Best Places to Visit in December 2026
Top destinations, hidden gems, costs, and tips for planning your trip
Where
For the best places to visit in December, you can't beat Cape Town for summer vibes, Vienna for magical Christmas markets, Costa Rica for adventure, and Mexico's Riviera Maya for sunny beaches. Each offers unique weather, activities, and value for December travelers.
Best Places to Visit in December: Where to Travel for Sun, Snow, and Adventure
The best places to visit in December include a mix of sunny beaches, lively cities, and adventure-packed escapes, all with weather and events that make them shine at year’s end. If you're searching for where to travel in December, your shortlist should include Cape Town for its Southern Hemisphere summer, Vienna for Christmas magic, Costa Rica for wildlife, and the Yucatán for warm water and cenotes. December travel destinations 2026 are already in high demand, so if you want the best deals, start with search flights on Travorio before prices spike closer to the holidays.
The trick is to pin down what you want: warm places in December like Phuket or Cancun, or winter vacation spots December travelers swear by, such as Quebec City or Prague. Most guides won’t mention that in some spots, December is actually shoulder season, so you’ll score lower hotel rates and fewer crowds. With over 100 cryptocurrencies accepted and pay-later options, booking your trip on Travorio is easier than ever, even during the busiest travel month of the year.
Best Beach Destinations in December
If you want sand between your toes in December, several destinations stand out. In Mexico's Riviera Maya, daytime highs hover at 82°F (28°C), and the Caribbean Sea is a balmy 80°F (27°C). Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum fill up before Christmas, but early December is quieter and you can get beachfront rooms at The Fives Beach Hotel for $155/night. Flights from Dallas or Miami land in under 3 hours, with plenty of options on American Airlines and Delta.
Phuket, Thailand, sees its dry season peak, with temperatures around 87°F (31°C) and water a perfect 83°F (28°C). Patong Beach gets crowded, but Kata and Karon stay more relaxed. Local eats at No.9 2nd Restaurant run $3-5 per dish, and a beachfront bungalow at Kata Rocks averages $210/night. If you’re coming from LA, look for EVA Air’s one-stop route via Taipei, usually around $950 roundtrip in early December.
Cape Town, South Africa, flips the script with summer in December. At Clifton Beach, expect air temps near 79°F (26°C), but the Atlantic water is chilly, 62°F (17°C). Still, locals flock to the sand for sunbathing, and the V&A Waterfront buzzes with open-air bars. The Radisson RED Cape Town has rooms from $110/night, and Uber rides across the city rarely top $7 each way.
Those after a different vibe should check out the Seychelles. Mahe’s Beau Vallon Beach is quiet in early December, with highs of 85°F (29°C) and water at 81°F (27°C). Emirates flies from New York via Dubai for under $900 roundtrip if booked early. Seychelles is more splurge than bargain, with midrange hotels like Coral Strand Smart Choice averaging $165/night.
Best City Breaks in December
Vienna turns into a real-life snow globe in December. The Christkindlmarkt at Rathausplatz is open daily, and mulled wine (Glühwein) costs €4 per mug. Temperatures hover between 32-41°F (0-5°C), so pack layers. Hotel Beethoven Wien, in the 6th district, provides easy access to the Naschmarkt and costs about $170/night. Austrian Airlines runs nonstops from JFK, and the city’s U-Bahn line U1 gets you from Stephansplatz to the Prater amusement park in 13 minutes.
New York City is a classic for the holidays. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lights up on December 4, and skating at Bryant Park is free if you bring your own skates (rentals are $18-55). The Moxy NYC Times Square usually has rooms for around $220/night in mid-December. Subway rides are $2.90 each, and the 7 train zips between Grand Central and Queens in 9 minutes.
Prague’s Old Town Square is lined with wooden huts selling trdelník and hot sausage. Temperatures average 36°F (2°C), but the city’s Christmas markets and castle views are worth the chill. The Art Deco Imperial Hotel has rooms for $130/night. Czech Railways runs trains from Prague to Dresden in 2.5 hours, so you can add a German market day trip, too.
