From tropical, chef-led dining experiences in balmy destinations to cozy chalets in the heart of California wine country, here are several luxe dining events and festive experiences worth traveling for this holiday season.
Le Dîner des Grands Crus at The Joyce, Miami Beach
Rare French wines are the draw at Le Dîner des Grands Crus, a 12-guest dinner in the private dining room of The Joyce, Spicy Hospitality Group’s intimate 45-seat Miami Beach steakhouse. Sourced through esteemed French estate brokers, the lineup includes 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 2000 Domaine Leroy Richebourg, 1964 Pétrus, and 2011 Domaine d’Auvenay Narvaux, presented by SHG Beverage Director Andrew Herron from a buyer’s and collector’s perspective, with a menu by Executive Chef James Taylor. The Joyce’s 500-plus label list holds Wine Spectator’s 2026 Best of Award of Excellence, and its dining rooms display works by Pablo Picasso, Willem de Kooning and Jean-Michel Basquiat from founder Andre Sakhai’s personal collection.
Bracebridge Dinner, Yosemite National Park
Yosemite’s Bracebridge Dinner returns for its 99th year this December as one of the park’s longest-running holiday traditions. Inspired by Washington Irving’s “A Christmas at Bracebridge Hall,” the evening opens with music and caroling before guests enter the fictional manor hall of Squire Bracebridge for a formal dinner and theatrical pageantry. Seatings take place on select dates throughout December 2026, in the place where the tradition began.
Holidays at Splashes, Surf & Sand Laguna Beach
Oceanfront Christmas dining in Laguna Beach centers on Splashes, the signature restaurant at Surf & Sand Laguna Beach, which serves a four-course coastal prix fixe on December 25, 2026. Splashes was named to OpenTable’s Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in America for 2026 as the only Orange County pick, and ranked No. 17 nationally on Tripadvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Fine Dining list as the only California restaurant included.
Sonoma Swiss Chalets at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
Wine Country holiday dining takes an alpine turn at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, where the resort’s seasonal Sonoma Swiss Chalets return for a limited time. The autumn Harvest Swiss Chalets give way to the Winter Swiss Chalets, serving seasonal dishes and handcrafted cocktails on the grounds of the historic resort. Each of the three private chalets accommodates two to eight guests, suited to a romantic dinner or a small celebration.
Camp Lux at The Gwen, Chicago
Chicago rooftop dining moves fireside at Camp Lux, the seasonal cold-weather experience atop The Gwen, a Michelin One Key hotel on the Magnificent Mile, running through March 2027. Presented with High West Whiskey, Upstairs at The Gwen offers VIP firepit seating, handcrafted whiskey cocktails, camp-inspired cuisine, and fondue, including a Gruyère Fondue and Lux S’mores Fondue that each serve four to six. Rooftop curling joins the lineup beginning in November, set against downtown views.
Private Chef Villa Dinners by myCHEF Hawaii, Maui and Oʻahu
Hawaii holiday dinners move into the villa with myCHEF Hawaii, whose private chef team cooks Christmas Eve, holiday and New Year’s Eve dinners in luxury villas across Maui and Oʻahu, from Wailea and Kapalua to Kahala. The team shops for local island produce and seafood, cooks a custom multi-course menu in the villa kitchen, serves at the table, and handles cleanup. From gatherings with friends to family get-togethers, dinners suit groups of 8 to 20, making it an effortless way to celebrate the holidays together.
Holidays at The Dome by lebua, Bangkok
Bangkok holiday dining at lebua, recently named to Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2026, spans two Michelin-starred restaurants above the Chao Phraya River. Chef Ryuki Kawasaki leads a French festive tasting menu at Mezzaluna, Chef Vincent Thierry presents contemporary French haute cuisine at Chef’s Table, and the newly renovated Sirocco reopens in December as the world’s highest open-air Mediterranean restaurant, with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus built around truffle, caviar, seafood and rare wines. On December 31, every venue, including Sky Bar (made famous by The Hangover Part II) and champagne bar Flute, joins one countdown to 2027 with Champagne and fireworks over the city.
Whether you’re planning to book a family vacation during the holidays or you intend to book a girls’ getaway for New Year’s Eve, these upscale events and experiences are the perfect way to ring in the holidays this season.