Countering those fa-la-la blahs
When the holiday season's over, it's time to get away
By Lauren Gracco
CNN
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The post-holiday lull in January often produces good deals on ski trips.
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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- As joyful and family-filled as the holidays can be, the months of November and December can also drain your pocketbook and your sanity. After planning, working, shopping, wrapping, and cooking your way through the festivity-crammed months, you might need a vacation from your vacation.
Have no fear: plenty of options for the post-holiday traveler offer convenience, affordability, fun and especially relaxation. Just like an after-Christmas sale, deals can be had when you're looking to travel after the holidays.
The slow season helps. According to AAA spokesman Jerry Chesky, the season begins to slow down in the first two or three weeks of January.
"It's not a bad time to travel. You generally can get pretty good deals on trips, cruises, and other types of trips during that period," says Chesky.
"There's no better time than [the] post-holiday [period], because you may not want to do this big, planned thing, but you're realizing, 'Gosh, I'm feeling a little burnt out. Wouldn't it be nice to just get away?'," says Amy Ziff, Travelocity's editor-at-large.
Travelocity and other travel Web sites such as Orbitz, Expedia and Priceline, make it easy to plan just such trips. Across the Web, last-minute vacation packages are available -- and with reasonable price tags in many cases.
But where is a midwinter traveler to go?
Chesky suggests a variation on the adage "There's no place like home": Stay close to your base and experience what your surrounding area has to offer. It can be the perfect remedy for the holiday blahs, and it's both economical and convenient.
"If you live in Vermont, you may want to take a ski weekend," he says. "If you live in Miami, you may just want to go to the beach."
For those looking for a more extravagant trip, a cruise may be in order. And according to Ziff, it's possible to score some pretty good deals on cruises after the holidays.
"It's a great time to buy a cruise, kind of 'pre-wave' season. You may be able to get some early bird specials there," she says.
Hitting the high seas can be the ultimate in one-stop vacation shopping because you don't have to deal with hotel arrangements, dinners out, or entertainment.
"It's really nice to be able to say 'OK, I'm all set. They've got the itinerary, I don't have to worry. I'm going to go to, you know, five different ports and enjoy each of them, but I don't have to take care of five different hotels,' " Ziff says.
European deals and skiing the slopes
Traveling to a city like London in the off season can be a bargain, but be prepared for winter weather.
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One thing to consider after the holidays is going to cities that may be off peak, allowing for more availability and perhaps better deals on airfare and hotel accommodations.
European destinations like London and Amsterdam are on Ziff's list of places to go. But be prepared for cold weather. While an off-peak vacation may be right up your alley, Ziff cautions it's important to know and pack for the kind of weather you may encounter.
At the same time, don't let peak season destinations scare you off -- winter remains an excellent time for skiing getaways. There are even deals to be had at the height of this popular season.
While ski season runs through April in some places, Ziff says the post-holiday lull in January creates tremendous opportunities for money-saving specials.
Hitting the slopes is how Greg Nelson, a construction project manager in Tempe, Arizona, plans to spend his time after the holidays. He and friends plan ski excursions at least once a year. This year's destination: Lake Tahoe.
"I like going then because that's when the snow is the best," he says, adding that he relies on the Internet for the shopping and the planning for its convenience. "You can even book it online and it's a done deal," Nelson says.
As with any vacation, it's important to heed a few simple rules -- like starting to plan as soon as possible. Chesky says that while planning last-minute getaways this winter will be easier after the holidays, it's still wise to get the details in order as soon as possible.
With all of those post-holiday deals floating around, Ziff suggests snatching a good one when you find it and not assuming that a better deal is around the corner.
"You may lose the deal altogether," she says.
Chesky suggests a contingency plan – especially in the winter months. Inclement weather can ruin your vacation, no matter where you go and no matter how you plan on getting there.
"You could hit some very uncertain weather ... anything from just a brief shower to blizzard-like conditions," Chesky says.
So when the momentum of the holidays begins to die down, keep in mind that a midwinter getaway may be just what you need to face another season.
