12 Charming Christmas Towns in the U.S. You Can Actually Visit
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Whether you’re attempting to usurp Mariah Carey’s title of the Queen of Christmas or simply desire a festive escape in the month of December, there are a handful of cities in U.S. that really put the “jolly” in “holly jolly.” These charming Christmas towns ring in the holidays with weeks of over-the-top decor, cheerful events, and an unwavering spirit of generosity and gratitude.
We’ve rounded up 12 of our favorite Christmas towns (for the 12 days of Christmas, natch) for travelers to enjoy until Santa Claus bellows “ho, ho, ho” from the rooftops and delivers presents to good little boys and girls. Put on your sleigh bells and run faster than the Gingerbread Man to check them out. Here, our favorite Christmas towns and cities in the U.S. to add to your travel bucket list.
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Want to feel like you're transported to the magical holiday markets in Europe? Frankenmuth is no stranger to the holidays with its Bavarian-influenced establishments that embrace the magic of the season. This includes the world’s largest Christmas store, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, which sells everything from one-of-a-kind ornaments and trees to multi-colored string lights and handmade stockings.
Freeport, Maine
The Sparkle Celebration, now in its 31st year, kicks off two weeks of festive programming in this charming seaside town. Aside from a Parade of Lights and the arrival of Santa Claus, residents and lucky visitors can take part in library story hours, food truck festivals, and brewery tours to cheers the arrival of winter. This charming northern town gives a whole new meaning to white Christmas.
Leavenworth, Washington
Leave it to Leavenworth to put on one of the most exhilarating Decembers in the country. The Village of Lights (over half a million, technically) draws thousands of tourists from all over the world to marvel at its Hallmark movie-esque vibes and alpine architecture. Be sure to stop by the town’s Gingerbread Factory, which has become a landmark with over-the-top houses and cookies that give the North Pole a run for its money.
Chicago, Illinois
Town? Debatable, unless you’re singing about it like Frank Sinatra. But the Windy City’s famed Michigan Avenue gets a luminary facelift, post-Thanksgiving, while also boasting an impressive array of festive options, including Christkindlmarkts, ice skating, decked-out botanical gardens, and an annual run of The Nutcracker performed by the Joffrey Ballet at the Lyric Opera House.
Prescott, Arizona
Dubbed as “Arizona’s Christmas City,” this Western scape offers dozens of events to celebrate the Grinch’s most detested month of the year. Even more annoying for the storybook character (whose heart is two times too small), many of these activities are rooted in music and performance, with orchestras, parades, choruses, and even an Acker Musical Showcase that features local talent, both young and old, through voice, instrument, and dance.
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
The birthplace of Dollywood shines like Dolly Parton herself with dazzling displays of festivity, including holiday-themed food, music, and decorations. While you can take part in Dollywood’s annual Smoky Mountain Christmas (a festival and “stampede” at the theme park with over five million lights), there are other must-see shows and installations such as Christmas at the Titanic Museum, Christmas at Crave Golf Club, and the iconic Winterfest that hosts special holiday performances among its six million lights.
Aspen, Colorado
Ski towns and Christmas go hand in hand. After all, nothing screams holiday vacay more than the life of aprés ski in a real-life snow globe. Cozy up by a fireplace with a fur blanket, sip a hot toddy, but, most importantly, take full advantage of Snowmass’s bevy of award-winning restaurants to induce a restful winter sleep with visions of sugar plums dancing in your head.
Santa Claus, Indiana
It would be really awkward if Santa Claus, Indiana, went all out for Valentine’s or St. Patrick’s Day. This appropriately named city touts one of the merriest of getaways with a 22-foot tall Santa statue (ideal for Instagram, of course), a choreographed light show in Kringle Palace Shopping Center, and every type of Christmas confection one can imagine at Santa’s Candy Castle.
Burlington, Vermont
All is calm and all is bright in the charming town of Burlington. Aside from manufacturing iconic coats, the town has become synonymous with putting the jingle in jingle bells through daily trolley tours set among the snow-capped mountains of the Adirondacks. Hotel Vermont’s annual Holiday Market has also become so popular that vendors are now required to go through a lengthy application process for exhibition approval.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Many people jet to the beach for a relaxing weekend of sun and sand, but South Carolina’s coastal gem is home to a boardwalk that transforms into zones named Toyland and Peppermint Valley during cooler months. The beach town also hosts the annual Ripley’s Festival of Trees which showcases pines themed around each of the 50 states in its aquarium, and the Nights of a Thousand Candles which illuminates Brookgreen Gardens with over 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of sparkling lights during the holiday season.
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is proof that you don’t need snow to capture the vibes of a winter wonderland. Aside from theme parks such as Disney World and Universal Studios that go over the top in decor and events to usher in the end of the year, the entire city puts on a spectacle with oversized trees in shopping plazas, daily boat parades, and outdoor holiday movie screenings with all of the classics.
New York, New York
We’d be remiss to not include the most festive city of all, which essentially transforms into an urban North Pole right after Thanksgiving. The Big Apple is the epicenter of Christmas cheer with iconic offerings such as the Radio City Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular and Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, or you can simply get lost, Home Alone style, and wander down Fifth Avenue to gawk at the department store window displays and take in the awe and amazement that is NYC during Christmastime.
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