If candy canes, tinsel, parades, and goodwill for all fill you with holiday cheer, you’re probably wondering: “What are the best holiday towns near me this year?”
Sure, you know the holiday’s biggest hits—from the magic of Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza World’s Largest Menorah Lighting to Houston’s Magical Winter Lights festival. Maybe you’ve rung in the season with Atlanta’s World of Illumination Rockin’ Christmas, Seattle’s fantastical Lights at Spanaway Park, and Chicago’s Millennium Park outdoor ice rink before. We all know the hustle and bustle of a big city can propel the holiday spirit to new heights. For added convenience, you can rent a car at Houston Airport or Seattle Airport to explore even more festive attractions.
But there’s a particular charm to small towns that go all-out for the holidays. The places that bring “home for the holidays” close to heart. Read on to find the jolliest, most celebratory small holiday towns in the nation and make your visions of sugarplums come to life.
Help us celebrate SIXT’s most festive holiday towns this year:
1. Branson, Missouri
Known as America’s Christmas Tree City, Branson puts thousands of decorated trees on display throughout the holiday season. Your sense of holiday cheer will be kindled by the town’s awe-inspiring light shows. For a mix of holiday tradition and contemporary cheer, you can attend the family friendly An Old Time Christmas at the Silver Dollar City theme park, followed by a live Home for Christmas musical performance at Red Gold Heritage Hall. And to sweeten your holiday season, be sure to visit the Chateau’s professionally baked and decorated gingerbread village.
2. Skaneateles, New York
For the literary-minded, the village of Skaneateles celebrates the holidays with a very Dickens Christmas. Charles Dickens and dozens of his characters—including A Christmas Carol’s Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future—meet at the Gazebo at Clift Park for holiday merrymaking. If you’re staying in NYC, you can use a JFK car rental and take a day trip to this historic holiday town to catch its whimsical World’s Tiniest Christmas Parade before heading back to make it in time for the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting Special.
3. Fredericksburg, Texas
They say everything is bigger in Texas, and they may be right. For a small town, Fredericksburg’s Weihnachtszeit celebration is certainly monumental. The holiday season here is a delightful combination of authentic German heritage and timeless holiday tradition. This Christmas town’s Main Street is replete with enchanting Christmas decorations and enough shopping options for all your gifting needs. Be prepared to be dazzled by the Markplatz Christmas Nights of Lights, the 26-foot-tall German Christmas pyramid featuring a spinning windmill and moving wood figurines, and outdoor Eisbahn ice rink.
4. Grapevine, Texas
The enchantment of Grapevine’s Christmas Village is challenged only by its rockin’ Historic Main Street. To experience some holiday magic, you’ll want to drive your Dallas airport car rental over to this small town known as the Christmas Capital of Texas. Grabbing an SUV rental will ensure that your gift-carrying capacity lives up to the larger-than-life holiday celebrations. The town celebrates the holidays over 40 days of festivities including a Carol of Lights ceremony, fireworks show, and even photo ops with Santa and his reindeer. So. Much. Christmas. at the Gaylord Texan includes snow tubing, ice skating, gingerbread house decorating, Santa’s Snow Throw, Buddy the Elf’s multi-sensory interactive experience, and many more adventures to make your family’s spirits bright.
5. Naperville, Illinois
Christmas in Naperville buzzes with authenticity – no manufactured snow here! This holiday town’s Christkindlmarket offers a variety of traditional beautifully crafted trinkets that you’ll swear came directly from Santa’s workshop. Hold your loved one’s hand as you glide through the season at the All-Seasons ice rink, then witness the brilliance of the Rotary Club’s Holiday Parade of Lights. Chicago is just a short drive away, so for a more multicultural holiday celebration you can rent a car at Chicago Airport and go visit the city’s many Diwali, Chinese New Year, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, St. Lucia Day, and Visakha Puja Day celebrations.
6. Santa Claus, Indiana
Of all the nation’s Christmas towns, the town of Santa Claus has the jolliest moniker. It even houses the only post office in the world bearing Santa Claus’ name. The town’s Santa Claus Christmas Parade, Santa Claus Haus, Santa Claus Arts & Craft Show, and Santa Claus Christmas Store should infect even the grinchiest of Grinches with the holiday spirit. You can roast chestnuts on an open fire at Santa’s Candy Castle and recall the bravest reindeer of all at the Live Reindeer Exhibit at Santa’s TOYS. And if you’re still feeling Scrooge-like, the Monkey Hollow Winery and Distillery’s many holiday shows are sure to help get you into the Christmas spirit.
