Where Culture Comes Alive

Discover how tradition, artistry, and celebration converge to bring storied destinations to life this season 

There’s a certain warmth that colors holiday travel. While many believe it stems from twinkling lights, savory comfort foods, and festive spectacles woven into a perfectly planned itinerary, it’s truly rooted in ritual. That feeling you experience – where your heart is filled to the brim, a radiance lingers with every smile, and memories are etched in your mind before you’ve even returned home – is where tradition and togetherness quietly intersect. 

These global celebrations remind us that it’s connection, not the destination, that defines our journeys. 

Few celebrations are packed with energy quite like Oktoberfest. This annual beer festival, kicking off in Munich in September for its 191st iteration, pays homage to Bavarian culture with mugs of Märzen-style lager, customary German cuisine, lively music, lederhosen and dirndls, and unbridled joy. Despite the global appeal around Oktoberfest, most attendees are local, and the cultural traditions run deep. Stay at Hotel München Palace, whose Palace Oktoberfest package includes reserved seats and food/drink vouchers in Kufflers Weinzelt, an upscale tent at the nearby festival, or Hotel Bayerischer Hof, an Old Town gem that hosts a Wiesn Brunch during opening weekend. Coinciding with the historic Traditional Costume and Riflemen’s Parade, the lively brunch highlights travelers’ desire to engage with time-honored traditions. For a quieter escape, stay at Das Achental in Grassau. The hotel offers excursions to Munich’s Oktoberfest, a traditional Bavarian Weißwurstfrühstück breakfast at Seehütte10 restaurant, and horse-drawn carriage rides with Bavarian picnic favorites. 

One of China’s biggest holidays, the Mid-Autumn Festival, or Moon Festival, is a time to reunite with family, celebrate the harvest, and honor the brightest moon of the year. While an extravagant feast is tradition, the star of the show is the intricate array of delicate mooncakes. Often ordered months in advance, these highly sought-after treats symbolize togetherness and harmony. In Singapore, where more than 75% of the population is of Chinese descent, this festival is a major event. The Fullerton Bay Hotel facade and Marina Bay are illuminated with festive light displays, and white lotus seed mooncakes, filled with egg yolks or pumpkin seeds, are presented in extravagant boxes inspired by the heritage building. Last year, the hotel also hosted families from Ronald McDonald House Charities for dinner and a hands-on snow skin mooncake workshop. Outside of the hotel, wander Singapore to discover lantern walks, musical performances, markets, and brilliantly lit installations.  

In China, beyond the urban rush, Parkyard Hotel Shanghai crafts thousands of its own mooncakes in flavors like classic bean paste or lotus egg yolk, presented in uniquely designed gift boxes for families to enjoy together.  

In a destination as wine-centric as Italy, it’s no surprise that harvest season is a celebration all its own. Honoring the cycle of nature and bounty of the land, family techniques and traditions are passed down through generations as the community comes together to pick grapes. Running from late August into October, travelers at Castello di Velona Resort, Thermal SPA & Winery can pluck Sangiovese grapes from the vines, the 11th-century hilltop castle in the background, before participating in the immersive, sensory experience of crushing. While bonding over cultivating the ingredients for future bottles, continue with a vineyard-view massage or a Tuscan picnic where authentic Italian cuisine and prestigious Brunello di Montalcino wine are the main attractions. 

Spirited scenes and bold hues color Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations, where bright marigolds, delicate papel picado (perforated paper) flags, and intricately adorned sugar skulls create a visual language all its own. Deeply rooted in family, this Mexican tradition reimagines how we honor loved ones who have passed – not through mourning and somber gravestone visits, but with luminous, heartfelt tributes and vibrant rituals that make us feel alive. Gather the family at Montage Los Cabos for a stay in a suite, residence, or casa with the ocean as the backdrop. Traditional ofrendas float atop the water feature at Mezcal, and the restaurant also hosts a Día de los Muertos dining experience with Mexican cuisine inspired by the natural elements of earth, wind, water, and fire as well as live music and views overlooking the floating altars. Elsewhere, enjoy a signature Mexican Roots spa treatment and let the kids create their own flower garlands and paint skulls at Paintbox. 

Symbolizing the spiritual victory of light over darkness, Diwali is celebrated as a time of new beginnings. This vibrant Hindu festival of lights comes to life across India in early November, with truly extravagant experiences hosted at The Leela Palace Udaipur. Culture is at the heart of Diwali, so join in with experiences such as decorating your own diya, or oil lamp, and making rangoli art that turns walkways into stunning displays using colorful flowers. Explore thoughtful rituals in the 165-year-old Omkareshwar Temple, savor feasts highlighting regional specialties, and attend evening Aarti ceremonies or performances by local dancers and folk musicians. The setting itself is even more spectacular during Diwali, with the reflection of the illuminated courtyards glittering on Lake Pichola. Sharing in these moments becomes its own kind of light, drawing loved ones close in a way that is both timeless and personal. 

