The Open Road Travel

When it comes to looking at the best places to stay in America for Christmas, you have perhaps more choice than anywhere else on the planet.

With landscapes ranging from big cities to barren deserts and tree covered mountains, you are guaranteed to find whatever you are looking for if you try hard enough.

Traditional or unique, expensive or affordable, Christmas markets or department store Santas, brightly lit trees or extravagant parades; America truly does have it all.

Today, we are going to look at some of the absolute best destinations in America for those who want to make the most of the festive season. So, if you are travelling to the U.S for Christmas and want to get your destination exactly right, I highly suggest reading on.

In our list of the best areas to stay in America for Christmas, I am going to provide you with 4 options.

These will represent some of the most common needs people have when travelling to the U.S around this time of year, so should make choosing a destination considerably easier.

When people think of Christmas in America, the first location that will leap to many people’s minds is New York City. One of the most iconic cities in America at the best of times, it truly comes into its own around the holiday season.

It all begins with the lighting of the tree at the Rockefeller Center. Taking place on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving, this televised event sees crowds of people take to the streets to watch the lights come on for the first time, signalling the start of Christmas in the city.

One of the most iconic Christmas trees in the world, people come from all over to see this beautiful symbol in all its glory. With an ice rink installed at its base, it is a destination best described as the heart of America at Christmas.

Just seconds away from the Rockefeller Center, you also have Sachs 5th Avenue. Each year, the exterior of the store is designed with a massive light and music display, where onlookers can gather and get into the spirt together.

A short way north of these two locations, Central Park is another part of the city that transforms into a winter wonderland at this time of year.

While you can’t guarantee when the first snows will fall, getting the opportunity to ride through the park in a horse drawn carriage, while the pure white flakes fall around you, is the experience of a lifetime.

Then there’s the ice rink, which blasts out Christmas songs, as people of all ages get their skates on and have fun in the cool, crisp air.

While this section of Midtown Manhattan is the epicentre of the New York City Christmas experience, the rest of the city holds its own as well.

Streets and stores are adorned with decorations and lights in every direction, while markets selling festive foods and goods are dotted throughout the city.

It isn’t a cheap trip by any stretch of the imagination, but New York City is undoubtedly the best place in America to stay at Christmas for tourists hoping to see all of the sights they will have seen in movies and TV shows throughout the years.

Stay In New York City If:

• You want to see the Rockefeller Center tree or Sachs 5th Avenue light      show
• You want to go ice skating in iconic locations
• You want to take a horse drawn carriage ride through a snow-covered central park
• You want to see things you have grown up associating with an American Christmas
  

When it comes to choosing a hotel to stay in New York City at Christmas, there simply isn’t anywhere as iconic as The Plaza. One of the most stunning hotels in the city, many will remember it as a central location from the Christmas film Home Alone 2: Lost In New York.

Located on the corner of 5th Avenue, it offers stunning views of central park and is just minutes away from Rockefeller Center and Sachs 5th Avenue, keeping you right in the heart of the action.

The stylish, spacious rooms are full of modern technology, combined with a sophisticated style in line with the rest of the hotel. Boasting a fabulous array of bars, restaurants, and shops, as well as a gym, salon, and spa, it provides everything you could ask for from an iconic, 5-star hotel.

While Christmas markets aren’t usually the cultural institution in America that they are in Europe, one place where they are is Cincinnati, Ohio. This is largely due to a substantial portion of the city’s population in its early years consisting of German speaking immigrants.

Germany and the surrounding countries are better known for their Christmas markets than perhaps anywhere else on Earth. This makes Cincinnati easily the best place to stay in America for Christmas markets, especially if you are seeking ones with a truly authentic experience.

While some cities throughout the U.S have either a single Christmas market or a number of small ones, Cincinnati has two prominent Christmas markets to enjoy, as well as some smaller ones.

The oldest and most traditional of the two is the Christkindlmarkt, located in the north of the city, near Pleasant Run. Usually held in November, the Christkindlmarkt features enclosed, heated tents, providing Bavarian style food, drink, goods, and entertainment.

