Traveling to Munich in the last month of the year will offer a magical winter fairytale experience filled with world-renowned Christmas markets, historic Bavarian traditions, and a cozy atmosphere. The city transforms with festive lights and bustling venues and activities such as parades, beer halls, ice skating, and take a winter stroll through the English Garden.
Cairo, Egypt
Photo by Fabio Achilli
This city in Egypt will greet visitors with a blend of sunny weather and vibrant festivities. It lights up for the holidays, with restaurants and shops in Zamalek or downtown. In addition, this is when the Cairo International Film Festival takes place. Places to swing by include the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Great Pyramids of Giza, where camel rides are available!
Turks and Caicos
If you are looking for perfect weather with temperatures in the low 80s, the islands of Turks and Caicos is the ideal escape for winter. In December, New Years Eve is celebrated with fireworks over Grace Bay and bonfire parties at several resorts. After Christmas is Maskanoo as well, a large, annual street festival featuring bands, parades, and local food.
Finland
Photo by Dave Grubb
The country of Finland transforms into a snowy wonderland, with key highlights of heading to Rovaniemi for the Santa Claus Village and searching for the Northern Lights. Since December has shorter days and longer nights, there are more hours of darkness to spot the glowing skies. This experience can be elevated by sleeping in a glass igloo. Plus, reindeer sled rides, snowmobiling, ice bars, warming up in the sauna, or, contrarily, dipping into the freezing lake will make for a unique trip.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Photo by Andres Alvarado
Like the Caribbean, Cabo provides warm temperatures at this time of year with the lowest chance of rain. The holiday season brings the Cabo Christmas Boat Parade, featuring decorated yachts at the marina. Other forms of entertainment could be whale-watching, riding camels along the beach, snorkeling, sunset sailing, resort buffets for Christmas, or beach parties at Mango Deck.
Known for its 30 suites, exquisite dining of Caribbean and European cuisine, private plunge pools, organic garden, and Nobu-trained chefs, Hermitage Bay is considered one of the best all-inclusives in the world.
This breathtaking resort and island offers 24/7 support, the country’s largest floating water park, more than 12 venues for dining, and depending on the villa, your own water slide, a horse ranch, and electric go-karting.
Besides the gorgeous beach, the award-winning hotel gives high-quality gourmet dining, world-class spa services, a waiting service, more than 500 suites with swim-out access or balconies overlooking the some of the 13 pools.
Jade Mountain is home to open-air sanctuaries featuring private infinity pools while looking at the Pitons. Guests will be able to take advantage of exclusive personal services and focus on connecting with nature!
People love this all-inclusive due to the nine specialized restaurants including Italian and Japanese, with the option for a’la carte rather than buffets. The design is known as modern, stylish, and contemporary with multiple pools, private swim-ups, cabanas, and beaches.
Casa Velas is an adults-only resort which has a peaceful experience with exceptional dining and VIP access to an exclusive beach club and a luxury spa.
Guests enjoy staying here due to the intimate atmosphere and pristine location on Dominicus Beach. It hosts 117 suites, some which have swim-up rooms or duplexes with private pools. A full-service spa offers hydrotherapy, body wraps, and massage packages.
If you are looking for a luxurious all-inclusive experience, you have found the place, with the plan giving a 24-hour butler service and complimentary laundry. Packages can have a personal catamaran sailing, cave dining, or Bailnese cooking classes.
This top-tier boutique stands out with its stunning location, offering a secluded home-y feeling. Cuisines with five diverse dining options and bars are present, along with the choice to snorkel along the white sand beaches.
All-day drinks, exceptional service, wellness/spa areas, different pools and saunas, with the prime location near the Saalbach ski lifts are all appealing features of the Austrian resort. It’s hard to beat that view of the mountains too!
Let me know if you’ve been to any of these! Thanks for the read.
In a recent Instagram post, the lovely actress who plays Brooke Davis in the iconic tv show, One Tree Hill, shares the “most beautiful place” that she’s ever been. Sophia Bush posted pictures of herself looking stunning in St. Lucia, along with the Jade Mountain Resort in St. Lucia.
Jade Mountain Resort has actually been rated the number one Caribbean resort by Travel + Leisure magazine, and I can see why. Just take a look at the view from your enormous, personal infinity pool!
