There’s a saying in Hawaii : there’s a cost to paradise. Among the US states, Hawaii had the highest cost of living in 2019, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. The median price of a single-family home on Oahu is over $1 million. And gas costs nearly $5 a gallon.

But there are still plenty of low-cost ways to enjoy the best of the islands — pristine beaches, local flavors, stunning natural beauty — without sacrificing your experience. Here's how.

Plan a fall or spring vacation

Hawaii is a year-round destination — and that’s good news for budget travelers. You can find deals on airfare and accommodations during the slower shoulder months — September and October, January and February, April and May — avoiding peak travel times like summer, winter and spring break.

Be smart about island-hopping

Why fly all the way to Hawaii and stay on one island? If you’re set on seeing more than one island on your vacation, you should take advantage of cheaper options on interisland airfares. Southwest Airlines, which entered the interisland market in April 2019, offers Wanna Get Away rates— sometimes as low as $39 one way — with no-frills service and no assigned seating. Mokulele Airlines, which operates Cessna 208EX Grand Caravans that seat up to nine passengers and flies into smaller airports, offers round-trip airfare for less than $200 per person.

If you’re on Maui and want to visit Lanaʻi, you can book a ride on the Expeditions Maui-Lanaʻi Passenger Ferry. Tickets start at $30 one way and take about an hour. Bonus: if you’re traveling between islands from January to April, you may see humpback whales along the way.

Read more: When to go to Hawaii

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Or simply stay on one island

Island-hopping can be pricey — you’re paying for additional airfares and accommodations, and if you’re not on Oʻahu, you’ll likely have to rent a car, the price of which fluctuates with demand.

Plus, staying on one island means you can really explore everything it has to offer. Oʻahu is bustling, with tons of restaurants, shopping, beaches, museums, and hiking trails. Maui is just as vibrant, with more country charm and quaint towns like Hana and Makawao. Kauaʻi is the most laid-back of all the islands, with verdant landscapes, breathtaking beaches and a quieter pace. Hawaii Island, aka the Big Island, boasts active volcanoes, rolling ranchlands and old-Hawaii charm.

Read more: How to choose the best Hawaiian island for your trip

Keep your car rental period short

While opting out of renting a car during your entire vacation may be the most cost-effective, it’s also very limiting, even on Oʻahu, which boasts a great public bus system. You’ll want to get out of resort areas and venture into different neighborhoods, find hole-in-the-wall eateries and experience the islands the way locals do. Instead of renting a car for the duration of your stay, consider a car hire for just a few days, keeping your costs under $100.

Use local ridesharing services and rentals

All of the main islands have ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft (with O‘ahu featuring the best coverage), but there are new local services as well. In June 2021 Holoholo, a new rideshare company, launched on Oʻahu, Maui, Kauaʻi, Hawaii Island and Lanaʻi with a wider selection of rides — drivers pre-approved to enter US military bases, hybrid or electric vehicles, luxury rides and options requiring additional mobility assistance. Fares are based on distance and calculated up front, and rides can be scheduled in advance.

Turo also recently entered the Hawaiʻi market, offering the more affordable option of renting vehicles directly from local owners. And Hui Care Share is a round-trip station-based car share program on Oʻahu only, where you can book a vehicle by the hour or day, now or in the future. The service includes more than 50 vehicles parked at stations throughout urban Honolulu — Waikik i, Downtown, Kakaʻako, Ala Moana, Mānoa, Kaimukī — and Ko Olina. The best part? Gas, maintenance and insurance are all included.

Take public transportation

You can also ditch the cars entirely — no worries about parking! — by using public transportation. On Oʻahu, you can use TheBus, a public bus service with a fleet of 542 buses providing daily services on 110 routes all across the island. Adult fares are $2.75 (one way), with discounts for seniors, students, and kids. TheBus conveniently stops at some of the island’s most popular visitor destinations including Waikiki, Ala Moana Center, Bishop Museum, Kualoa Ranch, Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor, Waimea Valley and Hanauma Bay. Maui also operates a public bus system with service in various parts of the islands, from Kaʻanapali to Upcountry.

Read more: How to get around in Hawaii

Get around by bike

Another option is to ride around Oʻahu on a bike using the island’s only bikeshare program, Biki, which has 1300 bikes at more than 130 self-service Biki Stops throughout Honolulu. It’s a great option for short jaunts to the beach or to grab lunch nearby. Rides are $4.50 per bike one way, $12 for unlimited rides within 24 hours, or $30 for 300 minutes to use in any increment for one year (the best option to use over an entire vacation stay).

See Hawaii's beaches, trails, and gardens

Enjoy the best parts of Hawaii — its beaches, gardens, parks, and hiking trails — without spending much.

Most beaches in Hawaii are free and accessible year-round. Some — like Hanauma Bay on Oʻahu and Hāʻena State Park on Kauaʻi — require reservations with a small fee for visitors. Hanauma Bay has an online reservation system, limiting the number of visitors to the pristine nature reserve to fewer than 800 a day. It costs $25 per person to enter (free for Hawaii residents and children aged 12 under) and another $3 for parking ($1 for residents). To visit Hāʻena State Park — which includes Kēʻē Beach and the start of the Kalalau Trail along the famed Nāpali Coast — you’ll need to secure a reservation and pay a $5 entry fee and $10 for parking (free for residents).

While state-run hiking trails are normally free to access, some have small fees. It costs $5 to hike to the top of Diamond Head (Lēʻahi in Hawaiian) on Oʻahu or visit the popular ʻIao Valley State Monument on Maui.

Most botanical gardens charge a nominal entrance fee, though some, including the popular city-run Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden on Oʻahu, are free to explore.

Eat affordable local dishes: bento boxes and poke bowls

While each island boasts upscale, farm-to-table restaurants that will break your food budget, Hawaii is also known for its home-style local cuisine. Plate lunches, bento (Japanese box meals) and poke bowls (cubed ahi, raw and seasoned, and served atop rice) are plentiful — and affordable. Get loaded plates of teriyaki beef, shoyu chicken or hamburger steak and gravy at popular drive-ins such as Rainbow Drive-In on Oʻahu, Hawaiian Style Café on Hawaii Island, and Tin Roof Maui on Maui. Seek out okazu-ya (Japenese deli-type eateries), which serve à la carte portions of local favorites — shoyu pork, chow fun noodles, shrimp tempura, and musubi (rice balls). Some popular ones are Kawamoto Store on Hawaii Island, Fukuya Delicatessen on Oʻahu, Honokowai Okazuya & Deli on Maui, and Po’s Kitchen on Kauaʻi. And poke bowls are everywhere — affordable and filling meals you can grab even from convience stores.

If your short-term rental has a kitchen, you may want to save money by cooking in. Hit up one of the many farmers markets run by the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau Federation or FarmLovers Markets. You’ll meet local farmers, buy fresh and local produce, and even pick up artisan-made gifts such as jams, hot sauces, cookies, vinegars, and honey. Many serve prepared foods, too.

Find free and low-cost activities and tours

You can still immerse yourself in Hawaii and its rich culture without a pricey lūʻau or helicopter tour through free (or cheap) classes around town. Many hotels and malls offer free entertainment and classes in cultural practices such as lei-making, ukulele-playing, and hula. The Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki offers all that plus lauhala-weaving and free Hawaiian entertainment. Coconut Marketplace on Kauaʻi has free classes in lei-making, hula, and ukulele. Kāʻanapali Beach Hotel on Maui provide complimentary cultural classes to its guests at its Hale Hoʻokipa; learn hula, kukui restoring, ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language), tapa cloth making, and even pānānā, or traditional navigational techniques.

