Hey Colada crew,
We live where you vacation. But Grandma is calling, and this week the deals are pointing north: a $48 Thanksgiving flight to Ohio, Christmas week in Chicago for under $100, a $48 weekend in Cleveland, and spring break in Toronto for half the usual price.
All four are nonstop from FLL and were still live when we checked this morning. Two other deals we tracked this week (Denver $113, Chicago $60) were gone within days, so if one of these fits your calendar, don't sit on it.
This week's deals
Columbus for Thanksgiving: $48 round trip
Thu Nov 26 – Wed Dec 2 · FLL–CMH · Frontier nonstop · 2 hr 44 min
This is the deal of the week. Google says this trip usually runs $140–280, and it's $48. If you have family in Ohio and have been dreading holiday fares, this is your sign.
You'd also land in Columbus for The Game. Ohio State vs. Michigan is the biggest rivalry in college football, and this year it's at home: noon on Saturday, Nov 28 at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes are chasing their first home win over Michigan since 2018, so the whole city will be wearing scarlet and gray.
What we'd do
Thursday: Fly out at 1:56 pm, land in time for turkey dinner. The flight leaves Thanksgiving Day, which is exactly why it's cheap.
Friday: Holiday lights. Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo runs Nov 20 – Jan 3 and is included with zoo admission (closed on Thanksgiving itself). Downtown has Wanderlights and Franklin Park Conservatory has Conservatory Aglow; NBC4’s Thanksgiving weekend guide rounds them all up.
Saturday: The Game. No tickets? Every bar in the Short North will have it on. Gates open two hours early and bag rules are strict, per Columbus Navigator.
Sunday–Tuesday: Walk through German Village, graze through North Market, and catch a holiday show at the Ohio Theatre.
Where to stay (Trip.com, per night)
Hyatt Regency Columbus: $223, rated 9.3, next to the convention center
Hilton Columbus Downtown: $250, rated 9.6
The Westin Great Southern: $189, historic, by the Southern Theatre
Heads up: if you're coming for The Game, book the hotel now. Rivalry weekend fills downtown fast.
Chicago for Christmas week: $99 round trip
Fri Dec 25 – Thu Dec 31 · FLL–ORD · Frontier nonstop · 3 hr 35 min
It was $68 on Monday and it's $99 today, which Google still rates as low for this route ($100–225 is normal). Prefer Midway? Southwest has nonstops for $149. Christmas Day flights are the cheapest flights of the season, every year.
What we'd do
Christmas markets: The Wrigleyville market at Gallagher Way stays open through Dec 31. It's the market's 30th year, so the souvenir mugs are a big deal.
Lights: Lincoln Park ZooLights runs Nov 20 – Jan 3 and is ticketed this year, so book ahead.
Museum day: Christmas Around the World at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: 50+ trees from different cultures plus a Holidays of Light display, included with admission (Chicago on the Cheap).
New Year's Eve: You fly home on the 31st, but if you can stretch it a day, Navy Pier does fireworks. With little kids, Mommy Poppins lists the Noon Year's Eve parties.
Where to stay (Trip.com, per night)
The Palmer House Hilton: $153, the classic Loop hotel with the famous lobby
JW Marriott Chicago: $251
Cleveland long weekend: $48 round trip
Thu Feb 4 – Mon Feb 8 · FLL–CLE · Frontier nonstop · 3 hr
Forty-eight dollars, nonstop, on a four-day weekend. The usual for this trip is $70–115. Good for a family visit, a friends' trip, or a "we have never been to Cleveland" adventure.
Your dates line up with a big one: Cleveland is hosting the 2027 AHL All-Star Classic, with the Skills Competition Sunday, Feb 7 and the All-Star Challenge Monday, Feb 8 at Rocket Arena. Tickets start around $20, per Hoodline.
What we'd do
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on the lake. Best for tweens, teens and every parent who owns a record.
Cleveland Museum of Art: world-class and free.
Great Lakes Science Center and the Greater Cleveland Aquarium for the kids. Family Travels on a Budget has a solid family itinerary.
If it snows (it will), the Cleveland Metroparks frozen waterfalls are worth the cold, per Case Western’s winter list.
Where to stay (Trip.com, per night)
Hotel Cleveland, Autograph Collection: $160, the official All-Star hotel, connected to Rocket Arena by an indoor walkway
Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade: $133, inside a gorgeous 1890 shopping arcade
Toronto for spring break: $152 round trip
Thu Mar 11 – Wed Mar 17 · FLL–YYZ · Flair nonstop · about 3 hr
A week in another country for $152. Google says this trip normally costs $190–355, so you're about $95 under. WestJet has a nonstop for roughly $159 if you'd rather skip the ultra-low-cost carrier. Passports required for everyone, kids included.
What we'd do
St. Patrick's Parade: Toronto's parade runs on the Sunday before St. Paddy's (2026's started at Bloor and St. George at noon, per blogTO). For 2027 that's likely Sunday, Mar 14, right in your window.
Maple season: Sugar Shack TO at Harbourfront usually lands the weekend before Ontario's March Break (Now Toronto). Maple taffy on snow is mandatory.
Heads up: Ontario kids get March Break mid-month too, so attractions will be busy. Book timed tickets. Streets of Toronto and ToDo Canada post the month's events.
Getting downtown: The UP Express train runs from Pearson to Union Station in about 25 minutes. Their March Break blog is a good read.
Where to stay (Trip.com, per night, USD)
Hilton Toronto: $177
Hyatt Regency Toronto: $194, on King Street in the theatre district
Fairmont Royal York: $241, across from Union Station, the splurge
Know someone with family in Ohio? Forward this. That $48 Thanksgiving fare won't last, and they'll owe you one.
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Even paradise needs a getaway.
Prices checked Oct 27 and can change fast. Some links earn Colada a small commission at no cost to you.