This Thai celebration centers on creating light in the darkness with its own unique traditions. Honoring Phra Mae Khongkha, the goddess of water, Loy Krathong is held during a full moon – this year, on November 25. The festival is especially vibrant in the capital city of Bangkok as well as Sukhothai, where it originated, and in Chiang Mai, where they launch thousands of paper lanterns into the sky. At Lancaster Bangkok, create a handcrafted krathong, a floating basket decorated with offerings, and head to the hotel pond to set your krathong adrift while lighting candles or incense, making a wish, or praying. Celebrate further with dining under the full moon or attend city-wide celebrations, like the night market and fireworks at Asiatique The Riverfront or the krathong float on the river in front of the illuminated Wat Arun temple. 

Gathered close and shaped by tradition, Thanksgiving feels both familiar and enduring. The American holiday has its own gravitational pull, guiding us back to the people and moments that matter most. While many tend to cozy up at home to express gratitude and cook their turkey to golden-brown perfection, traveling for this day can be just as enticing. Right along the California-Nevada border, Edgewood Tahoe Resort provides a mountain escape the whole family can enjoy. Your traditional Thanksgiving favorites will be served, alongside memorable moments and special touches like chocolate sculptures. Bond over watching fall-focused films, play games in the Great Room, roast marshmallows for s’mores, or create festive projects during interactive Crafternoon sessions. For a place to relax with the whole family, opt for a stay in a residential-style Villa Suite, complete with a full kitchen if you prefer to stay “home” while a professional chef cooks your Thanksgiving meal. 

Thanksgiving is quietly elevated at Nemacolin, a resort in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands. Its remote location makes a celebratory escape with the family even more intentional, while the sprawling complex’s homes and estates provide space for your entire clan. Each boasts a full kitchen, so you can prepare Thanksgiving dinner together, hire a private chef, or slip over to a feast with the finest fixings at the hotel. Following a glorious Thanksgiving, Light Up Nemacolin brings Christmas cheer to the hotel the very next day, while Hardy’s Holiday Village ensures children get some one-on-one time with Santa before heading home. 

On the East Coast, Chatham Bars Inn invites travelers to experience a quintessential New England holiday. Walks on the beach, tranquil sailing excursions, moments at the spa, and fireside gatherings complement the relaxed pace of the inn while encouraging shared experiences. A highlight is the Découpage Oyster Shell Workshop, where you can create your own keepsakes inspired by Cape Cod’s coastal heritage. Dine at the grand buffet on Thanksgiving, abundantly arranged with carved meats, seasonal soups, artisanal breads, and other holiday favorites as well as caviar, sushi, and a raw bar. For a more intimate dining experience, opt for a coursed meal at The Sacred Cod tavern. Start the holiday season right after an overnight transformation turns the inn into a winter wonderland with beautifully decorated trees, garlands, and lights. 

Deck the halls with a European tradition that combines togetherness, holiday shopping, beloved treats, and the joy of the season. These charming Christmas markets feel like a world of their own, with rows of wooden stalls creating their own miniature village amid twinkling lights, carolers, roasted nuts, and an array of handmade treasures to gift to loved ones. Whether in the shadow of historic landmarks in bustling city centers or tucked away in rustic villages, these markets offer an enchanting excuse to indulge in celebration. Perfectly placed in Vienna, Hotel Sans Souci Wien is a short walk from Austria’s Spittelberg market, a desirable destination for handmade goods, holiday treats, warm wine, and romantic alley strolls, as well as the sprawling Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt in front of city hall, complete with ice skating, a carousel, and a brilliant tree with a nativity scene at its base. At the hotel, the celebration continues with contemporary Austrian dining, including gala dinners for both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. 

In Zurich, Switzerland, the “Lucy light” installation, comprising more than 23,000 bulbs and 11,000 glass crystals, is a dazzling sight to behold. Make your way from Storchen Zurich to Werdmühleplatz, where local choirs perform within a singing tree, or Zürcher Wienachtsdorf at Sechseläutenplatz, the largest market in town boasting more than 100 stalls with artisan gifts, Swiss fondue, and photo opportunities. During your stay at Storchen Zurich, the hotel celebrates further with a series of candlelight dinners featuring gourmet fare at La Rôtisserie as well as a December 16 holiday performance from the Swiss Tenors.