Tokyo’s winter lights festivals start around December 1. The Marunouchi Illumination near Tokyo Station features 1.2 million LED bulbs. Highs in December are around 54°F (12°C), and you’ll find ramen bowls at Ichiran for ¥980 ($7). Shinjuku Granbell Hotel is a solid pick at $95/night. ANA and JAL both have direct flights from Los Angeles, with fares starting at $870 roundtrip.
Best Nature and Adventure Destinations
Costa Rica’s dry season kicks off in December, especially in Arenal and Monteverde. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has hanging bridges tours for $35, and you can spot resplendent quetzals early in the morning. Daytime temps run 76-84°F (24-29°C). The Selina Monteverde hostel is a favorite with both dorms ($29/night) and private rooms ($84/night). Southwest and Alaska Airlines fly from Houston or Seattle to San José, with good deals under $320 if booked by September.
Patagonia’s hiking season peaks in December. Torres del Paine National Park in Chile offers the W Trek, and refugios like Refugio Paine Grande cost $68/night with breakfast. Expect long daylight hours (sunset after 10pm), and highs near 61°F (16°C). LATAM Airlines connects from Santiago to Punta Arenas in 3.5 hours. You’ll want to book park entries ($35/day) and buses in advance since slots fill up fast.
Queenstown, New Zealand, is adventure central. Summer here means bungee jumping at the Kawarau Bridge ($157), jet boating on Lake Wakatipu, and hikes up Ben Lomond. Temperatures hover 68°F (20°C) by day. The JUCY Snooze hostel has pods from $39/night and the Novotel Queenstown Lakeside sits right on the waterfront for about $155/night. Air New Zealand and Qantas have one-stop flights from LA or San Francisco, usually $1,150 roundtrip in December.
If wildlife is your goal, the Galápagos Islands are fantastic in December. Sea lions and marine iguanas are everywhere, and water temps are up to 77°F (25°C). Most cruises bump up their prices for the holidays, but land-based stays on Santa Cruz Island (Hotel Fiesta, $95/night) are a budget workaround. Avianca runs flights from Quito to Baltra, about 2 hours, for $260 roundtrip.
Budget-Friendly December Destinations
If you don’t want to drain your savings, there are still plenty of places to enjoy in December on a budget. Budapest, Hungary, is underrated this time of year. A room at Maverick Urban Lodge goes for $39/night and local goulash at Frici Papa is under $7. The city’s thermal baths (Szechenyi, $21 entry) are perfect after a cold day, and the Christmas market at Vörösmarty Square is one of Europe’s best for cheap eats.
Mexico City is another wallet-friendly pick. Flights from Houston or LA are often $210 roundtrip on Aeromexico or Volaris if booked by October. Hotel Catedral in the Centro Histórico has doubles for $55/night. Tacos al pastor at El Huequito are 24 pesos (about $1.40) each, and the Metro is 5 pesos per ride. December is dry season, so smog is lower and temps are a pleasant 74°F (23°C) by day.
Lisbon, Portugal, stays mild in December with highs near 60°F (16°C). The LX Hostel in Alcântara has dorm beds for $23/night and private rooms for $65. Lisbon’s trams are €1.50 per ride, and codfish at O Trevo is €8. Direct flights on TAP Portugal from Newark start at $390 roundtrip for early December. Most museums cut entry fees to €3-5 after 5pm.
For Southeast Asia, Siem Reap, Cambodia, is a steal. Guesthouses near Pub Street run $18/night, and a 3-day Angkor Pass is $62. Flights from Bangkok on AirAsia are $89 roundtrip, and amok curry at Khmer Kitchen is $3. December is cool and dry here, so it’s the best weather all year.
