Five Things Smart Travelers Should Do in December

By Paul Brady

December 13,2014; 4:15AM,EST

 

 

 

Take a last-minute Christmas vacation to Portugal, or embrace the cold, dark nights on a trip to see the Northern Lights.
1. Escape the winter. "It's summer in Sydney, so it's a perfect time for surfing or driving the Great Ocean Road," says Stuart Rigg, a luxury travel specialist at Southern Crossings. Also, if you plan to visit in January, the city hosts the annual Sydney Festival (Jan. 8-26) with more than 400 music, theater, and dance performances all over town.
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Photo by Ben Leshchinsky/Getty Images Aurora Borealis, as seen from Yellowknife
2. Or embrace the cold. "Yellowknife, in Canada's Northwest Territories, has cloudless skies even in winter," says Thomas Lennartz of Arctic Kingdom Polar Expeditions. It's a great place to view the Northern Lights, since the nights are long and dark.
3. Plan a safari for summer 2015. "An African safari typically requires more time to map out than a traditional summer vacation, so start now," says Linda Friedman of Custom Safaris. "If you want to take over an entire small camp for your exclusive use or get the best kid-friendly private guide, plan in December and finalize your trip in January."
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