This resort is perfect for your honeymoon or a romantic getaway. Guests can partake in tasting and making their own chocolate in the Chocolate Laboratory located on site. They can also participate in a truffle-making class or an hour-long, chocolate-infused spa treatment. Complimentary yoga is also offered, along with jungle biking, kayaking, private charters, and a waterfall walk to Piton Warm Waterfall, where you can take a swim. The pristine beaches are a pivotal reason why visitors come to the island too.
Lower risk of rain mixed with warmer weather draws people to the Caribbean during May. Bimini is a laidback island with less tourists than other locations in the Bahamas, such as Nassau. It is fitting for someone looking to snorkel on the gorgeous beach of Honeymoon Harbour during the day and clubbing at night! Tourists typically rent golf carts or bikes for traveling around the island, and jet skis and small private boats for recreation. You could get a glass-bottom kayak as well, to ride along the mangrove creeks or book an excursion to swim with the dolphins, which I highly recommend doing in the Bahamas!
Vienna, Austria
Photo by Luca Sartoni
The climate in Vienna in May is milder than the summertime and less rainy than April. Each year, during Mother’s Day weekend, this place hosts the Genuss-Festival Food Fair, which has gourmet Austrian food and wine. Or, you could just grab your wine from Cobenzl Winery, which provides visitors with pretty views of the city. At the end of the month is the Steffl Kirtagthe Fair with 50+ food, drink, and craft vendors, and the International Music Festival too!
Venice, Italy
Photo by Luca Sartoni
The fifth month of the year is reportedly one of the greatest to visit Venice, because of the ample sunshine and a good opportunity for sight-seeing or riding in a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs. Those interested in architecture may want to attend the International Architecture Exhibition, which takes place at this time. The most popular attractions in the city are the St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, the Riva delgi Schiavoni promenade, or the Venetian Lagoon.
Provence, France
Photo by Julian Fong
Spring is a wonderful season to explore Provence, either walking or cycling. In late May, you can encounter the bright lavender fields as they start flourishing. Or, being the historic center for soap-making in France, L’Occitane de Provence allows visitors to book a tour of their factory and gardens. Other than that, visitors may go paragliding atLa Roque-Esclapon, white water rafting in the Gorges du Verdon or hiking at Parc National des Calanques.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Photo by Luca Sartoni
Again, a pleasant climate along with less visitors is why Copenhagen is an attractive choice for May. For those who love the sight of beautiful, blooming flowers, Tivoli Gardens and Bakken, as well as, the Tulip Festival are available for tourists to visit. At the beginning of the month, the Copenhagen Salsa Festival is celebrated, and at the end of the month, the Copenhagen Carnival is an end-of-the-month event with 120 bands and 2,000 dancers!
Are you considering one of these destinations for your May vacation? Let me know in the comments below.
The downside in Tromso, Norway at this time of year is that the temperature is approximately 21 degrees every day. BUT if you always wanted the chance to view the glorious northern lights in an ice dome, winter is the best time for doing so. Tourists also love snow shoe hiking, polar boat cruises, and stopping by the Library of Tromso or the Arctic Cathedral.
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Photo by Sergei Gussev
82 degrees along with low chance of rain is a wonderful climate to experience during the second month of the year. Here in Colombo, Sri Lanka, you will enjoy that while exploring the beaches along the coast, the tropical rainforests, the ancient ruins at Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress, the colonial-style buildings, Pettah Floating Market, Fort Colombo, and Beira Lake!
St. Barts, Caribbean
Photo by Robert Brown
You may wanna go to this beautiful Caribbean island during dry season, aka in February. The white sand beaches, water sports, high end shops and boutiques, the nature reserve, and hiking spots are just some of the activities that St. Barts has to offer!
Rotorua, New Zealand
Photo by Arran Bee
The weather during this month in Rotorua, New Zealand, is in the 60’s and 70’s, making it a marvelous time to swing by here. This city’s hot springs and bubbling mud pools mixed with the magical forests, mountainous settings, waterfalls, world-class mountain biking trails, and wildlife parks, as well as the Maori culture make it a unique destination!
Cape Town, South Africa
Photo by Brent Newhall
With an average temperature of 73 degrees, why would you NOT want to go to Cape Town, South Africa? It is especially appealing if you’re looking for an array of mountains, shopping markets, beaches, and wilderness. All kinds of tours are available there for purchase too, like the Cape Winelands Bikes and Wines Tour, Cape Winelands Photographic Tour, and the Cape Malay Cooking and Bo-Kaap Tour, to name a few.