On Oʻahu you can rent surfboards at stands along Waikiki Beach for about $20, more for a lesson from a beach attendant. Or rent what's called a Fun Island — a giant, anchored floating mat — for $20 an hour from Koa Beach Service in Waikiki.

Opt for self-guided tours to save some money. Hōlualoa Kona Coffee Co on Hawaii Island offers roasting tours and coffee samplings for a small fee. Stroll the grounds of the state’s largest coffee grower, Kauaʻi Coffee Co, at your leisure and learn about coffee and its history in the islands. For about $20 you can go on a walking tour of Oʻahu’s historic Chinatown district with the Hawaiʻi Heritage Center, where you learn about the rich history of the neighborhood, Chinese immigration to Hawaii, and architecture. You will even sample some of the food from neighborhood shops and restaurants.

You can download the Shaka Guide app for self-guided GPS audio tours of popular attractions across the islands. Featured tours include Road to Hana on Maui, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on Hawaiʻi Island, and Waimea Canyon on Kauaʻi. Each tour cost $14.99 and works offline.

Average cost in Hawaii

Hostel room: $30 to $150 a night
Basic room for two: $150 to $300 a night
Self-catering apartment (including Airbnb): $80 (for private room) to $6000 a night (where President Obama stayed in Kailua)
Public transport ticket: Adult fares on TheBus on Oʻahu are $2.75 (one way), with discounts for seniors, students, and kids.
Coffee: $2.25 (hot coffee at Starbucks) to $12 (Kona Estate coffee brewed fresh using the Chemex pour over brewer at Honolulu Coffee Co.)
Sandwich: $6.99 (Andy’s Sandwiches & Smoothie) to $10 (at Sprout)
Dinner for two: $50 to $500
Beer/pint at the bar: $7 to $12.

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In longitudes where long johns are all but compulsory and rugged alpine regions where the snow tumbles down sideways, creative grizzled folk brave the cold to cut and chisel and craft chunks of frozen water into sparkling ice hotels, uplit overnight igloos and snow-covered villages for mere non-mountain mortals to sleep over.

We’ve trailed to the dark ends of the Earth to find the best ice hotels. Sub-zero hospitality has never been this cool.

Iglu Dorf – Gstaad, Switzerland

Built using traditional igloo techniques, but with tunnels connecting each of the 11 rooms, it takes around 3000 hours to create the Iglu Dorf hotel in Gstaad, Switzerland each winter. With breathtaking views out across the crucible of the vast Bernese Alps and its crown of fir trees, this slice of wonderful isolation can be enjoyed by up to six guests in a room overnight.

With a sauna and swimming pool just outside as well as homemade mulled wine and traditional hot cheese fondue, this is Switzerland in its purest mountain mode. Iglu Dorf also builds overnight igloos in Davos-Klosters, Stockhorn and Zermatt in Switzerland as well as on Zugspitze in Germany.

Icehotel – Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

First built in 1989 in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, this is the original Icehotel. It’s crafted annually from 2500 two-ton blocks of snice (snow and ice) plucked from the vast meandering Torne River. At the end of the season it simply melts and the water returns to the river. But whilst it’s up, its shimmering catenary arches and individually-designed rooms with snow statues and ice artwork make it a startling imaginative triumph.

Located in northern lights territory, high up into the Arctic Circle, guests can also try husky sledding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. For the artistic, there’s ice sculpting as well. Can’t wait for winter? The Icehotel 365 offers 20 suites, an ice bar and an art gallery all year round. Plus it’s run entirely on renewable energy.

Arctic SnowHotel – Rovaniemi, Finland

Rovaniemi 's Arctic SnowHotel is in Lapland, where Santa Claus kicks back for 364 days each year. Standing on the toes of the Arctic Circle, this part of Finland cycles through eight seasons, but it's the sparkling magic of winter that's most alluring: a calming white-scape of thick, crunchy snow; the swirling purples and greens of the northern lights; the excitable yap of huskies waiting to pull their sledges.

But hidden amongst these miles and miles of white wilderness is Arctic SnowHotel, a fully-functioning 30-room igloo that's built afresh each winter using ice from the nearby Lake Lehtojärvi. The bedrooms are built of snow and ice, as is the bar, the restaurant and the chapel. Snow saunas and outdoor hot tubs also help make the most of this winter wonderland.

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel – Alta, Norway

Sculpted deep beneath the magnetic gaze of the aurora borealis, the world’s northernmost ice hotel in Alta, Norway, is also one of the biggest. Some 250 tons of ice and 7000cu meters of snow are used each year to freshly carve its 20 double rooms, three family rooms and five suites.

Located on the banks of the Alta River, a short snow sled from the Northern Lights Cathedral, the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel also has uplit ice sculptures, an ice bar and even its own ice chapel for couples hoping to melt hearts. The beds have reindeer leather as a natural sleeping mat and sleeping bags capable of withstanding temperatures of -22°F (-30°C), but the sauna (no, not located inside the ice hotel) opens at 7am each morning. Just in case.

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SnowVillage – Kittilä, Finland

Created from 350 tons of crystal clear natural ice and 20,000 tons of snow, this extravagant SnowVillage in Kittilä, some 125 miles (200km) into the Arctic Circle, is crafted with the care and precision of a medieval church. Decorated with ornate ice sculptures that change year-on-year, each work is lit up in the swirling colors of the aurora borealis.

As its name suggests, this isn’t just an ice hotel. There’s a restaurant made from glacier-clear ice, a chiseled ice bar that gleams like a diamond and a beautiful ice chapel too. Each snow suite has been individually designed and brought to life and, yes, there are saunas nearby as well.

Schneedorf Igloo – Hochötz, Austria

The Ötztal in Tyrol is one of those striking Austrian gram-oramas: a sweeping valley of glittering chalets dwarfed by the brooding dark hulks of snow-covered schist and gneiss striding starward. But up here, nestled some 2670ft up the mountainside in the ski region of Hochötz, you’ll find Schneedorf Igloo. Beneath what looks like a fresh dump of plump white snow is actually a hotel with enough room for 44 people to survive a blizzard overnight.

The silence is rejuvenating at night as the temperatures drop and the constellations start to twinkle against winter’s blueberry-dark sky. Dinner is gooey cheese fondue and the on-site snow bar has enough potent liqueurs to keep guests warm until sunrise. Thankfully, the igloo toilets here are heated.

Ice Village Tomamu – Hokkaidō, Japan

Japan ’s only ice hotel is a shades-down dazzler. Surrounded by uplit birch trees, the exclusive genetically-domed igloo sleeps just two people a night on its stylish ice beds, with an outdoor arctic bath and a heated dressing room to keep their lucky bones warm.

Located at Tomamu in Hokkaidō, near the smooth wide runs of Tomamu ski area, the temperatures regularly tumble to -22°F (-30°C). That may sound like visitors are consciously choosing to be cryogenically frozen, but it also means that Ice Village Tomamu guests have access to an ice rink, an ice slide, an ice instrument room, an ice chapel, an ice bar, an ice sweetshop, an ice bakery and – you’ve guessed it – an atelier that only uses ice.

Hôtel de Glace – Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Canada

North America’s only ice hotel is in Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Canada, complete with ice chandeliers and hand-chiseled snow sculptures.

Hosted on the outskirts of Québec City, master craftspeople detail the igloo’s fine frozen furniture, gleaming ice entranceways and curved snow roofs each year. With hot tubs and a sauna under the stars as well as real fires in each room, no guests should go to bed cold. There are even real mattresses and an isolating bed sheet to ensure a great night’s kip. Hôtel de Glace begins it season in January.