German beers and gluhwein, a traditional, German hot mulled wine, are served for you to sip as you wander through the stalls. They also perfectly compliment the traditional German festive foods, such as soups, pastries, and sausages.

Numerous handcrafted Christmas products, such as nutcrackers, toys, games, ornaments, beer steins and glassware, are mixed in with newer products. All the while, Christmas music is played throughout, to truly get you into the festive spirit.

Meanwhile, the entertainment features parades, carol singers, carriage rides, and a petting zoo. There is even a raffle, giving visitors the chance to win a fabulous festive prize to take home with them.

The other main Christmas market in the city is the Cincideutsch Christkindlmarkt. Located in Downtown Cincinnati, the Cincideutsch Christkindlmarkt is actually part of the event known as Macy’s Light Up The Square at Fountain Square.

Taking place at the very end of November and start of December, the market is part of the Cincinnati tree lighting ceremony, which represents the official start of the festive season in the city.

The attractions of the market closely resemble those of the other Christkindlmarkt, but combine with live music, fireworks, and an ice-skating rink, to provide a much grander overall experience.

Besides these two fabulous markets, anyone travelling in November will also have the Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market to enjoy as well.

Located at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Downtown Cincinnati, visitors will be treated to a collection of more than 300 vendors, selling everything from gifts and toys to homeware and pet products.

With a wine bar and fabulous bakery offering cooking displays, as well as a chance for kids to meet Santa himself, this is a great destination to get your Christmas season started early.

Stay In Cincinnati If:

• You are travelling in November and want to get into the festive season early
• Christmas markets are your priority
• German culture and tradition interest you
  

The Westin Cincinnati is a fabulous, 4-star hotel, located right across the street from Fountain Square. This makes it perfectly positioned for guests to easily access both the Cincideutsch Christkindlmarkt and Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market.

Its floor to ceiling windows allow visitors to enjoy views of the tree when it is lit, while Wi-Fi, a work desk, and flat screen TV ensure you will always be kept occupied.

The rooms boast the same sleek modern style as the hotel’s exteriors and public areas, while plush furnishings and beddings will keep you comfortable throughout your stay.

Guests will receive a continental breakfast each morning, while an on-site seafood restaurant serves lunch and dinner. There is also a business and fitness centre that guests are fee to use, making sure your every need is catered to.

Located high up in the Rocky Mountains, Aspen is the perfect place to stay in America for a traditional Christmas. You will be surrounded by beautiful ski resorts, with picturesque evergreen trees covered in snow creating your own winter wonderland.

This is the ideal place for those who want to rent a cabin, sit by the fire and get cosy, listening to Christmas songs and sipping hot chocolate, while the snow falls outside.

Away from built up cities and in an area where snow is all but guaranteed, you can create your very own white Christmas here.

The town features the usual lights, trees, decorations, and everything else you associate with Christmas. However, the most unique thing about staying in Aspen around the holidays is the “12 Days Of Aspen”.

Running from the 19th of December until New Year’s Eve, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association hosts different events and attractions each day, to help get people into the spirit.

The attractions are wide ranging in nature, ensuring visitors of all ages are catered to.

Activities like cookie and gingerbread house decorating are great for the kids, while they also have the chance to meet Santa himself. Meanwhile, adults will enjoy film screenings and light shows.

You even have activities great for the whole family, such as parades and carol singing.

While the 12 Days Of Aspen creates plenty of opportunities, it isn’t by any means all there is to do in Aspen either.

Winter sports like skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, and snow-shoe trekking are all popular activities, with many companies putting a festive spin on their tours and facilities.

You also have plenty of special Christmas events too, including Winter Workshops at the Aspen Art Museum and holiday themed performances. All this combines to make Aspen the perfect place to have a laid-back, relaxing Christmas with the family.

Stay In Aspen If:

• You are travelling with family or small children
• You want to experience the 12 Days Of Aspen
• You want a traditional Christmas
• You want a range of winter sports to enjoy
• You aren’t worried about money
  

The Gant is located at the bottom of Aspen Mountain and is a stunning property that will complete your mountain getaway. Rooms all come with a private balcony and wood burning fireplace, helping to create that cosy atmosphere you long for at Christmas.

