September 20, 2004 -- Unless you've got reindeer and a sleigh at your disposal, the time to get organized for a Christmas trip is now. Of the hundreds of options suggested to us, those that follow represent the widest range of price levels and areas of interest. Ho, Ho, Ho!
Amish in the Country
In Pennsylvania, there's a Penn Dutch Christmas Package in Lancaster, heart of the Amish country. The package, from $154 per person (double occupancy), gives you one night of lodging, and all-you-can-eat Amish feast, a country tour, access to outlet shopping, visits to the National Christmas Center and the Kitchen Kettle Village, and three shows. The latter include "Miracle of Christmas" at the Sight & Sound Theater, "2004 Holiday Production" at the American Music Theater, and "The Christmas Watershow" at the Living Waters Theater. All packages are for Tuesdays only, from November 13 through the end of December 2004. How you crowd this into 24 hours is up to you. Contact Brunswick Tours at 800/979-8687.
A Dickens of a Christmas
In Cape May, on the New Jersey shore, seven inns are presenting a Dickens Extravaganza centering on their lovely old hostelries. Prices begin as low as $600 for two persons, and go up to $960. Each package includes lodging for two for four days and three nights, including breakfast and tea; admission to all lectures, performances and tours; the innkeepers' dinner on Sunday evening; the Gala Dickensian Feast on Tuesday evening; and a welcome gift. The dates are for early in the month, December 5-7, 2004. For more information or to reserve, phone 800/275-4278, Ext. 185, or go to www.capemaymac.org.
Big Bucks, Big Apple
Horizon Tours (www.horizon-co.com) will help you celebrate Christmas in New York City in a big way, for big bucks. But they say they'll show you a side of the city you can't find by yourself. For five days and four nights they squire you around town, concentrating on the theater district, the Upper West Side, Greenwich Village, Harlem and Central Park, with a touch of Brooklyn.
Lodging is at the Mansfield, a boutique hotel on West 44th Street (think Yacht Club, Harvard Club, etc.) You see "Wonderful Town," dine at Angus McIndoe (the restaurant owned by Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane), lunch at Sardi's, and attend an off-Broadway performance still in previews, (the name has not yet been disclosed).
One morning, you'll meet a Broadway producer, David Auster, for breakfast, then take in the Alvin Ailey Dance Company's "Revelations." Dinner is at Triomphe, with a private, after hours party attended by Canadian Broadway performer Tamara Bernier. On Sunday, you visit the Abyssinian Church in Harlem and have lunch nearby, then take in the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, featuring Rockettes, of course.
Radio personality Bruce Sellery shows you around a new studio where you watch actors rehearse and then you lunch at the River Café in Brooklyn. Three meals a day and all admissions and attractions as noted, are included in the price of $2785.