10 End of the Year Vacation Ideas

Can’t choose an island to stay put for the week? Consider going on a Caribbean cruise for an end of the year vacation.

Disney Cruise Lines has a few fun options, as do other popular cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, and Princess Cruises.

Are you a fan of skiing or snowboarding? Hit the slopes in Colorado, where there’s plenty of ski resorts to choose from.

Colorado is definitely a snow bunny’s dream end of the year vacation.

Head out on an eco-adventure in Costa Rica, an incredibly environmentally friendly and adventurous choice for an end of the year vacation.

If you’re looking for something more low-key, consider a yoga or wellness retreat, eco-spa, or just chilling at a beach villa.

Join what is perhaps the biggest and baddest New Year’s Eve party in the world, Hogmany, in Edinburgh, Scotland, for your end of the year vacation.

Embrace the outdoors in sunny Hawaii; surfing, hiking, sunbathing, sailing, ziplining, and more. A little sun, sea, and sand sounds like a great plan for an end of the year vacation.

Check out my post on what to do in Hawaii for more ideas.

Watch the ball drop in Times Square in the heart of New York City with thousands of other people.

Spend the rest of your end of the year vacation shopping, visiting museums, and dining at New York’s finest restaurants.
Bonus points if you can get tickets to Hamilton!

Ring in the new year under the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris or fireworks over the Arc de Triomphe. What a romantic end of the year vacation!

Check out my post on romantic things to do in Paris for more ideas on how to amp up the romance on this trip!

Explore pristine beaches, chase waterfalls, kayak through glowing water, and explore the old towns in gorgeous Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is a great option for east coasters who don’t want to spend too much of their end of the year vacation in a plane.

Yep. You read that right: stay home!

Take a moment to explore the town or city you adore. Visit the museums you’ve been meaning to see, try a new restaurant, brew a cup of tea, and read a book.

Take advantage of the time off to get things done that you didn’t achieve earlier in the year. Not a bad way to spend your end of the year vacation.

Ring in the new year down under with warm weather and fireworks over Sydney Harbor. Spend the rest of your end of the year vacation learning to surf, drinking flat whites, and checking out the Skywalk (360° views of Sydney!).