Elsewhere on the property, the outdoor pools and hot tubs are open all year round, giving you other places to enjoy the spectacular views from.

The site also boasts a well-equipped fitness centre, 5 tennis courts, transport and childcare services, as well as ski storage and tuning facilities.

Pepperjack’s Café serves breakfast and lunch each day, as well as a range of coffees and cocktails. If you’d rather eat in though, each of the luxuriously furnished rooms boasts a fully kitted out kitchen, complete with all the appliances and utensils you could need.

I want to start by saying that just because I’m calling Chicago the best place to stay in America for Christmas on a budget, that doesn’t mean it’s cheap.

In fact, there are plenty of high-end parts of this wonderful city that will rival anywhere in the country in terms of style and sophistication.

What I actually mean, is Chicago’s a city that has a little bit of everything to offer when it comes to Christmas but doesn’t have the same reputation as some of the other places on this list.

That means you can enjoy the holiday season here, without paying quite the same tourist premiums you might elsewhere.

For starters, its northern location means that snow is almost a given at this time of year, unlike in destinations like New York. This ensures you can plan your white Christmas, without worrying about the weather letting you down.

Chicago is also well-known for its incredible decorations and light displays. From the city itself to the homes in suburbia, everyone goes all out to turn the area into a scene straight out of a movie.

While the City Of Chicago Christmas Tree and Magnificent Mile Lights Festival are undoubtedly the highlights in this area, you can pick virtually any street to take a stroll and get into the spirit.

Combined with Santas flooding the streets and department stores, as well as locations like the ice-skating rink at Maggie Daley Park, people of all ages will find something to bring a smile to their face.

You then have attractions like the Christkindlmarket, one of the longest running and most popular Christmas markets in the country.

Like many of the best Christmas markets, it features a German theme, with many of the stalls selling goods, foods, and beverages of that style.

Walk around sipping a hot gluhwein, eating one of its famous sausages, and browsing the endless stalls of handmade goods, such as clocks and decorations.

So, you see, Chicago really is a great place to spend Christmas on a budget. You will still get to enjoy all the traditional attractions the festive season is known for but may just be able to do it without it costing you a small fortune.

Stay In Chicago If:

• You are travelling on a budget
• You want a white Christmas in the city
• You want to visit one of the longest running, most popular German Christmas markets in America
• You enjoy ice skating or light shows
  

Located on the edge of Millennium Park, the Chicago Athletic Association, Part Of Hyatt is the perfect choice for those who are hoping to get a room with a view of the city’s official Christmas tree.

Even if your room isn’t park facing, you will still be able to enjoy it from the property’s wonderful rooftop bar. Just a short walk from both the Christkindlmarket and the Maggie Daley Park ice rink, it also keeps you perfectly positioned at the heart of Chicago’s festivities.

Beyond its location, the stunning hotel has plenty more to offer as well. Located in a stunning, landmark building, the hotel perfectly blends modern convenience with historic style.

A grand ballroom with 19th century, stained glass windows neighbours a high-tech fitness centre, while there is also a business centre, games room, and boccie ball court.

There is also a multitude of dining options on site, including a restaurant serving seasonal cuisine and cocktails on a terrace, as well as a branch of Shake Shack.

The rooms all feature a sleek, elegant design, that boast the same stylish blend of old and new as the rest of the hotel.

Vintage furniture and luxury bedding pair with high-speed Wi-Fi and a 42-inch flat screen cable TV, to ensure you are well-rested and entertained throughout your visit.

America may be well-known for its extravagant Christmas traditions, but that doesn’t mean some places aren’t better at pulling them off than others.

This article should hopefully have helped you find the best place to stay in America for Christmas to have the type of holiday season you desire.

So, all that’s left is to make sure you get everything booked as soon as possible, to avoid getting caught out by one of the busiest travel times of year. That way, you can save yourself the worry and settle into that festive feeling, without a care in the world.