4 Cheap Christmas Vacations You Can Take Instead of Going Home

Written By Jeff Hindenach
Last updated January 29, 2021

Note: We receive a commission for purchases made through the links on this site. Our sponsors, however, do not influence our editorial content in any way.

Money Saving Tips
September 11, 2017

Simple. Thrifty. Living.

Christmas is often a time spent with family, which typically involves traveling home for the holidays. However, this can also be stressful. After doing this for several years, you may feel it’s time to gift yourself a Christmas vacation rather than a family visit. Traveling during the holidays can be expensive, but there are several options for cheap Christmas vacations that offer a variety of activities and excitement.

First off, according to CheapAir, several dates are typically the cheapest to travel.

  • December 23 through December 25 are the cheapest departure dates.
  • December 31 and January 6 are the cheapest return dates.
  • December 17 through December 25 is the cheapest overall itinerary.

And be sure to book your flight on the cheapest day to book flights.

As for inexpensive but worthwhile places to visit for your Christmas vacation, these include:




Quebec is a beautiful city to visit. If you still desire snow and winter wonderland for Christmas, you’re certain to find plenty of it in this stunning region. You’ll need to dress warm, of course, but you can find several fun things to do locally in the city, cutting down on expenses.

If sun and fun is more your thing, and you want a great escape from the cold and snow, then consider Puerto Vallarta or other top destinations in Mexico. Generally inexpensive year-round, Puerto Vallarta offers plenty of all-inclusive resorts to enjoy. This will ensure you’ll never need to worry about planning your meals and activities; instead, you can kick back and relax with some well-deserved rest and relaxation on the beach.




As another great option for beaches and sun worshiping, Jamaica has a festive feel and is delightful to visit during the holiday season. You can opt for all-inclusive resorts or several of the inexpensive hotels that populate the area.

Staying in New York City itself isn’t cheap, but you can get a hotel on Long Island or one of the other boroughs and travel into the city via train, taking in all the holiday delights the city has to offer. Everyone should see New York City at Christmas at least once!




About the Author

Jeff Hindenach

Jeff Hindenach is the co-founder of Simple. Thrifty. Living. He graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. He has a long history of financial journalism, with a background writing for newspapers such as the San Jose Mercury News and San Francisco Examiner, as well as writing on personal finance for The Huffington Post, New York Times, Business Insider, CNBC, Newsday and The Street. He believes in giving readers the tools they need to get out of debt.

  • No comments yet. Be the first to get the conversation started. Here's some food for thought:

    Do you have any thoughts?

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *