It’s that time of year again! If you’re an American traveler, you’re likely doing some sort of calendar math, spotting where all the paid holidays fall in 2025 and figuring out how to combine them with your own limited paid time off (PTO).
There are videos upon videos on TikTok and Instagram from people who have done these calculations for you. But now that you know you have an extended period of time off – what do you do with that?
Weʻre back again in 2025 to help. Using the mathematical equation “PTO + budget + crowds = where/when do I go,” we did some complex calculus for you to come up with trip suggestions that would maximize that PTO, hit some off-peak spending and perhaps good weather too, so hopefully you’ll land in an incredible destination you may not have considered to experience something epic.
(For our Lonely Planet readers who are not in the US, it still may be worth scanning this list if you are planning a trip to the US as these are the major US holidays for 2025 which may impact your travels in terms of prices and availability within the US.)
The Christmas to New Year holiday period
The recommendation: Take December 23–24, 26–27 and 30–31, and your six vacation days will become 12 days off. Add January 2–3, and you’ll have 16 days off for eight.
Where you should go: With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day landing on Wednesdays, it’s a bit weird to do calculations here. Especially since it’s going to be expensive everywhere you go. This is often the trip I cash in all my miles to work around the expense.
So what should you do with them?
Antarctica. Listen. It’s an expensive trip so if you’re going to do it, why not do it over this stretch of holidays? At least, this is the time frame I’m aiming for if I can ever save up the money to do it.
Northern Lights. Head to one of the countries where you can spot the Northern Lights and put a little celestial celebration into your holidays. I personally love Tromsø, a small town in Norway full of charm.
Head to the Caribbean. I know it’s prime season and thus pricier but one of the best New Year’s Eve celebrations I had was in Grand Cayman. We splurged for a NYE party on the beach at our hotel and it was so worth it. Buffet and drinks were included with a champagne toast and fireworks over the ocean. Best of all, we could walk…
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