Which one would you be the most interested in going to? Let me know in the comments!
In September 2018, I went on a Carnival cruise, which was my first cruise ever. I can honestly say that it was my favorite vacation I have ever taken because there was never a dull moment. The trip lasted for 8 days and 7 nights, sailing from Baltimore, MD to the eastern Caribbean, and back.
Costs
This being a Sunday to Sunday cruise, at the end of September, the cost per person was $599. This did not include taxes and fees, which can be around $250 on average. There is also the option to pre-pay gratuities and/or add travel insurance. An abundance of other options are available for cruising as well, including shorter trips with ports that are closer to its destination. For instance, a 4-day, 3 night cruise from Miami, FL to the Bahamas would be nearly $1,000 cheaper than the one I took for the same room, dates, and number of people!
Room
Oceanview Stateroom
The least expensive room type is interior, which is a basic room with a bed, but without windows. Because I wanted to have a window to look out, we chose the Oceanview room. For slightly more money, you could add a balcony onto it. The largest and most costly room would be the suite, which is much more spacious than all of the others. Each room typically has a queen-size bed (or sometimes two twin beds), a small flatscreen television, and a private bathroom. Mine had a couch, coffee table, and desk as a well, so it was somewhat spacious.
At Sea Activities
Pool on Lido Deck
When at sea for a few days, there were plenty of onboard activities to keep me entertained.
While most activities are free, some are an additional cost. I participated in scavenger hunts, games, and went to the comedy club every night because the performers were hilarious. The first day of the cruise, I actually went to a prize giveaway that the cruise line was hosting, and I won three free rounds of bingo. Besides prize giveaways, the Carnival Pride provides passengers with:
Punchline Comedy Club
Mini golf
Basketball hoops
Pools, water slides, hot tubs
Cornhole
Deck parties
Karaoke
Competitions, scavenger hunts, games, trivia
Night club (18+), with DJ
Arcade
Jogging track
Dive-in movies
Adult only deck (21+) with hot tub, lounge chairs, hammocks, bar, and pool
Shops for essentials, souvenirs, and candy
Art & crafts
Fitness center (treadmills, dumbbells, benches, machines)
Camp for kids
Additional cost:
Spa (hot stone massages, body wraps, aromatherapy)
Bars/pubs
Casino (slots, blackjack, poker)
Bingo
Fitness classes
Food
All of my meals were already included in our total price! However, people sometimes chose to go to restaurants on the ship that cost extra, such as Bonsai Sushi and David’s Steakhouse. Or, they could order room service and have it charged to their card. The included breakfast was a large buffet, where you could order eggs anyway that you want them. Lunch options were burgers from Guy Fieri’s onboard joint, tacos from Blue Iguana Cantina, a slice of Pizza Pirate, Asian dishes from Mongolian Wok, and more. For dinner, I always went to the dining room, where they served me my meals. The menus were varying each night. They offered steak, seafood, vegetables, pasta, and even dessert. Other desserts like cake, brownies, and a soft serve ice cream station were available each night on the Lido deck, too.
After two days at sea, we docked at Grand Turk, which is a part of Turks and Caicos. When we got off the port, we were surrounded by palm trees on the gold sand and sailboats in the blue water. On Grand Turk was a small shopping center and one of the seven Margaritaville locations. It provides a bar and an enormous pool that is free for cruise passengers to take a dip in.
The next destination that the ship stopped at was Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. It is a private island owned by Carnival. In my opinion, it was the most beautiful location of the three that we visited on the cruise. The sand was so white and soft, while the water was so clear that you could see all of the fish and shells in the water. The temperature of the ocean had me floating in there for over an hour. Although I did get slightly sunburnt from that, I had never felt more relaxed in my life.
The last island was Freeport, Bahamas. As soon as I stepped off the ship, there was a cluster of tiny shops, but no beach in sight. I chose to purchase a dolphin excursion there. All of the people participating in the excursion took a 20 minute shuttle, then a 15 minute boat ride through the canals and past the beach. Finally, we had arrived at where the dolphins were. Everyone got to interact with them and see how smart the dolphins are. They were all very well-trained and performed a few different tricks. With dolphins being my favorite animal, it was amazing! Plenty of other excursions are offered as well, like ATV riding, horseback riding, or water sports.
That being said, if you are wondering if you should book a cruise, I highly recommend it!
A Sweet Paradise 
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