How to Book Your December Trip
December is a peak travel month, especially for flights and resorts, so booking early saves serious cash. Travorio has a price calendar that lets you compare fares from over 300 airlines, and you can filter for pay-later options if you need to spread out costs. Start with flights, most price drops happen 90-120 days out, but last-minute travel sees rates spike 2-3x by mid-December.
For hotels, the pay later hotels portal lets you reserve with Sezzle (split payments into 4 across 6 weeks, zero interest for US and Canada), PayPal Pay Later, or over 100 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT. This means you can lock in a rate before prices rise, even if your holiday bonus hasn’t hit yet.
The best deals for December travel destinations 2026 are often found in the shoulder period, from December 1-15. After December 15, holiday surcharges kick in, so flexible dates mean big savings. Sign up for fare alerts and check crypto exchange rates before booking, since some hotels offer extra discounts for direct crypto payments.
What most guides won't mention is that Travorio’s support team can help if you have a complex itinerary, like flying to one country, then booking a multi-stop train trip through Europe. You can mix airlines, room types, and payment methods in one basket, so you don’t have to juggle different websites or apps.
Top 10 December Destinations
December Travel Quick Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions answered clearly and concisely
Siem Reap, Cambodia, is about as budget-friendly as it gets, with guesthouses from $18/night and local meals for $3-4. Flights from Bangkok cost less than $100 roundtrip on AirAsia if you book early. Budapest is another solid choice, offering dorm beds under $40 and inexpensive public transit. December is shoulder season in both places, so crowds are thin and prices stay low.
Phuket, Thailand, regularly hits 87°F (31°C) with water temperatures around 83°F (28°C). The Seychelles and Siem Reap, Cambodia, are also reliably hot, both averaging above 84°F (29°C) during the day. Mexico’s Riviera Maya is a bit cooler but still beach-perfect at 82°F (28°C).
Orlando, Florida, is a family favorite with theme parks like Disney World and Universal Studios running special holiday parades and fireworks. Daytime temps average 72°F (22°C). Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is also great, with kid-friendly wildlife tours and beaches near Tamarindo. Cancun resorts often include kids’ clubs and all-inclusive packages, so parents get a real break.
Prague’s fairy-tale Christmas markets and cozy cafes are perfect for couples, especially if you book a riverside room at the Four Seasons or a historic suite at Hotel Pod Vezi. The Seychelles is another top pick, with quiet beaches and romantic sunset cruises. Cape Town’s wine country (Stellenbosch) makes for easy day trips and vineyard picnics.
US passport holders can enter Mexico, most of the EU (like Portugal, Hungary, Austria), and several Southeast Asian countries (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore) visa-free for stays up to 30 or 90 days. Canadians have similar access, with added perks in Caribbean spots like Jamaica and the Bahamas. Always check embassy updates before booking, since policies can change.
Riviera Maya in Mexico checks every box: warm water, white sand, and tons of activities from cenotes to snorkeling. Early December is quieter and more affordable than the Christmas rush. Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Akumal all offer beachfront hotels and direct flights from US cities, making it easy to get there even for a short trip.
Vienna is hard to top, with its old-world charm, massive Christmas markets, and classical music concerts in grand halls. Prague is a close second for its medieval streets and festive Old Town. Budapest offers the lowest prices and warm thermal baths, which locals swear by in winter.
New York City is iconic in December, with festive lights, world-class shows, and the Rockefeller Center tree. Orlando is unbeatable for families, while Maui offers winter sun and whale watching. If you want snow, consider Park City, Utah, where ski season is in full swing.
For the best rates on flights and hotels, book at least 3-5 months ahead, so by July or August for December holidays. If you’re flexible with dates and destinations, you might score last-minute deals in early December, but prices skyrocket from December 15 onward. Use Travorio’s fare calendar to spot price drops and set alerts.
Most Caribbean and Southeast Asian destinations are dry in December, but occasional late hurricanes can hit early in the month. Europe can see snow and icy streets, especially in Prague and Vienna, so pack proper boots. Cape Town and New Zealand are in their dry seasons, meaning sun is almost guaranteed.
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