Article Archive/December 2013
Updated November 30, 2013


Holidy Trips 2013!
Hope To See You There!

By Jay Whipple/Trend Magazine Online™

It is that time of the year again when some of us reluctantly say goodbye to warm summer nights, trips to the beach, family reunions, cook outs, road trips, and other warm-weather activities. It is, however, time to buckle down for what may or may not be a long and frosty winter filled with ski trips, snow men, icy roads, and cancellations. It is also time to plan for holiday fun for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s!  If you live in the Charlotte, NC, area, I have discovered several neat one-day holiday junkets that will sure get you into the mood or enhance your holiday experience.

With Christmas rapidly approaching it is time to start checking your list before jolly St. Nick makes his grand appearance in your living room to decide who was naughty or nice this past year. With that said, I have uncovered two holiday shopping trips to local, regional, and national “shop til you drop” destinations to assist you in completing your gift lists. The first trip encourages you to put on those sneakers, grab your wallet or purse, and come enjoy eight full hours of "Power Shopping!"Your day will begin with four hours of shopping at the outlet stores in Gaffney, S.C. After departing Gaffney, you're off to Concord Mills Mall for four additional hours of shopping. The 2013 dates start Friday 11/22/2013 through Sunday 12/15/2013. The times are Friday and Saturday 9:30 am - 5:30 pm; and Sundays 1 pm - 6:30 pm. Ticket pricing is only $12 - $18 per person. Want to go? Click here for more details.

Looking for something more elaborate? Check out this holidayshopping day trip to national-renowned Gatlinburg, TN. All along the Parkway and side streets, you'll find Gatlinburg shopping treasures in village-style stores reminiscent of days when shopping was a leisurely yet exciting time! With over 400 shops and five malls in downtown Gatlinburg, you're sure to find gifts galore (and surely a souvenir for you!). There are several collectible stores in Gatlinburg featuring one-of-a-kind pieces to add to your collection. Numerous Gatlinburg shops are filled with handmade arts and crafts, unique clothing and accessories from handbags to jewelry, and memorable keepsakes of your vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains. This “shop-til-you-drop” junket takes place on Saturday 12/07/2013; only from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are only $40 - $52 per person. Want to go? Click here for more details.

Now that you have all of your holiday shopping taken care of its time to relax and enjoy the holiday splendor by checking out some of the area’s most spectacular display of Christmas decorations. Forget about driving around the block to envy your neighbors’ yard, hit the road to view professionally designed displays of lights, trees, decorations, and caroling. I have uncovered three different popular destinations in North Carolina that have decades of holiday display experience. The closest destination is just up the street from Charlotte, NC, in what is known as Christmas City USA. Come out and view the city of McAdenville in its entire seasonal splendor. View Christmas lights and decorated trees, and listen to caroling by local residents. This trip promises to be an evening the whole family will enjoy! The 2013 dates start Saturday 12/07/2013 through Sunday 12/22/2013. The times are 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm, and ticket pricing is only $12 - $15 per person. Want to go? Click here for more details.

If you want to travel a bit further up the road towards Grandma’s house, check out this “Festival of Lights” trip to Clemmons, NC. Tanglewood’s Festival of Lights continues to be one of the largest and most spectacular light shows in the entire southeast. From storybook scenes to Holiday themes, over one hundred displays and over a million lights fill Tanglewood Park with the entire splendor and joy of the Holiday season! The 2013 dates start Saturday 12/07/2013 through Sunday 12/22/2013. The times are 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm, and ticket pricing is only $28 - $38 per person. Want to go? Click here for more details.

Finally, if you have a bigger budget, join this trip to one of the grandest showcases of holiday decorations; enjoy the magic of Christmas at Biltmore Estate; Asheville, NC, with a day or nighttime visit to its holiday celebration! The 2013 dates start Wednesday 12/04/2013 through Saturday 12/21/2013. The times are 6:30 am - 5:30 pm; and 6 pm - 2:30 pam. Ticket pricing is $45 - $94 per person. Want to go? Click here for more details.