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Snowhotel Kirkenes – Kirkenes, Norway

So far up the longitude meridian that there's only really Svalbard in the way of Kirkenes and the North Pole, this wonderful Norwegian snow hotel is open 365 days a year. In the cold, blizzard-blanketed winters this is reindeer and husky country: a quiet, isolated region endured by only the hardiest of creatures. But for overnight guests, it's a beautiful once-in-a-lifetime spot for a winter vacation.

Inside the plump hotel itself, artists bring each bedroom to life with snowy renderings of local winter animals like wolves and owls, whilst specialist ice sculptures that line the halls and ice bar area turn frozen water into glacial artworks worthy of Frieze Art Fair.

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As December dawns and you get ready to cross the final 31 days of the year off on your calendar, you may be tempted to put away the passport and swap those itchy-footed escapades for quiet nights in.

But don't stop now! December is jam-packed with high-octane adventures on mountain peaks and coursing rivers; indulgent escapes with mulled wine, rum cocktails and spicy street food galore; walks on the wild side with kaleidoscopic creatures and soaring giants; and countless seasonal celebrations whisking you from the sunny Caribbean to Santa’s hometown.

This year, December travel will be complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated surges and travel restrictions. The ability to travel will depend on where you’re from and where you want to go. But if you’re looking for December destinations to stoke your wanderlust, here is where to find them.

Where are the best places to visit in December for adventure?

Patagonia, South America

Lace up your boots for an end-of-year adventure at the wild ends of the earth. December is the ideal time to explore Patagonia ’s mind-blowingly beautiful Torres del Paine National Park. Embark on an epic trek along the eight-day circuit, or take the four-day "W" trek for views of Los Cuernos (the ‘horns’), the region’s iconic jagged granite peaks.

Similan Islands, Thailand

Similarly breathtaking experiences can be had diving the coral reefs around Thailand ’s Similan Islands. Beneath the sparkling surface of the ocean you’ll find sharks, barracuda, rays and green and hawksbill turtles – it’s Finding Nemo brought to life.

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Tasmania, Australia

Adrenaline lovers should make for Tasmania ’s Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park for roaring waterways and world-class river rafting. Punctuate your trip by exploring the surrounding scenery, from rocky gorges and mountains to tangled emerald rainforests.

Alta, Utah, USA

In Alta the snow has arrived but the crowds haven't, so get there quick to make your mark on some of the USA’s finest ski terrain.

Where are the best places to visit in December for culture?

Tallinn, Estonia

If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, head to Tallinn to see the medieval city decked out in a blanket of snow, complete with flickering candles lining the streets and markets flogging quintessential Christmas curiosities and festive treats.

Rovaniemi, Finland

And if that’s not enough seasonal charm for you, make for Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland, the "official home" of Santa Claus. Once you’ve dropped your gift list off with the big man himself, treat yourself to a reindeer safari to explore the region in full effect.

Read more: Reindeer, bears and elusive seals: Finland’s finest wildlife experiences

Edinburgh, Scotland

As the year winds down the parties amp up, none more so than in Scotland’s capital, where Hogmanay celebrations see flaming torches, fireworks displays and night-long parties take over the usually quiet cobbled streets.

Trinidad

Slightly more sedate, the Caribbean’s southernmost island Trinidad simmers with stirring Spanish-style musical performances as the locals usher in the start of the dry season.

Where are the best places to visit in December for wildlife and nature?

Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Mother Nature is the gift that keeps on giving this December. In the snowy Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi day-long darkness provides the backdrop for the most magical light show on earth, the swirling aurora borealis, and opportunities to hang out with Rudolf, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing abound.

Tambopata National Reserve, Peru

Swap the blanket of white for a kaleidoscope of colour in Peru ’s Tambopata National Reserve. Now is the ideal time to spot dazzling birdlife, especially the rainbow-feathered macaws that come to munch on the mineral-rich clay.

Micronesia

To the life aquatic now and Micronesia ’s little-known islands scattered in the Pacific Ocean, which serve as the mating grounds for giant manta rays. With wingspans that can reach up to 5m, the chance to dive alongside these dancing behemoths shouldn’t be missed.

Sierra Leone

From colossal to downright cute, rare (and ridiculously adorable) pygmy hippos can be found in Sierra Leone, once you've had your fill of lounging on palm-fringed beaches.

Where are the best places to visit in December for food and drink?

Malaysia

Looking to shake up the traditional holiday season table? We’ve got just the foodie forays for you this festive month. Tuck into a spicy blend of fabulous flavours at Malaysia ’s hawker food stalls, where bright bowls of creamy laksa (noodle soup) and deliciously deep-fried lor bak (pork or prawn wrapped in tofu skin, deep fried and served with dips) will soon do away with any cravings for Christmas pudding.

Havana, Cuba

Check out Cuba’s capital, exploring the city's incredible architecture with a rum-based cocktail in hand.

Basque Country, Spain

With tourist numbers low, now is the ideal time to visit Spain’s Basque Country, seeing out the year with a plate piled high with pintxos (tapas).

Read more: Spain’s top 10 food experiences

Bath, England

We couldn’t leave you entirely bereft of any festive fare, especially when the UK’s pretty city of Bath is serving up such a magnificent selection of seasonal grub. With the aromas of sizzling sausage and spiced mulled wine wafting among the stalls, let your nose (and stomach) take the lead as you wander through the twinkling Christmas markets.

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Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, is famous for its picturesque winter landscapes. So, it’s no surprise that in a place known as a longstanding capital of winter fun, Ottawans know how to enjoy the season.

Welcome to Ottawa in winter from an insider’s perspective! We’ll take you beyond the most popular cold-weather activities in the city, like skating on the Rideau Canal Skateway, marveling at ice sculptures, and warming up with a BeaverTail, to discover everyday winter adventures that locals just adore.

Minutes from downtown, you can be tearing up the snow on fat bikes, cross-country skiing, or seeing how traditional maple syrup is made. Join us for a glimpse of what it’s like to spend the season in Canada’s original winter wonderland.

Enjoy the Greenbelt

Ottawa is surrounded and crisscrossed by 203.5-square-kilometers (78.6 square miles) of pristine, protected Greenbelt, comprised of wetlands, forests, farms, and green space. In the colder months, it’s covered in a blanket of snow and transforms into a magical winter woodland.

Visit Mer Bleue Bog, a 7,700-year-old scientific wonder and one of the most studied bogs in the world. A boardwalk allows you to walk right into the habitat of many wild animals, including rare spotted turtles, muskrats, and beavers, while interpretive panels give you some background knowledge on the unique features of this northern boreal landscape. The trails are accessible year-round, and if you want to pop on some snowshoes or cross-country skis, you can connect from the Dewberry trails – a 1km (0.6 mile) beginner’s path – to numerous other routes that link up and extend across the area.

Pack some sunflower seeds in your pocket when you walk through Jack Pine Trail on Moodie Drive and, if you stand quite still with your hand extended, you might be visited by some friendly chickadees who are all too keen to relieve you of those seeds. Keep an eye out for children’s handmade bird feeders hanging from the trees. You can cross-country ski, snowshoe, or walk the 1.5km (0.9 miles) trail all winter long.

Skate in Ottawa

It isn’t winter in Ottawa without a skate down the Rideau Canal Skateway – the largest ice skating rink in the world. As temperatures drop, the historic canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a favorite spot with locals to walk, cycle, and jog beside, freezes over. Skate the 7.8km (4.8 miles) length, which winds into downtown and gives you stunning views of the city, including the castle-like Fairmont Château Laurier.

