Whether you choose to stay at a a hotel or with family and friends, Boston provides a historic ambiance against a Christmas backdrop for travelers. Historic Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market offer tourists lots of shopping and sightseeing amid the backdrop of old New England. For Christmas dinner, many visitors choose to visit Locke-Ober, a fancy venue in downtown Boston. You can choose from traditional meals such as turkey and stuffing, to New England's favorite lobster bisque and baked Alaska for dessert. Crossing the bridge to Cambridge is also a favorite pastime as you can stroll through Harvard University's campus, visit The Coop, and watch fireworks over the Charles River at dusk.
Puerto Rico is an option if you're interested in beaches and a sun-filled Christmas vacation. Many who go to the island opt to stay at the Hotel El Convento in San Juan--it's a 350-year-old building converted from a convent. Each of the rooms are fully furnished with colonial pieces. For dinner, you can choose restaurants to dine at such as the Ajili Mojili, which is known for its authentic and delicious stews and plantains; or the Parrot Club, known for its chicken in mango glaze. Afterwards, you can take a walk through the Paseo de la Princesa, a promenade known for its abundance of trees, food vendors and artisans.
Often described as the friendliest of Indonesia's islands, Bali is an ideal vacation spot for a lavish Christmas holiday. Most vacationers who travel to Bali immediately take advantage of the island's plentiful massage and spa services, while others absorb the Buddhist culture by viewing the vast palaces and temples. Accommodations range from rented private vacation villas, or stays in one of the island's hotels or resorts. Most tourists elect to hire a private guide to take them around the island, but it is also possible to rent private cars to visit the Besakih Temple, view Lake Batur and its volcano, or take in the enormity of Mount Agung.
London takes the Christmas season quite seriously and attracts visitors from around the world. One of the most famous attractions in the city is the plentiful and colorful light displays in the West End. Trafalgar Square is a heavily visited area due to the enormous, heavily lighted Christmas tree (more than 60 feet high) from Norway. Ice skating is a popular activity in London during the holiday season as well. Several spots in the city are transformed into ice rinks from November through the end of January. For those interested in the arts, the English National Ballet attracts huge crowds for nightly performances of The Nutcracker.
