halloween at Walt Disney World
New Orleans Lafayette Cemetery on a sunny day
20 Most Haunted Places in America and the Ghosts That Call Them Home
Sunset view of The Don Cesar Hotel showing the beach
15 Most Haunted Hotels in America You Can Actually Stay In
Hotel Elevator
Why You'll Never See the 13th Floor of a Hotel
Exterior of motel from 2007 film Vacancy by director Nimrod Antal
These Are the Scariest Hotel Horror Movies of All Time
Smiling young woman decorating home for halloween
100 Halloween Captions and Quotes for Your Next Instagram Post
cape may
The Best Beaches in New Jersey
Sloan Mountain 2015 Las Vegas New Years fireworks
20 Best Places to Spend New Year's Eve
Fireworks over the Edinburgh skyline, as seen from Calton Hill.
Hogmanay Is the Festive Scottish Tradition You've Never Heard of — but Will Want to Celebrate
Colorful boats
10 Affordable Places to Travel for Thanksgiving This Year
Travellers Getting Boarding Passes At Check-In
TSA's Top Tips for Travelers Flying Home for Thanksgiving
Hammocks shaded by palm trees on the beach.
The Best Weekend Getaways for Couples
Stars and the milky way over mountains in nevada
51 Most Romantic Places in the U.S.