The Skateway’s season is, of course, dependent on the weather but usually runs from January to March. Treat yourself to a BeaverTail pastry, an Ottawa invention, in the ByWard Market after your skate.

Ottawa also boasts many other skating spots, including The Rink of Dreams in front of City Hall, which is free to use and looks magical lit up at night.

Get active in the snow

Ottawans don’t let frigid temperatures keep them indoors, and neither should you. Dress warm and get out and active in the snow. If you have your own snowshoes, simply head out to any of the many trails across the city which feature snowshoe routes throughout winter. Bilberry Creek Ravine is an easy and picturesque 1.9km (1.1 miles) trail that crosses a river and pretty bridges. Check mountain equipment stores to rent snowshoes for the day or the week.

For cross-country skiing right in the heart of the city, enjoy a day on the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail (formerly the Sir John A. Macdonald Winter Trail or SJAM). The Kichi Sibi Winter Trail is a popular 16km (9.9 miles) trail used by a range of different winter sports enthusiasts and walkers. The route takes you through busy, trendy neighborhoods and offers lots of spots to take a detour and stop for a drink or a bite to eat.

Fat bikes are often allowed on multi-use trails like the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail, but you should yield to cross-country skiers and snowshoers and respect trail etiquette. Try the South March Highlands in Kanata, which has lots of trails to test out those hardwearing tires.

Taste the Season

At the tail end of winter in late February and early March, when daytime temperatures start to warm up a little, but the nights are still very cold, it’s the perfect time for the maple sap to flow, and that’s when you should visit a sugar bush.

Check out Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush, and other locations just a short drive from the city for a taste of Canada’s liquid gold. During sugar bush season, they make maple taffy poured directly on the snow, teach visitors about maple syrup production, and open trails on the property for walks. Now, that’s the perfect way to enjoy a winter day in Ottawa.

For more information, visit Ottawa Tourism online to find attractions, events, and activities based on your preferences.

Find out why winter is the best time to visit Ottawa with this guide to the season

With its volcanic islands, rugged shorelines and brilliant blue-green waters, Sicily offers some of the most dramatic coastal landscapes on earth, along with a slew of gorgeous trails.

Whether you’re looking for a single-day hike or a whole vacation’s worth of walking, you’ll find it here. To avoid heat, crowds and high prices, come in spring (April–June) or early autumn (September–October).

Stromboli Volcano

Best hike for volcanic action

Start/end: Stromboli town, 2.5 miles (4km) round trip, 2–3 hours, moderate

For sheer excitement, nothing compares to Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands. Sicily’s showiest volcanic island has been lighting up the Mediterranean for millennia, spewing out showers of red-hot rock with remarkable regularity since the age of Odysseus.

In fact, Stromboli erupted again in 2019, which changed the way people can hike the slopes. Instead of climbing to the 3032ft (924m) summit, hikes now stop at an observation point at about 400m. Still, even from this level the views are grand and feature a close view of the Sciara del Fuoco, a jet-black lava scar that runs down Stromboli’s northern flank. Note that guides are required for this hike.

The trail (initially a switchback road) starts in Piscità, 1.25 miles (2km) west of Stromboli’s port. Hikes to the current endpoint only take about an hour but are still very steep and not for the timid. Be prepared – the trail narrows and gets steeper as you climb.

You’ll likely see minor eruptions occur every 20 minutes or so during your time on the path. There’s a loud belly-roar as gases force hot magma into the air. After particularly strong eruptions, you can watch as red-hot rocks tumble down the seemingly endless slope, creating visible splashes as they plop into the sea. For best viewing, come on a still night, when the livid red Sciara and exploding cone are dramatically visible.

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Monte Fossa delle Felci

Best hike for sweeping views

Start/end: Valdichiesa, 2.5 miles (4km) round trip, 3 hours, moderate–hard

The ancient Greeks dubbed this island Didyme (the twins) for its verdant pair of dormant volcanoes. These days Salina remains the Aeolian Islands ’ greenest island, dotted with wineries that produce the region’s renowned Malvasia wine. For sweeping views of the vineyards and the surrounding seascape, climb Salina’s highest peak, Monte Fossa delle Felci (3156ft/962m).

The trail starts at Santuario della Madonna del Terzito, an imposing 19th-century church at Valdichiesa, in the valley separating the island’s two volcanoes. It switchbacks steeply up the mountainside, climbing through pine and chestnut woodlands and fields of ferns, all the way to the top. Along the way, you’ll see plenty of colorful flora, including wild violets and asparagus.

The last 328ft (100m) to the summit is tough. Once there you’re rewarded with jaw-dropping views of Salina’s shapely second cone, 2821ft (860m) Monte Porri, backed to the west by the distant volcanic islands of Filicudi and Alicudi. From the southeast ridge, you can look down over the Lingua salt lagoon and over to Lipari and Vulcano.

Pianoconte to Quattropani, Lipari

Best hike for coastal scenery

Start: Pianoconte, end: Quattropani, 5 miles (8km), 3–4 hours, moderate–hard

Fabled since ancient times for its rich obsidian deposits, Lipari also boasts some of the stupendous coastal scenery in the Aeolian Islands. This classic hike starts from Pianoconte’s school (3 miles/5km west of Lipari Town), descending toward the sea along a paved road, which eventually narrows to a trail. Leveling out along the coastal bluffs, a relatively flat section skirts Lipari’s western shoreline, affording fabulous views of Salina, Vulcano, Filicudi, and Alicudi, before climbing steeply to the town of Quattropani.

As you descend from Pianoconte, you’ll pass the old Roman baths of San Calogero, famous in antiquity for the thermal spring that flowed at a constant temperature of 140°F (60°C). Climbing back to Quattropani, you’ll also pass the Old Kaolin Mine, where the hillside is still visibly scarred. The trail can just as easily be hiked in the opposite direction, starting just south of town. Either way, the strenuous climbs and steep descents are rewarded with spectacular coastal scenery and dramatic vistas of flower-covered slopes cascading to the cobalt sea below.

Both ends of the trail can be reached by local bus – on the way there, ask the driver to let you off at the trailhead; returning, look for the official bus stop in either Pianoconte or Quattropani.

Fossa di Vulcano

Best hike for steaming craters

Start/end: Vulcano port, 2.5 miles (4km) round trip, 2–3 hours, moderate

Volcano hikes don’t get much more satisfying than the gradual climb up 1283ft (391m) Fossa di Vulcano, the smoldering grayish-orange peak that dominates the island of Vulcano in the Aeolian Islands. Belching out a steady stream of noxious sulfurous fumes, the crater was mythologized by the ancient Romans as Vulcan’s forge.

Start early if possible and bring a hat, sunscreen and water. Follow the signs south along Strada Provinciale, then turn left onto the zigzag gravel track that leads to the summit. It’s a 30- to 60-minute climb to the lowest point of the volcano’s rim (951ft/290m), where you’ll be rewarded with fine views of the steaming crater encrusted with red and yellow crystals.

It’s well worth lingering up top and climbing another 15 minutes around to the southern rim for stunning views of the distant silhouettes of the remaining five Aeolian Islands aligned symmetrically on the horizon with the gaping crater in the foreground. The truly ambitious can descend steeply to the crater floor (but beware of hot steam vents and the accompanying toxic fumes).

Capo Milazzo

Best hike for families

Start/end: Chiesa di San Antonio, 1.9 miles (3km) round trip, 1 hour, easy

You couldn’t ask for a more scenic hike than this easy, family-friendly loop around the hook-shaped Capo Milazzo peninsula north of Milazzo. The trail initially passes through a level landscape of olive groves, cactus, and stone walls before beginning a steady descent towards the surging sea.

