Don’t Rely on Elves This Holiday
If you’re making a list and checking it twice, why not head somewhere that’s, ummm, nice? Nobody says you have to do your holiday shopping in your hometown and does your niece REALLY need another hoodie? Before you roll your eyes, anticipating the same old holiday shopping destinations featuring tr√®s expensive cities such as New York and Paris, read on because we’ve uncovered a few hidden gems that will take your declining dollar a lot further.
Huntsville, AL flights | hotels | cars
Although 99% of lost bags are eventually reunited with their owners (according to the airlines), there are a few pieces of luggage whose owners cannot be located within 90 days (maybe they’re still stuck on the runway). After all tracking options have been exhausted (tapping toes together while repeating “there’s no place like home”), the bags are then sold through exclusive contracts to the Unclaimed Baggage Center just outside Huntsville, Alabama. More than 7,000 new and used items arrive daily at this out-of-the-way warehouse store. There’s something here for everyone on your list including computers, laptops, clocks, and MP3 payers. There are a variety of men’s suits, women’s designer clothes and expensive jewelry. Having a baby? You’ll find infant car seats and strollers at a real bargain. Looking to pick up a new hobby? Choose from tennis rackets, golf clubs, tents, sleeping bags, basketballs, and skis. If you find a Treo with a picture of our CEO in Orlando, please return it. His wife is trying to call.
Orbitz Package Deal: Holiday Hotels in Huntsville starting at $57/nt
Canada flights | hotels | cars
From designer boots to those you can strap to your board, apres ski in Canada offers up more than just burning thighs at the end of the day. With an array of shops at the base, you can shop ‘til you drop in Quebec, Alberta, or British Columbia. Do it all on your next Canadian ski vacation. www.canada.travel/skinow
Nuremberg, Germany flights | hotels | cars
One-stop shopping didn’t start with Wal-Mart, but on European market squares. For a festive medieval shopping experience (as opposed to the Thunderdome atmosphere you’ll experience at Wal-Mart), visit Christkindlmarkt on Hauptmarkt Square in Nuremberg, open through December 23. More than two million visitors from around the world visit this market each year to nibble on the traditional Lebkuchen (fresh-baked gingerbread), sip Gl√ºhwein (a spicy mulled wine) and to wander from stall to stall checking out traditional handmade Christmas decorations, advent wreaths and dried flowers, decorative trees and flower arrangements, candles, Nutcracker soldiers, angels, traditional wooden and tin toys, hand puppets and more. The red-and-white-striped booths are especially festive at night. When you’re ready for something different, veer off from the 200-some stalls in the square, walking along the marked trail to check out the city’s famed Nativity scenes. There are plenty of historical spots to see after you reach your shopping threshold including Kaiserburg Castle which is encircled by a town wall with a total of 80 towers.
Orbitz Package Deal: Willkommen great deals on package trips to Germany
Frankenmuth, MI flights | hotels | cars
If you can’t go across the pond to Germany, head to Michigan instead. Visiting Frankenmuth is sort of like visiting a Bavarian village, complete with Alpine-inspired architecture and restaurants featuring hearty German fare, including potato salad, sausages and sauerkraut. Dozens of shops along Main Street offer everything from cheeses to cuckoo clocks, but the big player in this town founded by German immigrants is Bronner’s. It calls itself the “world’s largest Christmas store”, and it takes hours to check out the 50,000 or so items on display. Outside is a replica of the chapel in Oberndorf, Austria, where “Silent Night” was sung for the first time. It’s especially fun to visit during the Holiday Celebration & Candlewalk November 23 or during Zehnder’s Snowfest, January 23-28, with its full schedule of outdoor fun, including snow sculpting and ice carving competitions.
Orbitz Package Deal: Find hotel travel deals in Michigan’s Little Bavaria
Santa Fe, NM flights | hotels | cars
Despite an influx of new residents from southern California, the capital of New Mexico has managed to keep its quirky charm. In fact, shoppers have converged on the Governor’s Palace in Santa Fe for more than four centuries. A crossroads of cultures, this log-roofed portico on the city’s main square is the epicenter of the silver and turquoise trade. Here’s where Native American craftsmen have been trading their handcrafted jewelry and belt buckles first for goods brought in by Mexican peddlers and, later, Americans following the Santa Fe Trail. These days, the tourists may come by car, but all the vendors are rigorously vetted for authenticity (no “made in China” jewelry!). Not in the market for a concho belt? There’s lots more to browse for in the shops around the adjacent Plaza, including books, clothing, chilies and curios. Just a few miles away is Canyon Road, with art galleries awaiting the discerning eye with a fat pocketbook. There are plenty of places to unwind after a day of shopping. Santa Fe is packed with great spas, charming hotels and plenty of restaurants serving margaritas the size of that new bunch bowl you just purchased for your mother-in-law.
Orbitz Package Deal: Shop and relax at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa from $138/nt
Deals:
- Vacation packages
Including 5 days / 4 nights for $199 by American Express - Beijing on Sale
Visit the Great Wall, from $370* each way. - Ski Vacations
From $569, includes flight + 3 nts hotel + 2 day lift - Sweet Deal a la Montreal
Book 1 night, get the 2nd at 50% off, plus great added values. - ALASKA
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Did you know?
While Santa is busy checking his list to find out who has been naughty or nice, Kayak elves (aka engineers) are busy checking Kayak’s extensive database housing millions of airfare searches. We’ll use this research to prepare an email filled with tips for saving money on your holiday travel. In fact, help us personalize this data for you by answering a few questions about your holiday travel plans. Kayak’s holiday travel tips will be coming to town (aka your inbox) very soon.
Finding out who’s naughty or nice,
Steve and Paul, Kayak founders