By Nanette Wiser
Whether you drive or fly, ski or cruise, there’s nothing like a holiday vacation with the family or friends for getting in the holiday spirit. Close to home, Gaylord Palms and Disney delight and you can always take a work break with a daycation at The Dolphin Beach Resort, The Postcard Inn, Don CeSar, or The Saint Hotel.
NORTH FLORIDA Ponte Vedra Inn & Club is a fab family holiday featuring holiday-themed arts and crafts in the nursery all month long; breakfast with Santa 12/3-4; decorating gingerbread houses 12/4; holiday hayrides 12/10-11; and a kid-friendly noon year’s eve 12/31. For adults, don your disco duds for the resort’s annual New Year’s Eve Party’s ode to Studio 54. On Jan. 1, guests can kick off the new year with a Polar Plunge before grabbing a Bloody Mary and brunch. The Historic Inn guests and members can enjoy buffet-style dining on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, while signature fine-dining restaurant, Seahorse Grille, will offer multi-course menus on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
At their sister property The Lodge & Club, guests can enjoy oceanfront views from every bespoke suite with in-room fireplaces. Come for the annual Christmas Eve Buffet, Christmas Day brunch and dinner, and a prix fixe New Year’s Eve dinner at signature fine dining restaurant Sea View Grille. During Christmas week, adults can enjoy a complimentary Spirits Series Workshop 12/23 and enroll the little elves in Winter Kids Camp 12/26-30. New Year’s Eve features a DJ, champagne toast at midnight, passed bites, beachside bonfires and more.
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, look no further than a family vacation at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, decked-out in holiday decor and featuring seasonal events – all along the sugar-white sands of Miramar Beach. It all begins just after Thanksgiving when Santa arrives by horse and carriage with much fanfare, live music, fireworks and in a celebration throughout the Village of Baytowne Wharf. Guests can join in on the festivities with a cozy hot cocoa in hand and enjoy refreshing temperatures in the low 70s.
SOUTH FLORIDA Elegant Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa features a Holiday Cocktail Class 12/21, a visit from Santa & Mrs. Claus and Nutcracker Tea at Loggers Kids Club 12/22; complimentary Holiday Ice Cream Toast at Melt 12/22; and a Sake and Sushi Making Class at Boken 12/23. On Christmas Eve, there’s a Holiday Breakfast Buffet, an Eggnog Making Class and a special Christmas menu at Angle, followed by bedtime tales Santa & Mrs. Claus. Christmas Day festivities feature holiday dishes and drinks. New Year’s Eve kicks off with Toasts Around the World, a New Year’s Eve dinner and Ocean After Party. Toast to the New Year and watch the ball drop at Stir with a Champagne Toast at Midnight or reserve a spot at the Grand Ballroom for a “Bubbles and Balloons” Black Tie Dinner and party presented by Dom Perignon while kids party in the Loggers Club.
A tribute to the Latino owners at The Balfour Hotel, its Noche Buena package celebrates the traditional holiday Coquito with a mixology demo in-room and available upon request at the bar. In addition, The Balfour Hotel would offer piñata-making kits for star-shaped piñatas – a nod to a Mexican holiday tradition. The hotel will have additional food and beverage specials for the holiday season, including the Noche Buena staple roast pig.
The Gabriel Miami, located in Downtown Miami, boasts views of the city most magical during the holiday season. Garlands and lights decorate the hotel interior, transforming a decked-out Alice’s Wonderland hotel playroom into a “Winter Wonderland” for guests of all ages to enjoy. The room would bring a white Christmas to Miami with lights, Christmas trees, cookie-making kits, and a station for children to write letters to Santa and drop them off in a red mailbox for Greetings from the North Pole program by USPS.
THE BIG APPLE Plan a luxury holiday in NYC through Beyond Times Square (BTSQ) as they launch their 2023 VIP New Year’s Eve Gala in Times Square – The Best Live Ball Drop Party in New York City, a luxe private affair limited to 150 guests in the chic R Lounge and Living Room at the Renaissance New York Times Square. Here you can enjoy stunning panoramic views of Times Square plus an unobstructed, straight-on view of the iconic ball from three stories above the crowds from 8pm-1am while enjoying hors d’oeuvres, hot and cold food stations, sumptuous desserts, premium open bar specialty cocktails, champagne toast, live entertainment and dancing. BTSQ also offers luxury destination packages including Thanksgiving Parade Viewing Party at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, a VIP Radio City Roxy Suite Reception & Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes and holiday lights and window display tours in Manhattan and Brooklyn. www.btsq.com