The views get truly dreamy near the peninsula’s northern tip, where you’ll find a lighthouse. Short trails lead to the Piscina di Venere, an idyllic rock-fringed natural pool that’s perfect for a swim. Loop back along the peninsula’s western shore, stopping en route to visit the cactus-covered ruins of the 13th-century Santuario Rupestre di San Antonio da Padova.

Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro

Best hike for reveling in nature

Start/end: Scopello, 8.7 miles (14km) round trip, 5 hours, moderate

Spanning a sinuous series of coves and steep headlands one hour west of Palermo, the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro was established as Sicily’s first nature reserve in 1981, after local protests canceled construction of a controversial highway that would have bisected this spectacular shoreline. The result: one of Sicily’s best walking locales, with the would-be highway converted into a 4.4-mile-long (7km) trail snaking between bluffs and beaches.

Some 40 bird species (including rare Bonelli eagles) and 700 species of flora can be found here, along with a visitors center and several small museums that celebrate the area’s traditional farming and tuna fishing economy. The trail is most easily hiked as a simple out-and-back from the park’s southern entrance 1.25 miles (2km) north of the pretty hamlet of Scopello.

Maps available at the visitors center show several optional trails as well as paths down to the pretty beaches.

La Rocca

Best hike for historic ruins

Start/end: Piazza Garibaldi, 1.9 miles (3km) round trip, 1.5 hours, moderate

Towering high above Cefalù 's sandy beach and Arab-Norman cathedral, the craggy outcrop of La Rocca makes an exhilarating short day hike. To reach the vertiginous 886ft (270m) summit, follow signs for Tempio di Diana, taking Vicolo Saraceni off Corso Ruggero or Via Giuseppe Fiore off Piazza Garibaldi. The 30- to 45-minute route climbs the Salita Saraceni, a winding ancient stone staircase. Pass through three tiers of city walls and enjoy pretty views of the cathedral’s honey-colored towers before emerging onto rock-strewn upland slopes with spectacular coastal views.

The windswept summit appears a suitable home for the race of giants that are said to have been Sicily's first inhabitants. Crowning the hilltop is a ruined 11th-century Norman castle superimposed on a 9th-century Arab citadel, surrounded by sweeping 360-degree panoramas of the Madonie Mountains and the Tyrrhenian. The ruined 4th-century-BCE Tempio di Diana provides a quiet and shady respite for tired hikers.

Riserva Naturale Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari

Best hike for bird-watching

Start: main entrance, Vendicari reserve; end: Spiaggia Calamosche, 3.1 miles (5km), 1.5 hours, easy

One of Sicily’s easiest and most rewarding coastal walks runs through this birdwatcher’s paradise just south of Syracuse. From the reserve’s main entrance, the trail follows raised boardwalks through coastal marshes filled at various times with flamingos, cranes, storks, ospreys, and dozens of other migratory bird species.

Nearing the sea, you’ll come upon the photogenic remains of a historic 18th-century tuna-processing plant and a 15th-century Sveva defensive tower designed to repel attacks by pirates. Continue north along the shoreline to reach Spiaggia Calamosche, a pretty strip of sand lapped by turquoise waters between two jutting headlands. The swimming here is excellent.

Castello di Punta Troia, Marettimo

Best hike for castle lovers

Start/end: Marettimo town, 3.1 miles (5km) round trip, 2.5 hours, moderate

An hour west of Trapani, the green-hued island of Marettimo in the Egadi Islands is an attractive off-the-beaten-track hiking destination. Hydrofoils dock at the island’s main village, a labyrinth of whitewashed houses surrounded by iridescent turquoise and ultramarine waters. From the port, a network of beautifully maintained, well-marked trails fan out around the island.

Especially scenic is the trail winding north along high bluffs to the dramatically perched Castello di Punta Troia, a 12th-century Norman castle built atop an earlier Saracen watchtower on a lonely promontory at Marettimo’s northeastern tip. Not far from here, in 241 BCE, the Romans and Carthaginians once fought the decisive battle of the First Punic War; these days it’s about as peaceful a spot as you could wish for.

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Wind your way beside the crashing Southern Ocean, twist around hairpin bends hugging limestone cliffs, take pit stops under koala-filled tree canopies, and bask in the sun on secluded beaches on one of Australia’s most spectacular drives: the Great Ocean Road.

While the drive is best known for the iconic Twelve Apostles and famous beaches at Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne and Apollo Bay, many of the region’s treasures are not on the Great Ocean Road itself. It might be hard to tear yourself away from that view, but we recommend you make a detour every now and then and stretch your legs to see historic country towns and lush rainforest where you’ll find native wildlife, Aboriginal cultural experiences and gastronomic delights.

This stunning coastal road (officially the B100) starts on the stretch between the surf town of Torquay and Anglesea, just over an hour from Melbourne, and ribbons its way along the ocean to finish up between Port Campbell and Warrnambool where it meets the Princess Highway (or the A1).

Surfs up on Bells Beach

Although you’ve only just started the road trip, you’ll want to veer off the Great Ocean Road early on to get a look at surfers riding the waves at Bells Beach between Torquay and Anglesea. It’s famous as the home of the annual Rip Curl Pro Surfing competition over Easter (as well as the setting for the beach wrestle between Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves in Point Break, although the scene wasn’t actually filmed on location here).

Sacred knowledge of the Wathaurung people

Situated close to Bells Beach, Point Addis is a stunning clothing-optional secluded stretch of beach backed by terracotta-colored cliffs and part of the Point Addis Marine National Park. The excellent Koorie Cultural Walk here will teach you a little about the Wathaurung people, who lived in the region for millennia before Europeans arrived by ship to colonize this country.

The bushwalk takes you on a 2km trail with informative plaques along the route. Keep an eye out for spiky echidnas waddling through the brush and wallabies hopping by, as well as taking in dramatic coastal views from the lookout points.

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Surprising golf buddies at Anglesea

The popular seaside town of Anglesea is a magnet for holidaymakers in the summer months for its family-friendly beach and pedal-boat rides on the Anglesea River. But we have a reason to head away from the water and into the residential backstreets: to glimpse the kangaroos who have made the Anglesea Golf Club their home. Play a round of golf and share the course with the resident population of Eastern Grey kangaroos, or simply join a 30-minute 'roo tour run by the club.

Misty waters at Erskine Falls near Lorne

Next the road twists and turns to the hugely popular seaside town of Lorne, nestled between tall gum trees on one side and the Loutit Bay on the other. To escape the crowds, take a 9km detour to the lovely Erskine Falls, which tumbles into the Erskine River 30 meters below. There are a couple of lookout options: it’s an easy five-minute walk to the viewing platform from the parking lot, otherwise, tackle the slightly more precarious 250 steps to the base of the falls in a lush fern gully to feel the mist on your face.

Historic Birregurra

A 30-minute drive inland from Lorne will bring you to the historic town of Birregurra, well worth a detour to wander its charming 19th-century streetscape and to dine at the much-lauded Brae –consistently voted one of the best restaurants in Australia. The restaurant is located just outside the main town in a lovely cottage among 30 acres of gardens with onsite accommodation suites that come with their own cocktail bar, record player and bathtub with nature views. Chef Dan Hunter creates a degustation menu of creative genius using mostly what is grown onsite or sourced locally. Note: you’ll need to reserve a table well in advance.

