Cover Story: 4 Dreamy Holiday Travel Destinations for 2024

Top Military & Veteran Travel Ideas for the 2024 Holidays

The rush is on: Millions of Americans nationwide are preparing their holiday travel. So, for those that are in need of some last minute inspiration, we proudly present the four best ways for the WeSalute Military & Veteran community to enjoy the holidays and this winter season.

1. Caribbean Paradise

It's always a good time to visit the Caribbean, especially if you want to escape the cold. The region enjoys moderate temperatures and cool breezes all year round. And it makes for a perfect getaway whether you're traveling alone, as a couple, or with the family.

Palm Beach Aruba Caribbean, white long sandy beach with palm trees at Aruba Antilles

You can choose to visit multiple islands—they’re all nearby and each has a unique charm—and wherever you go, you'll find it easy to get around—rent a bicycle, take a taxi, or drive your own rental car around the islands to explore the backroads. You can while away a lazy afternoon on the beach, or visit a trendy shop; soak up native languages such as Papiamento (a combination of African, Dutch, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish); or lounge on a cruise ship deck.

WeSalute’s Best Bet — Check out our American Airlines Vacations promotion which includes the following locations and more:

• Antigua
• Anguilla 
• Aruba 
• Barbados 
• Cayman Islands 
• Jamaica 

2. West Coast Wonders

The best of what the West Coast has to offer includes some of America's favorite tourist destinations, and welcomes travelers from all parts of the world. For those living in the region, that means great access to places like Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Denver and Seattle. Gambling, nightlife, wine country, breathtaking views overlooking mountains and oceans are all just a drive away.

WeSalute Best Bet—Northern California, the city of San Francisco and its neighboring Monterey Peninsula is one of the many treasures the West Coast has to offer. Unlike the flashy lights of Los Angeles to the south, San Francisco offers both historical charm and international ambience.

A view of the Big Sur coast including the Bixby bridge

San Francisco’s architecture is as historic as it is beautiful. No visit to this California city would be complete without a visit to the granddaddy of them all, the Golden Gate Bridge, its most famous landmark.

Down the road, California's Route 1, Big Sur Coast Highway is a longtime favorite (photo, right). This dramatic roller coaster ride hugs the Pacific coast, from Carmel-by-the-Sea in the North to Los Padres National Forest, where trees in the Southern Redwood Botanical Area are simply awe-inspiring. The attractions along this stretch include Bixby Bridge, Carmel Mission and Basilica, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Point Lobos State Reserve, and Big Sur's Henry Miller Memorial Library. Wind your way to the Monterey Peninsula for a great round of golf, too. Pause for lunch at Nepenthe.

Editor's Note: For more All-American Road ideas, click here to check out "America's Byways"

3. European Enchantment

In 2022, roughly 8.3 million U.S. travelers visited Southern and Mediterranean European countries alone! Then in 2023, more U.S. tourists were traveling to Europe than the other way around, with a gap of 7 million. This was the largest mismatch since 2012. It seems there is no time like the present to check out some of the wonderful locations located in Europe!

WeSalute Best Bet—Switzerland. The most visited Alpine area is the central Bernese Oberland, which has the highest concentration of picturesque peaks and mountainside villages, although the loftiest Alps are further south, where the small but crowded resort of Zermatt provides access to the country's most distinctive mountain, the Toblerone-peaked Matterhorn.

View of St. Moritz Switzerland

In the southeastern corner of the country, wild, thickly forested mountain slopes provide the setting for the world-famous resorts of St Moritz and Davos. Of the northern German-speaking cities, Zürich has a wealth of sightseeing and nightlife possibilities and provides easy access to the tiny independent principality of Liechtenstein overlooking the Rhine. Basel and especially the capital Bern are quieter, each with an attractive historic core, while Luzern is in an appealing setting close to lakes and mountains. In the French-speaking west, the cities lining the northern shore of Lake Geneva - notably Geneva itself, and Lausanne - make up the heart of Suisse-Romande. South of the Alps, sunny, Italian-speaking Ticino can seem a world apart from the rest of the country, particularly the palm-fringed lakeside resorts of Lugano and Locarno, with their Mediterranean atmosphere.

And that’s just the start. If you are more low-key instead, you can skip the slopes. Maybe this winter you will get to see some of Europe's most popular tourist destinations:

• Germany: Check out the Miniatur Wunderland, in Hamburg. It houses the world’s largest model train exhibit, and is still growing.
• Belgium: Or maybe, the most visited group of museums in Brussels, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. This is several locations covering countless periods and artistic movements and genres.
• Spain: Go and visit works from the Spanish Golden Age and more at the famous Prado Museum in Madrid. If you have time between 6 PM and 8 PM Monday to Saturday entry is free!
• U.K.: And one of Britain's most important museums, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, where you can find works by artists like Salvador Dalí and Sir Henry Raeburn.

4. Ski Adventures

Speaking of skiing, here’s a listing of the 10 Great Family Resorts in the United States, courtesy of Ski Magazine:

• Holiday Valley, N.Y.
• Steamboat, Colo.
• Keystone, Colo.
• Smugglers’ Notch, VT.
• Sun Valley, Idaho
• Okemo, VT.
• Mad River Glen, VT.
• Deer Valley, Utah
• Bretton Woods, N.H.
• Beaver Creek, Colo.

Steamboat ski resort, Colorado

Taking the cake at #1 is the Steamboat Resort in Colorado. There are plenty of options for what to do including skiing, snowboarding, hot springs, hiking, mountain biking, events, and more, making it a year-round destination for outdoor enthusiasts and families.

An honorable mention lies north of the border, where you can find some of the best powder this side of the Atlantic. The Old Farmers Almanac are reporting a winter of big freezes and heavy snowfall will be centered in Ontario and eastern Manitoba, so you might want to keep your eye on those areas.