Deck the halls, don your best holiday sweater and prepare to hit the road for a picture-perfect postcard Christmas. The most wonderful time of year is even more magical when you visit a place that goes above and beyond to spread Christmas cheer!
If you’re seeking a sensational storybook holiday, these five charming destinations across the USA go above and beyond to make you feel like you’re in Hallmark holiday movie!
Leavenworth, Washington
Tucked away in the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth, Washington, brings a dose of Bavaria to the United States. Prepare to be wowed by the half a million lights brightening the trees and chalet-style buildings that usher in Leavenworth’s Christmastown Festival. It’s almost like experiencing Christmas in the Alps with the ongoing festivities, from Alphorn concerts and holiday choirs that pack the Festhalle Civic Center to bell ringers and carolers roaming the streets singing jolly holiday tunes!
Shop the artisanal holiday markets for nutcrackers, blown glass trinkets, and handmade toys, or help your kiddos pen a letter to Santa – he tends to make special appearances at the pavilion throughout the holiday season. Be sure to check out the civic center’s displays of unique and traditional Santa costumes from throughout the world. There’s also a Gingerbread House exhibit where cookie enthusiasts of all ages can compete for the title of Best Gingerbread House Architect with their original designs.
Love winter sports? There are plenty of opportunities for skiing, sledding, and tubing on the mountain–all equipment is available on-site at the Ski Hill just outside town. For indoor fun, try the Nutcracker Museum, which hosts a collection of over 9,000 nutcrackers of all different sizes from cultures around the world.
Franklin, Tennessee
Head over to Franklin, Tennessee, for more holiday fun. Franklin is famous for its Dickens of a Christmas Festival, where readers and performers celebrate his acclaimed novels, A Christmas Carol, and earlier work, Oliver Twist. Watch reenactments of scenes from the books, interact with Scrooge and his gaggle of ghosts, and pass holiday dancers on the street. Take in string and brass musicians playing holiday classics, artisan booths promoting everything from handmade pottery to flame-forged knives, and Victorian-era Santa and Missus Claus (here known as Father and Mother Christmas).
Hop in the car and head to the FrankTown Festival of Lights, where you’ll take a slow drive through a mile-and-a-half-long course of over 200 light displays, glittering tunnels, illuminated igloos, and other winter symbols synchronized to Christmas music on the radio. You can also opt for a walking tour, take photos in front of a stunning Christmas tree, or make s’mores at the firepit.
Just outside of town, the farmer’s market becomes Thompson’s Station Holiday Market for the season. Shop handmade ornaments, knits, and greeting cards, or head inside the barn for the immersive North Pole experience. Food trucks line the parking lot, or you can pop into the Homestead Manor on the property for a bite. Back in Downtown Franklin, visitors over 21 can enjoy the Hard Candy Christmas Pop-Up Bar at the Americana Taphouse, a whimsical experience with booze and holiday flair. Take in the glittering tinsel, shiny baubles, and abundance of candy-themed decor while sipping festive beverages like Hot Buttered Bourbon or a Candy Cane Martini.
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota, averages 70 inches of snow yearly, making it the perfect setting for a cozy, idyllic, white Christmas. With the icy waves of Lake Superior as your backdrop and many fun winter activities, Duluth makes for a great holiday getaway. Ski Spirit Mountain, the second-highest ski spot in the state, or try one of the tubing trails for an equally fun time. Bundle up and walk the best and largest walkthrough lighting display in the United States at the Bentleyville Tour of Lights, a free and impressive nighttime maze of over 5 million lights. Meet Santa, sip hot chocolate, and nosh on fresh cookies and popcorn while you trek through the loop around the larger-than-life tree of lights.
Duluth’s Winter Village is elusive and exciting for Christmas lovers, as an outdoor polar marketplace pops up at the outdoor event center for only two days a year. There’s something for everyone here–vendor stalls decked in miles of garland and ribbons offer crafts and gifts like dried flower arrangements, knit hats, flannels, and local art such as blown glass. There’s even a small petting zoo for the kids! And don’t miss out on the fresh-baked bread! Inside the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, arts and crafts activity stations offer children a chance to warm up to a screening of a classic holiday movie, and live DJs provide lively music for ice skating. Grab a craft beer or hot chocolate between activities and enjoy fresh candied nuts, fondue, and more!
Last but certainly not least, Duluth Depot’s Christmas City Express is a holiday train ride to remember. Starting at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, visitors are treated to a holiday performance featuring characters from the Christmas City Express with a surprise appearance from Santa (don’t forget your letters)! There’s also a different live band every night and a 30-minute ride on a historic train to Lake Superior.
Solvang, California
Right in the middle of wine country, Solvang’s Danish-style holiday festival, Julefest, is the West Coast version of Christmas in Denmark and runs all December long. Stop by during the first weekend of the month to watch the annual tree lighting in the middle of downtown Solvang Park with holiday dancers and ballerinas. Enjoy the annual Julefest Parade, where decorative floats, marching bands, live horses, and more stroll through the enchanted downtown area.
Become the first to find a tricky gnome (a Danish-style hunt), an annual tradition in the city. Visit Santa in Solvang Park (be sure to have your Christmas wish list ready). Or, take a candlelit tour through the village.
Need a break from the holiday festivities? Kick back with a warm mug of cocoa and enjoy a horse-drawn Trolley Christmas Light Tour through Santa Ynez Valley. Belgian draft horses will pull you through the snow-covered landscape with breathtaking views of the lit-up windmills and old European-style shops. Wander through Solvang Park after dark for a magical, 10-minute light and music show every hour on the hour until closing time at 9 PM.
Woodstock, Vermont
Glittering like one of those ceramic villages under the Christmas tree, Woodstock, Vermont, looks straight out of a postcard with its snow-covered bridges, decked out businesses and Victorian-style homes covered in twinkling lights, wreaths and red ribbons.
Residents of Woodstock set aside a whole weekend in December to celebrate wassail, a traditional Christmas punch. Wassail Weekend is an unforgettable, magical Christmastime experience, complete with a parade, scavenger hunt, carriage rides, children’s story times, caroling, and Artisans on the Green, an artisanal holiday market. And, of course, lots and lots of wassail.
A short drive out of town, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science hosts the annual Forest of Lights, where visitors can escape the forest floor and walk among the treetops along a sturdy boardwalk lined with lit-up trees. This enchanting holiday exhibit includes a Snowflake Tunnel, a Blue-and-White Icicle Tower, and a Fairy Lighting Hideaway. Back in Woodstock, spend Christmas at the Farm (hosted by Billings Farm & Museum), where you can dash through the snow in a horse-drawn sleigh, meet Santa hat-wearing dairy cows, tour a 19th-century farmhouse, try your hand at candle making, and make mini mince pies!