Walk in the treetops at Otway National Park

Detour into the ferny gullies and wander among ancient plant life in the beautiful Otway Ranges. This lush national park is home to the popular tourist attraction, Otway Fly Treetop Adventures, where you can brave the heights among the treetops on an elevated walkway 50 meters above the rainforest floor. There is plenty here to keep kids entertained from the zipline tour to the prehistoric path dotted with dinosaurs.

Mountain hiking and platypus spotting at Forrest

While the beachside town of Apollo Bay gets a lot of attention around this part of the Great Ocean Road, it’s definitely worth ducking into the Otways hinterland to the town of Forrest and nearby scenic Lake Elizabeth. Adventure lovers can hike the excellent trails around Forrest, beer lovers can sample cold ales at the Forrest Brewing Company, and nature lovers should not miss out on a guided canoe trip on Lake Elizabeth to spot elusive platypuses in the wild.

Ancient volcanic caldera at Tower Hill

Though technically the Great Ocean Road becomes the Princes Hwy around here, you won’t want to miss out on a detour some 15km from the town of Warrnambool to the vast caldera of Tower Hill that was born in a volcanic eruption 30,000 years ago. It was declared Victoria’s first national park in 1892 and not only does it offer some incredible wildlife watching opportunities – emus, echidnas, koalas, kangaroos and unique Australian birdlife – but it's an essential stop for anyone with an interest in Australia’s Indigenous history. The Worn Gundidj Aboriginal Cooperative operates the Tower Hill Natural History Centre where you can check out rare Aboriginal artifacts (don’t miss the possum-skin cloak) and join bushwalks led by Indigenous guides.

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Give your tastebuds a tour of Timboon

Port Campbell National Park on the Great Ocean Road is the gateway to the iconic Twelve Apostles, which should not be missed. After admiring these magnificent rock formations jutting skyward from the ocean, make the 15-minute drive inland from Port Campbell to the gourmet town of Timboon. Here you can indulge in everything from free cheese tastings at Timboon Cheesery, single-malt whisky at the Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and artisan ice cream at Timboon Fine Ice Cream, to name a few.

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One of the greatest thrills of travel is to be on the move, observing and absorbing a country as you go. By train, bus or motorbike, Thailand’s scenic journeys are to be savored.

Each adventure is packed with opportunities to sample the wares of hawkers, taste the local flavors from roadside food trucks and trade tips with fellow passengers. And don’t forget to smile through any unexpected hold-ups and occasional discomforts because they are part of what makes the journey so much more than the destination. Here are three highly recommended, highly memorable trips.

Mahachai Shortline train

Separate from the main train network, the Mahachai line from Wong Wian Yai station in Thonburi in the western part of Bangkok was originally constructed to transport produce from the ports of Samut Songkhram and Samut Sakhon to the markets in the city. It’s a working train, still used for transporting produce and people in and out of Bangkok.

Sitting among locals on hardback seats, with the breeze from open windows and overhead fans, while passing through the canals of the Bangkok suburbs and salt marshes along the Gulf of Thailand is an atmospheric trip that affords a glimpse of both the bustle and humdrum of everyday life.

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The first leg of the journey is the one-hour trip from Wong Wian Yai to the fishing port of Samut Sakhon. There the train terminates in the middle of a busy fresh produce market.

Just outside the market, catch a ten-minute ferry ride across Tha Chin river takes you to Ban Laem from where the train leaves for the second leg of the journey, the 90-minute ride to Samut Songkhram, another fishing port at the mouth of the Mae Khlong River. Again the train goes right into the market at Samut Songkhram, and here vendors make use of the space between the train tracks to lay out their wares, hastily moving it away as the train approaches. At weekends, the Amphawa Floating Market (open Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings) is worth a visit.

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Make it happen

Trains run every hour from Wong Wian Yai to Samut Sakhon with a few daily connecting trains at Samut Songkhram. There is also a bus service between Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram and from Samut Songkhram to Bangkok’s south terminal.

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Mae Sa–Samoeng loop

The 100km Mae Sa-Samoeng loop climbs, dips and twists its way like a roller coaster through rugged mountains and forested peaks and can be done as a day trip by car, motorbike or scooter from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. The expansive mountain landscape makes the journey itself the highlight of the trip, although there are plenty of worthy detours along the way.

From Chiang Mai, travel north along Rte 107 towards Mae Rim and then west on Rte 1096. Here the road becomes more rural, following the course of the Mae Sa River. Six kilometers past the turn-off for Mae Rim are the Nam Tok Mae Sa waterfalls in the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, a picturesque spot that is popular with locals and a good place for a cooling dip.

After enjoying the falls, keep going until you reach the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens, 12 km from the Mae Rim turn-off. Thailand’s first botanical gardens opened in 1993 – the glasshouse complex is not to be missed. From here, the road climbs up through the terraced fields of the Mae Sa valley; Mon Cham is a good place to stop for lunch and panoramic views.

The furthest point along the loop is the pretty village of Samoeng. From this point, follow Rte 1269, a winding road that descends from the hills, and then continue along Th Khlong Chonprathan (Canal Road) back to Chiang Mai.

A longer, more adventurous scenic motorbike trip is the Mae Hong Son loop, a 600km journey that takes a minimum of four days to complete.

Make it happen

To travel the Ma Sa-Samoeng loop you will need to hire a car, motorbike or motor scooter since the route is not entirely covered by public transport. There are multiple vehicle hire outlets in Chiang Mai. Be careful to check the small print on your rental contract, including insurance cover, as well as your own travel insurance.

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Bus ride from Kanchanaburi to Sangkhlaburi

Made famous as the setting for Pierre Boulle’s novel and David Lean’s 1957 film adaptation The Bridge over River Kwai, Kanchanaburi's WWII memorials and museums honor the conscripted laborers and POWs forced to build a railroad to Myanmar during Japanese wartime occupation.

Situated 130 km northwest of Bangkok, the town serves as a gateway to Thailand’s wild west and the 200km bus trip up to the sleepy town of Sangkhlaburi near the border with Myanmar rewards the adventurous with spectacular views. During the five-to-six-hour journey, the local tin-can bus slides its way between toothy green limestone mountains and passes through a teak reforestation project.

From Thong Pha Phum to Sangkhlaburi the road becomes quite rough, but it is also one of the most beautiful stretches of road in Thailand. Once you have bumped and wound your way there, this remote town overlooking the Khao Laem reservoir is an interesting destination with its mixed ethnic population of Burmese, Karen, Mon, Thai and Lao people, and a corresponding blend of cultures and languages. Extend the scenic journey a little further across the long rickety Mon bridge (now fully repaired after storm damage in 2013) to the village of Wang Kha.

Make it happen

The bus station in Kanchanaburi is at the southern end of the town on Th Saengchuto. From here, there are hourly ordinary and air-conditioned buses to Sangkhlaburi. The air-conditioned bus takes about four hours and the ordinary bus between five and six hours. There are also frequent buses from the Kanchanburi bus station to Bangkok (three hours).

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Who does holiday cheer better than New York? The famous poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' was supposedly inspired by the festive atmosphere in one of the city’s downtown markets in 1822, and, according to Miracle on 34th Street, yes, there is a Santa Claus – and he presides at Macy’s.

But it’s not all yuletide cheer: Across the five boroughs, there are Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations too, and let’s not forget, New Year’s Eve is just around the corner. From outdoor skating rinks to sprawling gift markets to the brightest lights in the city, here are some of the best things to do in New York during the holiday season.

Kick off the festivities on the right foot

The holidays seem to start earlier and earlier each year, but for many people, the season doesn’t officially begin until Santa Claus makes his appearance at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year’s extravaganza features more than a dozen character balloons, including new faces (Baby Yoda!) and old favorites alike, as well as Broadway performances, floats, inflatables and marching bands galore.

