The holidays are one of my favorite times of year. There’s nothing like having a white Christmas then partying it up on New Year’s Eve.

There are so many cool and interesting traditions around the world, and it’s such a treat to take part in the different experiences.

Ready to end the year with a bang? Here are the top five destinations to visit this holiday season.

Austria

The Christmas markets of Europe are magical. With the aroma of roasting chestnuts and mulled wine filling the air under sparkling lights, this is definitely a bucket list experience.

While the entire continent is full of outdoor Christmas markets, there is nowhere that captures the spirit of the holidays like Austria. From Vienna to Salzburg, this region is a dream Christmas destination. The stunning markets are packed with homemade delicacies and one-of-a-kind trinkets.

It’s so easy to get around Western Europe by train. To explore Austria from any other European country, I recommend checking out the Eurail pass. A train pass will let you maximize your time (and your budget) in Europe to see as much as possible. If you’re under twenty-seven years of age, be sure to look into the youth deals too.

Rio de Janeiro

Ditch the winter jacket, and ring in the new year sipping caipirinhas at Copacabana beach. With afternoon temps nearing ninety degrees F, December is actually the warmest month of the year in Brazil, so you can soak in the sun while you celebrate.

Rio de Janeiro has one of the best New Year’s Eve celebrations in the world, and Brazilians party it up like no one else. Watch the fireworks over the South Atlantic for a New Year’s Eve that you will always remember.

Peru

Years ago, I spent a fun Christmas in Peru. I stayed with a family in Cusco, and it was a wonderful opportunity to experience a traditional holiday in the Andes Mountains. The whole city was bursting with fireworks, and it was breathtaking.

And you’ll want to stick around!

Much of the Andean region of Peru celebrates Epiphany more than Christmas. Rather than Santa Claus coming on Christmas Eve, the three wise men bring gifts for kids on January 6.

Iceland

Make it a white Christmas! The Northern Lights are at their brightest and best during the winter. While it is definitely cold (come ready for temps below zero), it is so worth it. Bundle up for some of the most amazing landscapes and sights of the year.

Iceland is one of my fave destinations year-round. From diving to climbing to road tripping around the island, it’s the prime adventurer’s getaway.

And you have to check out all of Iceland’s fascinating Christmas traditions — meet the thirteen Icelandic Santa Clauses, or go for a Christmas dip in the Blue Lagoon. Whatever your Nordic adventure, make sure that you get out of the city and explore!

New York City

Few places are as beautiful at Christmas as NYC. My first trip to the Big Apple was over the holiday season, and I completely fell in love with this place.

Temps hover between zero and ten degrees, so bundle up. Go ice skating in Central Park, see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, and go on the ultimate Christmas shopping trip.

Of course, you’ll want to stick around for the New Year’s Eve traditional countdown in Time’s Square, or party the night away with some of the best nightlight on the planet.

Read More: The Ultimate New York City Travel Guide

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

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January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

Sun-drenched mornings, salty air, and the kind of place that makes you instantly exhale @waldorfastoriacostarica ✌️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Our stay at this brand-new property was truly a dream — sweeping ocean views, elevated design, and more pools than I’ve ever seen at a hotel in my entire life.

From award-winning wellness to coconuts by the pool, every detail felt thoughtful and intentional.

🧖‍♀️ The Spa
Recently named Costa Rica’s Best Resort Spa, this sanctuary blends modern wellness with local healing traditions — volcanic mud rituals, rainforest-inspired therapies, and grounding treatments that leave you floating.

🛎️ Amenities
World-class service, beachfront access, a stunning collection of pools (truly — endless), curated experiences, and those sweet elevated touches everywhere you turn. Newly opened, yet already operating like a seasoned 5-star icon.

💦 Kids’ Club
One of the coolest spaces for littles — crafts, games, toys, and outdoor play areas that made traveling with Oliver feel easy (and fun for him, too).

🥥 The Food & Coffee
Fresh, locally sourced Costa Rican flavors with elevated execution. Oceanfront bites, poolside snacks, handcrafted coffee experiences, and yes… plenty of coconuts.

🌿 Sustainability
Proud holders of the Bandera Azul Ecológica for conservation and environmental efforts — luxury and responsibility beautifully intertwined.

We truly cannot wait to come back. ✨

If you’re looking for a luxury, family-friendly escape in Costa Rica — this is your spot.

A huge thank you to @waldorfastoriacostarica for hosting us on this sunshine-soaked getaway.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#costarica #waldorfastoria #luxuryfamilytravel #familytravel

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A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18380851606081524

A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18083248064243187

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

Cancel reply

Laura Cooper

Thank you for sharing this great places to visit for holiday season. They are worth visiting specially Iceland.

October 30, 2018 at 10:17 pm · Reply

Anupama Basuriya

I have never been to New York in my dear life. As I went through this article it gave me a motivation to travel to New York, however. Actually I was just thinking of where to travel, However, this article gave me the idea to travel to New York. Thank you for this wonderful article. Other rest of the destinations you have mentioned are totally worth.

November 18, 2018 at 11:03 pm · Reply

Kiersten Rich

I’m so happy to hear my blog post inspired you babe! I hope you make it to NYC and enjoy every moment as much as I did!

November 18, 2018 at 11:26 pm · Reply

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Ready to end the year with a bang? Here are the top five destinations to visit this holiday season.

Austria

Read More: 9 Tips for Celebrating Christmas in Europe

Rio de Janeiro

Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Rio in a Weekend

Peru

And you’ll want to stick around!

Read More: A Very Cusconian Christmas Eve

Iceland

Read More: Iceland Travel Tips

New York City

Read More: The Ultimate New York City Travel Guide

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