5 top places to spend Christmas

People walk past the festively lit up Viennese city hall with the Christmas tree and the Viennese Christmas Market in front in Vienna, Austria, on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Ronald Zak)

Spending the holidays away from home can offer gratifying experiences and a chance to decompress from a hectic season, whether you’re traveling solo, with your partner or with friends and family. After all, traveling during Christmastime offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy twinkling lights, great food, seasonal festivities and yuletide cheer without the hassle of decorating. Keep reading to discover festive places to spend Christmas, from Austria to New Mexico.

New York City Lacing up skates and gliding at The Rink at Rockefeller Center has been a long-standing traditional seasonal pastime. The rink holds up to 150 ice skaters and is even more enchanting with its decked-out tree brightly lit with about 30,000 LED lights. Once you’re in the holiday spirit, wander the streets of the city that never sleeps to enjoy the bright lights and cheer, and stop by Santaland attraction at Macy’s to take in the wonder with elves, trains and endless trees. Then, admire the dancing Santas on stage at the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.

Reykjavik, Iceland If you love snow and ice, walk in a real-life winter wonderland in Reykjavik, where bright lights deck the city and you can even catch the Northern Lights on a clear night. The holiday spirit kicks up a notch throughout December, with the Austurvollur Square’s Christmas tree lighting. Plus, in December, you can catch the 13 Yule Lads – Icelands’s iconic singing trolls (the country’s counterpart to Santa Claus). (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

AP Photo/Frank Augstein