The parade may be the main event, but you can also head to the Upper West Side (Columbus Avenue and 72nd Street) the night before to see the giant balloons being inflated. Once a more word-of-mouth situation, it’s become a full-blown affair (ahem) in recent years, with people turning out in droves to watch their favorite characters come to life.

Given the pandemic, however, the 2021 celebration should be a bit more restrained: Capacity is limited, masks are required and those 12 and up will be asked to show proof of vaccination along with a photo ID matching their CDC card. Negative tests won’t permitted as a substitute, though kids ineligible for the shot can get in with a vaxxed adult.

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Window-shop on Fifth Avenue

The window displays in the shops lining Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue are a near-legendary holiday attraction, and this year’s efforts promise to be as impressive as ever. Start at 49th Street with Saks Fifth Avenue and cross over to Bergdorf Goodman at 58th, then hit the other side of the street on your way back down.

The Tiffany & Co. flagship at 57th usually shows off something special, and near Rockefeller Center, the Godiva store – which has been known to flaunt hundreds of pounds of the signature product in its displays – is sure to give chocoholics a thrill. Don’t forget the outliers: Further south, Lord & Taylor (5th Avenue at 38th Street) and Macy’s (34th Street and Broadway) are both worth a visit.

The sidewalks can get crowded, so mornings are your best bet if you want to check out the scenes without having to jostle for position.

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See the lights in southwest Brooklyn

New Yorkers and tourists alike travel deep into Brooklyn to gawk at the spectacularly excessive lights on the homes in Dyker Heights, a residential neighborhood that takes its Christmas decorations very, very seriously. Book a guided tour, or wander the streets on your own – walking the blocks between 7th and 13th avenues and 76th and 86th streets should put you in the middle of the action.

It’s a trek via public transit, but if you drive, traffic can be a nightmare, so you’ll have to pick your poison. For best results, visit when a high concentration of people are likely to have their decorations up – say, mid-December to early January – and get there before 9pm, when most of the lights go out for the evening.

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Take to the ice in Midtown Manhattan

The ice-skating rink at Rockefeller Center is perhaps the city’s most famous seasonal spot, and although gliding by that giant tree is a lovely experience, it’s also tiny, expensive (from US$20 to $54, depending on the time of day, plus $10 for skate rentals), and the lines regularly drag on for hours.

Instead, there’s Central Park's Wollman Rink, which is bigger, mostly cheaper (from US14 to $23 for adults, plus $11 rental) and equally atmospheric, thanks in part to a recent refurbishment, which added a new clubhouse, murals from local artists and concessions from Harlem restaurant Melba’s.

For an even better deal, reserve ice time at Bryant Park ’s Winter Village, where admission is free, though rentals range anywhere from US$15 to $45 (shoot for off-peak hours to get the lower end of that scale). Unsteady on those blades? There’s street curling here too, as well as private igloos accommodating up to eight people, for those who prefer to come in from the cold.

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Attend a massive outdoor Hanukkah party

The Jewish festival of lights begins early this year, and there’s no better way to welcome in the holiday’s eight days and – in the immortal words of Adam Sandler – eight crazy nights than with a big ol’ party.

Kicking off November 28 with live music and the lighting of what’s billed as the world’s largest menorah, a 32-foot-high, 4000-pound steel behemoth, the festivities take place daily through December 5 at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza, with lightings at 6pm on weeknights, 3:30pm on Friday, 7pm on Saturday and 5:30pm on Sunday. (There’s also a similar event at Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza, but you’ll only find the concerts – and the hot latkes – across the East River.)

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Join in the Kwanzaa festivities

This seven-day celebration of African-American culture is observed annually from December 26 to January 1, and there are plenty of options within the city limits to explore the holiday’s principles of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

Chief among them is the celebration that’s been held at Harlem’s iconic Apollo theater since 2006. Titled Kwanzaa: A Regeneration Celebration, this year’s event will be virtual (pay what you wish; available to watch live on December 26 or on demand through January 3), hosted by Imhotep Gary Byrd and featuring performances by Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, a local troupe that mixes contemporary modern, West African, house and hip-hop dance styles.

Across the river, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is marking its twelfth year of Kwanzaa festivities with a five-day family event highlighting the holiday’s culture, including programs dedicated to storytelling, djembe drum, African dance and artist-led mural- and gift-making. Museum admission is free on Thursdays from 2pm to 5pm; otherwise, it costs US$13 for anyone over one year old.

Visit the world’s most famous Christmas tree

Rockefeller Center is the capital of NYC Christmas, and its massive tree has been a mainstay since 1931. This year’s Norway spruce is 79ft tall and 46ft wide, weighing in at 12 tons – and that’s before you factor in 50,000-plus LED lights and the 900-pound (408.23kg) Swarovski star capping it all off. Yes, the plaza is almost always packed, but it’s worth fighting your way through to snap a few pics, particularly after dark when the lights bounce off the bare shoulders of the golden Prometheus statue.

The annual lighting ceremony takes place on December 1, and the tree remains lit daily from 6:00am to midnight through New Year’s Eve, except on Christmas Day, when it shines for 24 hours, and on New Year’s Eve, when the lights click off at 9:00pm.

Been there, done that? Head uptown to Central Park on December 2, where there’s carol-singing and ice-carving before a flotilla of trees is lit on the Harlem Meer.

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Catch a classic holiday show, or one with a twist

The Winter Solstice celebration at St John the Divine is a beloved, and rather secular, concert series (live-streaming this year from December 17 to 18; also available on demand), while Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular (on now through January 2) is the show every New York kid sees growing up, with dozens of dancing Santas and that amazing line of Rockettes’ legs a-kicking.

Up at Lincoln Center, New York City Ballet’s Nutcracker is making an in-person return, kicking off November 26 and running through January 2 with a cast and crew of hundreds – not to mention a much-beloved score by Peter Tschaikovsky and ​​choreography by the legendary George Balanchine.

Too conventional for your taste? Try the Hip Hop Nutcracker instead, a touring show melding that classic Tschaikovsky score with modern dance, touching down in Flatbush, Brooklyn, on December 19.

For all indoor activities in NYC, proof of full vaccination is required for those ages 12 and up, along with photo ID. Mask mandates vary from venue to venue, so check on the specifics before you go.

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Get your shopping done outdoors

By November, quite a few of New York’s parks and public spaces have been transformed into hotly anticipated holiday marketplaces. Through December 24, more than 160 vendors set up shop in Union Square, hawking arts and crafts, while 170-plus feature at the market at Bryant Park’s Bank of America Winter Village (open through January 2).

Situated on Central Park West, the Columbus Circle holiday market runs from November 29 to  December 24, and the indoor Grand Central Holiday Fair is open now through Christmas Eve.

Say hi to Santa at Macy’s

Macy's elaborate Santaland is a stunner of a scene, full of Christmas trees, elves, toy trains and snow-filled wonder. Still, visiting the big guy looks a little bit different this year: for social-distancing purposes, he’s available by reservation only, which open at 5:30am for visits five days out, and masks are required for everyone, even Mr. Claus himself.

Special-needs accommodations are available upon request, as are Santas of different ethnicities – as the store’s site proclaims, “We believe that Santa is all things to all people who find joy in his kindness.”

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Four of the city's five boroughs have spectacular garden-centric light shows this year.

Bronx

It’s a bit of a trek to get there, but the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx has one of the city's great Christmas traditions. Now in its 30th year, 2020’s Holiday Train Show features a model-train track winding its way past 175 iconic sites in miniature, from the Statue of Liberty to the Brooklyn Bridge, made from natural materials like cinnamon sticks and lotus pods.

