EDGE Boston

This time of year, Mexico City makes a good jumping-off destination for travelers heading to sunny beaches for winter getaways.

With a population of more than 13 million, the city of Istanbul, Turkey’s largest, is almost twice as populated as New York, with an area nearly seven times as large as all five New York City boroughs.

As the economic and cultural heart of Turkey, Istanbul is the world’s tenth most popular destination. A center of arts and fashion, culture and history, with a median age of 23, Istanbul is also a university town with more than 150,000 students.

With cactus and strip malls obstructing the views at times, visitors could easily write Phoenix off as a place where water and culture are scarce.

Tourists will soon have a new way to see the lights of Las Vegas: By being spit out of the mouth of an 11-story slot machine and zinged down a five-block zip line past some of the city’s oldest casinos.

London is the UK’s leading destination at Christmas for gift shopping, enjoying festive entertainment, and admiring Christmas lights. Here is a selection of the best places to visit this December, without ever having to leave the capital.

P’town’s diversity and its acceptance of all lifestyles and beliefs make it a rare haven, where resolutions can be made, strengthened and maintained.

In the middle of the night, as most of New York slept, something big and bright lit up the Manhattan skyline for just seconds - a tightly kept secret to all but a handful of people.

With a capacity of 227 guests, the Royal Clipper offers an expansive deck, three swimming pools and a four-deck configuration where guests can mingle and explore.

Leave the card tables for a while to hit the Strip (and beyond) for EDGE’s favorite Vegas hot spots.