Make one of these five festive destinations your home for the holidays!

“Dashing through the snow, on a one-horse open sleigh!” You’ve sung it dozens of times with your family, but what if you could do it in real life? When you spend the holidays at a resort, this is exactly the type of Christmas magic your kids get to experience. It may be difficult to press pause on your at-home traditions for a year, but vacation destinations really are primed to make sure your family builds new memories like no other. “Going away for Christmas was fantastic because the trip was truly about spending time together with just our immediate family,” says Jann Fujimoto, whose kids loved their trip to Door County, WI. Instead of cooking and cleaning for guests, they spent the trip trying new activities like geocaching, going for winter hikes, and exploring all the local seasonal offerings. “We were totally transported into the holiday spirit,” adds Fujimoto. Even if you can’t skip the big family Christmas, you can head out of town anytime between Thanksgiving and New Year’s to experience all these great spots have to offer.

1. Keystone Resort, Keystone, Colorado

If the slopes are calling your name this winter, Keystone offers perks for the whole family. First of all, kids under 12 ski free when you book two nights at the resort. (Serious savings!) Pair that with the largest night-skiing program in Colorado, and you have no excuse not to explore the mountain’s more than 3,000 acres of terrain. But there’s a lot more to love once you hang up your skis for the day. A treat to try: a sleigh ride and dinner. While your family is snuggled under wool blankets, horses will pull you through the Soda Creek Valley as your guide points out constellations in the night sky. Then you’ll warm up in front of the fire at a log cabin while dining on steak, salmon, and apple pie! Christmas at Keystone also involves plenty of time with good old Saint Nick. The big guy hosts storytime, PJ brunches, and skiing and ice-skating events from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

2.Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, Missouri

Located 15 minutes away from the resort town of Branson—home to the Silver Dollar City theme park, which is outfitted with 5 million lights and 1,000 decorated trees this time of year—the rustic Big Cedar Lodge looks like something out of Santa’s village. For your own piece of the North Pole, book a two-bedroom log cabin that features a decked-out Christmas tree, working fireplace, and a covered porch for enjoying a little crisp fresh air. And don’t forget to leave room for some special guests: Santa’s elves visit the resort nightly to tuck kids into bed, read holiday stories, and collect letters for the boss in red. Other don’t-miss holiday treats: an enormous Gingerbread Village, a seasonal scavenger hunt for kids, stocking decorating, storytime with Mrs. Claus, and a snowman ice-cream social.