As an accompaniment, an after-hours event called NYBG Glow also takes place on select nights. A colorful installation covering 1.5 miles of ground, it also includes music and dancing, plus food and drinks courtesy of the garden’s outdoor bars and the Bronx Night Market Holiday Pop-Up, a local favorite for artisan cuisine from 20-plus countries.

The train show is now open and runs through January 23, while NYBG Glow begins November 24 and runs on select nights through January 22.

Brooklyn

New this year is Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, an immersive outing that involves, among other things, a mile-long trail with illuminated with art installations, light sculptures, and projected poems by Jacqueline Woodson; colorful displays augmenting the surrounding landscape and a 98-foot long cathedral-style tunnel, all set to music and featuring more than a million lights. Lightscape is now open and runs on select evenings through January 9.

Fully vaccinated visitors don’t have to wear masks outside, and those who aren’t fully vaxxed must wear them inside and out, while everyone over the age of 2 has to wear them indoors. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to enter indoor areas for those 12 and up.

Staten Island

Running through January 9 at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, the NYC Winter Lantern Festival boasts projection-mapping, food vendors, a DJ, and, of course, dozens of handcrafted and painstakingly painted lanterns – peacocks, dragons, caged birds and more – across eight acres of ground. To enter any indoor spaces, face masks are required and those ages 12 and up must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Queens

It’s not technically a botanic garden, but the lantern festival also has a holiday-lights event at the Queens County Farm Museum, with lanterns shaped like flowers, tractors and farm animals. It opens November 25 and runs through January 9. Proof of vaccination is required for any indoor activities; outside, unvaccinated guests must wear masks and practice social-distancing.

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Cram in with the Times Square crowds on New Year’s Eve

The Times Square ball drop is just one of many options here for ringing in the New Year here, famous though it may be. But if you’re determined to join the masses and check it off your bucket list, there are a few things you should know.

First things first: The perimeter of Times Square is barricaded for the evening, and there are no bathrooms inside – space is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and there are so many people you’ll lose your spot if you leave. Once you’re in, you’re in, so plan accordingly. The ball drops just before midnight at Broadway and 43rd Street, and performances begin at 6pm; revelers tend to start rolling in a few hours in advance.

This year, proof of full vaccination is required for everyone ages 5 and up; younger unvaccinated kids need to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult. Those ineligible for the vaccine due to disability must show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours and wear masks for the duration.

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The Temples of Angkor Wat are an iconic symbol of Southeast Asia and rightly Cambodia's top attraction. But Siem Reap, gateway to Angkor, offers much more than its famed temples. The city is an emerging center of commerce and culture in the Mekong region. Now that the country has relaxed its requirements for vaccinated visitors to quarantine, more travelers are planning a trip to Cambodia.

If you are lucky enough to make it there in 2022, once your extra-early sunrise tour of Angkor Wat is complete, we've got the best things to do in Siem Reap. From helicopter tours and ziplining to joining the circus, there's plenty to keep travelers active. Here are our favorites.

Helicopter flights for the best views

Once you've seen the glorious temple grounds by foot, take to the skies in a helicopter with Smiles of Angkor. But this is a list of things to do beyond the major temple draw; opt for one of the helicopter tours that go further, including trips to stunning aerials of the Phnom Koulen waterfall and the floating villages of Tonlé Sap lake. Longer flight options include seeing all the major temples, and a ‘see it all’ flight for 40 minutes which includes the ornate Banteay Srei temple.

Quad-biking tours

Explore the beautiful Siem Reap countryside by all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a sunset tour through the rice fields with Quad Adventure Cambodia. If you thought quad bikes were only for petrol heads, think again – here they are perfect for negotiating the dirt roads, and local children greet you like a rock star as you ride slowly through the villages. Longer rides go deep into the Cambodian countryside and include a stop at some remote, seldom-visited temples.

Siem Reap by Vespa

Four wheels bad, two wheels good? Then try buzzing around Siem Reap on a Vespa, the classic Italian scooter. Cambodia Vespa Adventures takes visitors deep into the rice fields to engage with the local people on an all-day Countryside Life Tour. Or spend the evening tasting Cambodian cuisine around Siem Reap on the After Dark Foodie Tour.

Horse-riding trails

Choose a different sort of horsepower altogether and opt for a four-legged ride through fields and quiet villages. The Happy Ranch offers one- to four-hour trail rides taking in the Cambodian scenery, visiting some beautiful off-the-beaten-path spots. Some obscure temples are included in the longer rides, such as Wat Chedi, an old pagoda sitting imperiously above a sea of emerald-green rice fields.

Cooking classes and tuk tuks

If managing a quad bike sounds a little daunting, let a driver take the strain and join a Cooks in Tuk Tuks culinary class to discover the best of Cambodian cooking. Start out with a visit to the local market, by tuk-tuk, of course, to learn some bargaining skills while helping purchase the fresh ingredients for the class. Dishes include a banana-flower salad starter, the national dish of fish amok and a sago, pumpkin and coconut milk dessert.

Phare, the Cambodian circus

This innovative contemporary Cambodian circus comes to town every night, thanks to a traditional big-top home behind the Angkor National Museum. Modern morality tales meet traditional circus skills of acrobatics, contortion and juggling to create a memorable evening. Many of the young-adult performers come from under-privileged backgrounds in Battambang and Siem Reap and have gone on to entertain audiences worldwide.

Ziplining among the gibbons

Go ape on a jungle-canopy zipline adventure that offers the opportunity to glimpse some gibbons in their natural habitat. Angkor Zipline operates 10 ziplines linked together by wooden bridges. The highest point of the course reaches 50m, with views as far north as the holy mountain of Phnom Kulen. The safety standards here are world-class: a monkey business without the monkeying around.

Miniature-golfing the temples

While the serious golfers make for the Nick Faldo–designed Angkor Golf Resort, mini-golf fans prefer to fine-tune their putting skills at the Angkor Wat Putt. Most of the 14 holes are designed as Angkor temples, including petite Banteay Srei and mountain-top Prasat Preah Vihear. Pint-sized replicas are one way to ensure that children can enjoy the temples without getting tired, and adults win a free beer for a hole-in-one.

Shopping for a cause

For socially responsible shopping at its most sophisticated, tour the extensive workshops of Artisans d’Angkor. Here you can learn how the enterprise has helped reinvigorate the handicraft industries of Siem Reap, which were devastated by the long years of civil war. Visitors are guided to watch students recreating Angkorian sculpture from stone, painting fine lacquer and producing intricate silverware. The onsite gallery is a stunning showcase of the students’ skills and the stylish souvenirs offer a sustainable choice to shopaholics.

Cambodia’s landmine legacy

After three decades of civil war and conflict, landmines litter the landscape in Cambodia. Aki Ra has dedicated his life to clearing the country of these enemies within. From the early days of DIY clearance with primitive tools, Aki Ra now runs a fully-fledged demining organization equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Learn more about the legacy of landmines at the informative Cambodia Landmine Museum and discover why Aki Ra was chosen by CNN as one of their heroes.

See Cambodian wildlife

For a close-up look at Cambodia’s threatened wildlife, take a trip to the Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity. Located at the foot of the holy river of Kbal Spean, the ACCB is home to native primates such as the pileated gibbon, silvered langur and the nocturnal slow loris. Tour the center with a wildlife expert and you may even glimpse the shy pangolins, scaly armadillo-like creatures that are hunted for medicinal use in the region.

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