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Trade in making crooked gingerbread houses, untangling Christmas lights, and hauling Christmas decorations from the attic during the Christmas holidays for splashing in warm waves, schussing down powdery ski slopes, or whizzing around water park slides.
The best Christmas vacations are the ones that let parents chill and make everyone happy. Yes, this can actually exist outside of a Hallmark movie. All-inclusive Christmas trips are those mythical family Christmas vacations that bring the chill and the happy to a family trip. Even more importantly, these incredible family vacations take the stress out of planning. From cozy ranch-style surroundings in the snow-blanketed plains of Colorado to the white sands of the Dominican Republic, here are a few options that will have you rethinking how your family does a traditional Christmas vacation.
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C U at the Ranch
Snowy landscapes, crackling fires, hot cocoa and Santa … what could feel more Christmasy? C Lazy U Ranch in Granby, Colorado, pulls out all the stops for an unforgettable family vacation this holiday season. Their one-of-a-kind, inclusive resort stay gives families all the best parts of the season without any of the stress and responsibility. Take back your holidays and create lasting memories with the whole family.
What All-Inclusive Gets You
The ranch staff knows its winter wonderland holidays. They’ll set you up in a cozy-chic cabin with a tabletop Christmas tree just for your family, then arrange for caroling, tree trimming, a visit from Santa, horseback riding on snowy trails, winter activities, a horse-drawn sleigh ride, and award-winning, modern farm-to-table meals.
The fantastic kids’ program gets dialed in over the Christmas season and New Year’s, specially planned out for families staying five or more nights. You’ll enjoy breakfast and lunch as a family, after which the kids will head off for counselor-led activities. Kids are grouped by age 3 to 17, and the activities are dependent on ages, interests, and weather. Teen-specific activities are sprinkled in throughout the week, such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing lessons as Jack Frost nips at their nose, fire-building lessons, a BB gun biathlon, indoor equestrian activities, and more. Each afternoon, kids have the option to go tubing – with or without Mom and Dad!
Families who want to play together can go horseback riding, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing with a guide, trap shooting, snowmobiling, or ice skating.
Adults! While your kiddos are entertained, be sure to take advantage of your own time for horseback riding or cross-country skiing, enjoy a quiet meal in the 16+ dining room, or head to the award-winning Lazy You Spa.
Who says Rudolph has to be a reindeer? Photo credit: Kurt Sebastian, Pixabay.
A Holiday with French Flair
You’ve likely heard of Club Med and their easy, hassle-free approach to family vacations. They’ve got all the logistics covered, which is particularly nice when dealing with a ski and snowboard kind of Christmas getaway. Don’t worry about tickets, passes, getting geared up, lessons – they’ll manage it all.
We love the Club Med Charlevoix Quebec for its international feel, without being too far from the lower 48. It’s a winter wonderland where you can ski, sleep, repeat – in true “l’esprit libre” style.
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What All-Inclusive Gets You
Your festive season holiday by Club Med will include world-class accommodations, restaurants serving authentic and locally inspired specialties, and ski lessons by national ski schools. They have nine ski levels for children, five levels for adults, and three snowboard levels for adults. Plus, kids from 4 months to 17 years old have their own special place, thanks to an enriching and age-appropriate array of programs and activities.
Plus, Club Med guarantees a white Christmas! Well, almost. Their snow guarantee says that if 50% of the ski lifts are closed at your resort, they’ll welcome you to a Club Med Resort where snow cover is plentiful enough that you make the most of your slopes during your ski break.
Love to ski but don’t envision doing it day in and day out while you’re at Charlevoix for your Christmas family vacation? No problem. The Quebec resort offers a 4.6-mile (no joke!) sledding slope on the Massif of Charlevoix, with stunning views of the St. Lawrence River, no less. You can even stop part of the way down and warm up in an adorable mountain chalet. There’s ice skating and forest snow walks, too. Looking for something warmer? Sink into the hot tub, sauna, or hammam overlooking the river. And be sure to add a day to explore Quebec City’s cobblestone streets – the UNESCO World Heritage Site is just an hour from the resort and brims with holiday spirit and Christmas markets in December and early January.
- 7-night stays include a 6-day ski pass, 5-day ski lessons, Kids Club every day, and unlimited access to après-ski activities
There’s nothing quite like seeing your kiddo finally take on a slope alone. Photo credit: Greg Rosenke, Unsplash.
Warm Weather Winter Holidays
We’re not gonna lie – when faced with plummeting temperatures in much of the country, it sure sounds enticing to jet off to warm weather vacation. We have two great options, one in Puerto Vallarta that’s as much about indulging parents as kids and one super-fun option from fan-favorite Nickelodeon.
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Puerto Vallarta
Treat your family to the kind of sun-splashed vacation that’s as relaxing for Mom and Dad as for the littles. At Garza Blanca Puerto Vallarta, go as action-packed or as leisurely as your family’s typical vibe. Massages at the world-class spa, playing in the beachfront infinity pool, and exploring the beach are complemented by e-bike tours, stand-up paddleboarding (even a paddle yoga class), or hiking in the jungle.
What All-Inclusive Gets You
Ask about their inclusive package for Christmas vacation to enjoy exclusive, family-friendly amenities, including a bouncer, stroller, kid-sized robes, slippers, and access to the Kids’ Club. Up to two kids eat and stay free. Plus, you’ll enjoy complimentary basic internet for unlimited devices. The Gourmet Culinary All-Inclusive Plan includes dining at three on-site restaurants.
As for those kid-centric amenities, they’ll be faced with a giggle-inducing array of choices, from beach treasure hunts and sandcastle building to dreamcatcher crafts and mandala-making.
Hoping for more? How about temperature-controlled outdoor jacuzzis, a certified swimmable beach, babysitting with advance reservation, pool concierge service, complimentary watersports, complimentary guided hikes of all levels, live music, tennis, yoga, and same-day laundry services?
If you really need snow, squint and the white sand will look like flakes. Photo credit: Pixabay.
Riviera Maya, Mexico, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
The kid experts at Nickelodeon have figured out a great way to take all the holiday to-do lists off your plate and deliver all-ages delights at their Riviera Maya and Punta Cana resorts. In Punta Cana, families will save up to 50% on their stay, plus kids stay free, and in Riviera Maya, you’ll save up to 40% on your vacation.
Both resorts are upping their game over the holidays with themed special events, experiences, and activities, from tree-lighting ceremonies to Christmas decoration workshops. That’s in addition to their usual perks of exclusive entertainment, delectable dining, and upscale amenities in a playfully sophisticated environment.
[ctt template=”4″ link=”1ej79″ via=”no” ]Make it a Christmas to remember with a family-friendly, all-inclusive vacation, from the beaches of Mexico to the wide, snowy plains of Colorado.[/ctt]
What All-Inclusive Gets You
Bring the family PJs, or pick up the latest Nickelodeon pajamas at the resort for a special holiday season PJ breakfast with favorite Nickelodeon characters. (There are also exclusive character meet and greets available throughout your stay.) Attend the Great Tree Lighting, complete with a special guest, and try something that’s likely new to you and yours: pineapple decorating … with prizes! And finally, there are lots of fun surprises in store for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with a themed dinner, live entertainment, and a special visit from Santa Claus. Both resorts also offer unlimited access to their own Aqua Nick® waterpark (basically their own theme park right on the property!). Don’t worry – there are plenty of opportunities to get slimed throughout – maybe on Christmas morning!
Tiny toes. Big Christmas dreams come true. Photo credit: Pixabay.
With options like these, why not spend all 12 days of Christmas away this year?
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