Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Hot Holiday Hangouts

Aired December 11, 2002 - 11:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: With Christmas around the corner, it's time to consider some fun holiday hangouts. How about a trip to a city connected to a Christmas tradition, Edinburgh, Scotland. There are fireworks at Edinburgh castle, and bagpipers playing in the streets, if you're into that kind of thing. Well, for some folks staying home with the family, tops their holiday list this year. But here's a list where hitting the road is the goal. It's "Travel and Leisure" magazine lists of top holiday destinations including Boston, Massachusetts, Edinburgh, Scotland, Puerto Rico, San Antonio Texas, and Santa Cruz, California.
And Laura Begley is file director at travel and leisure magazine. And she's with us from New York to tell us why each of those spots is so hot.

Good morning. How you doing, Laura?

LAURA BEGLEY, "TRAVEL & LEISURE" MAGAZINE: I'm great. How are you, Leon?

HARRIS: I'm great.

And I'm interested about Boston, because I've never been there, and that's probably the one town on that list I could probably get to pretty easily. You tell me why I should go there.

BEGLEY: I can't believe you haven't been to Boston. Boston is fantastic.

HARRIS: I'm not a lucky guy, what I can say.

BEGLEY: It's so close. Boston's a fantastic holiday destination, because you can go on Newbury (ph) Street and do some great Christmas shopping. You can and have tea at the Ritz Carlton, which was recently renovated. You can go strolling on the cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill and look at all the brownstones sprinkled with snow. It's really romantic, and it's also become a great food destination.

HARRIS: Really?

BEGLEY: Fantastic restaurants there. Yes

HARRIS: How about Edinburgh, Scotland.

BEGLEY: Well, Edinburgh -- actually, Europe is great at this time of the year, because the place is fairly reasonable, and you can go and you can really experience a city like a local, because there aren't tons of tourists. And we chose Edinburgh because it has an old world ambience. And you can picture yourself wearing a kilt and celebrating Christmas, and you mentioned, watching the fireworks over Edinburgh castle, listening to bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace." So romantic.

HARRIS: We only have time for one more. Sorry about that, but we're up against it because of the breaking news. Let me give you a choice here -- Puerto Rico, San Antonio or Santa Cruz, which one?

BEGLEY: If I had to choose one, I'd choose Puerto Rico. You don't need a passport. Quick flight from most cities in the United States, and you can go hiking in the rain forest and have a Christmas picnic on the beach.

HARRIS: And you know what, it's also warmer.

BEGLEY: It's warm.

HARRIS: And there are some of us who like that idea.

BEGLEY: I am all about warm destinations for Christmas.

HARRIS: All right, good deal. Thanks for making our show this morning one of your destinations. Laura Begley, we appreciate the time, and happy travels to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 11, 2002 - 11:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: With Christmas around the corner, it's time to consider some fun holiday hangouts. How about a trip to a city connected to a Christmas tradition, Edinburgh, Scotland. There are fireworks at Edinburgh castle, and bagpipers playing in the streets, if you're into that kind of thing. Well, for some folks staying home with the family, tops their holiday list this year. But here's a list where hitting the road is the goal. It's "Travel and Leisure" magazine lists of top holiday destinations including Boston, Massachusetts, Edinburgh, Scotland, Puerto Rico, San Antonio Texas, and Santa Cruz, California.
And Laura Begley is file director at travel and leisure magazine. And she's with us from New York to tell us why each of those spots is so hot.

Good morning. How you doing, Laura?

LAURA BEGLEY, "TRAVEL & LEISURE" MAGAZINE: I'm great. How are you, Leon?

HARRIS: I'm great.

And I'm interested about Boston, because I've never been there, and that's probably the one town on that list I could probably get to pretty easily. You tell me why I should go there.

BEGLEY: I can't believe you haven't been to Boston. Boston is fantastic.

HARRIS: I'm not a lucky guy, what I can say.

BEGLEY: It's so close. Boston's a fantastic holiday destination, because you can go on Newbury (ph) Street and do some great Christmas shopping. You can and have tea at the Ritz Carlton, which was recently renovated. You can go strolling on the cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill and look at all the brownstones sprinkled with snow. It's really romantic, and it's also become a great food destination.

HARRIS: Really?

BEGLEY: Fantastic restaurants there. Yes

HARRIS: How about Edinburgh, Scotland.

BEGLEY: Well, Edinburgh -- actually, Europe is great at this time of the year, because the place is fairly reasonable, and you can go and you can really experience a city like a local, because there aren't tons of tourists. And we chose Edinburgh because it has an old world ambience. And you can picture yourself wearing a kilt and celebrating Christmas, and you mentioned, watching the fireworks over Edinburgh castle, listening to bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace." So romantic.

HARRIS: We only have time for one more. Sorry about that, but we're up against it because of the breaking news. Let me give you a choice here -- Puerto Rico, San Antonio or Santa Cruz, which one?

BEGLEY: If I had to choose one, I'd choose Puerto Rico. You don't need a passport. Quick flight from most cities in the United States, and you can go hiking in the rain forest and have a Christmas picnic on the beach.

HARRIS: And you know what, it's also warmer.

BEGLEY: It's warm.

HARRIS: And there are some of us who like that idea.

BEGLEY: I am all about warm destinations for Christmas.

HARRIS: All right, good deal. Thanks for making our show this morning one of your destinations. Laura Begley, we appreciate the time, and happy travels to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com