Looking for a quick getaway before or during the holidays, someplace with a Christmas theme but a change from your same old local observances? Take a few minutes and sample just a few of the affordable ideas that can be found on the Internet.

www.charlestoncvb.com/xmas

Take in a little history and a lot of food in Charleston, S.C.: Events listed under “Tours &Attractions” include the nightly Progressive Dinner, an elegant dining experience combined with a carriage tour. James Island County Park is lit up for a Holiday Festival of Lights, and mansions and plantations including the Edmonston-Alston House are decorated for holiday tours. Take time to click on “Cuisine” for details on Christmas dinner at Magnolias and a holiday treat called Chocolate Seductions, a culinary tour available on Fridays in December.

www.nightsoflights.com

www.getaway4florida.com

A little farther south, the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine, Fla., has its annual Nights of Lights with buildings and parks along Matanzas Bay illuminated by hundreds of thousands of tiny bulbs. There’s a schedule of events on the Nights of Lights site, but you’ll need to visit the city’s main tourism Web site for useful details on other things to see, places to stay and shopping.

tinyurl.com/26ldyq

New Orleans is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, but the city can always put on a Christmas party, with events including concerts, caroling, services at St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter, and tours of historic homes. New Orleans means parties, but it also means food, especially for the holidays. Click on “Reveillon Menus” for a sampler of what you might enjoy at places such as Brennan’s, Arnaud’s or the Gumbo Shop. Some of the hotels have “Papa Noel Rates” for the holidays, and they have suggestions for shopping.

www.seattlecenter.com/winterfest/default.asp

www.visitseattle.org

In the scenic Northwest, ride Seattle’s ferries and take in Winterfest, more than a month of entertainment and performances. Click on “Winterfest Premier Events” for information on concerts and the Worldfest cultural festival. Go to the menus in the upper left of the page and click on “Attractions” to get to information on the Space Needle and Monorail. On the Seattle Convention &Visitors Bureau site, click on “Visit Seattle” and try out “Sightseeing and Tours” for attractions including the Pike Place Market and links to the ferries.

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Want something different for the holidays in the Northwest? Take a look at Whale Watching Week in the coastal town of Depoe Bay, Ore., from Dec. 26-Jan. 1.

tinyurl.com/28vmrb

In the middle of the country, drop in on the Ozark Mountain Christmas in Branson, Mo., home of live entertainment for just about any taste. The town lights up with holiday lights and many of the stage shows have Christmas themes.

tinyurl.com/yoltga

Keep the mountain theme at the Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival through the end of December at Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. This one’s definitely focused on the kids, with Babes in Toyland, Santa’s Workshop and Tinker the Talking Christmas Tree.

Roger Petterson, Associated Press