7. Edgewater, Colorado
This tiny lakeside town on the outskirts of the Mile High City offers a glorious Holiday Lighting Festival, complete with dancers and a guest appearance from Santa Claus. Take a moment for holiday cheer after the show by learning how to make Instagram-worthy macrame ornaments at the Edgewater Public Market or give your inner child a gift by driving over to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ sumptuous, snowy, splendid Camp Christmas. Just make sure that your car rentals in Denver Airport have all-wheel drive: you’re bound to have a white Christmas.
8. Leavenworth, Washington
The Bavarian town of Leavenworth is magical year-round, but especially so over the holidays. Breathing in the aroma of chestnuts roasting on an open fire while riding on a one-horse open sleigh will make you feel like all your Christmas songs have come to life—even more so when you hear the dulcet tunes of the Village Voices Christmas Concert. The Leavenworth Christmas Market features hundreds of vendors, a lantern parade, and traditional German treats. For those of you into collector’s items, this holiday town’s famed Nutcracker Museum has over 7,000 nutcrackers on display.
9. Big Bear Lake, California
Big Bear offers the perfect Christmas combo of snowy mountain peaks, beautiful foliage, and an icy lake. This Christmas town’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony features guest appearance from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The downtown Big Bear Village Mountain Christmas Boutique provides enough gift opportunities to satisfy everyone on your list. For the adventurous, the nighttime glow snow tubing at Big Bear Snow Play is sure to give both chills and thrills; or strap on some snowshoes and explore the woods around your cozy cabin rental. If you’re flying in, you can rent a car at San Francisco Airport to make your journey to this winter wonderland smooth and enjoyable. If you’re flying in, you can rent a car at San Francisco Airport or Los Angeles Airport to make your journey to this winter wonderland smooth and enjoyable.
10. Skyforest, California
Another SoCal charmer, this holiday town is home to Santa’s Village at SkyPark. Santa’s Village houses Santa’s House & North Pole, where you can visit with Kris Kringle himself; holiday decor and crafting with Santa’s Elves; the Northwoods Express Train Ride through the Village; an interactive, illuminating Fantasy Forest Experience; and ice-skating at the outdoor Silver Bells Arena. And if you’re so inclined, you can drop off your car rental in Los Angeles Airport and then attend Tinseltown’s rowdy, costumed, boozy SantaCon—great fun for those of you who lean towards the naughty list. Alternatively, you can rent a car at San Diego Airport and make the scenic drive to Skyforest to enjoy the festivities.
11. Woodstock, Vermont
There’s a certain magic inherent in New England Christmas towns, and Woodstock is no exception. The town is famous for its Wassail Weekend featuring a mouthwatering Christmastime Wassail Feast and festive Annual Wassail Parade. Try your hand at the Gingerbread Contest or take the whole family on a delightful outing to see Victorian Christmas traditions enacted at the Christmas at Billings Farm. The Woodstock Rotary Club’s Lighting of the Luminaries features an enchanting 400 luminaries lighting up the Green. And if you’ve been naughty, the Vermont Krampuslauf run will remind you to stay on the nice list next year.
12. Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is home to the Natchitoches Christmas Festival, one of the longest-running communal holiday celebrations in the nation. It also offers an enchanting City of Lights, multicultural Christmas Festival Parade, and an awe-inspiring holiday fireworks display. Extend your holiday palate beyond traditional Christmas dinner by munching on the town’s unique cuisine, such as its famed alligator bites and Natchitoches meat pies. You can even try and summon the Ghost of Christmas Past on one of the holiday town’s many haunted cemetery tours, including at American Cemetery—the oldest cemetery in the state.
13. Gainesville, Georgia
Gainesville’s Main Street Market goes all-out with holiday decor and festivities. Kickstart holiday celebrations with a joyous Jingle Mingle at the historic downtown square before attending the Christmas on Green Street annual parade of classic cars, holiday-themed floats, and musical festivities. You can even swim with Santa at the Francis Meadows Aquatic Center or use your Atlanta airport car rental to check out the Ballethnic Dance Company’s Kwanzaa celebration just an hour away. Gainesville is also right next to the Lanier Islands, where you can experience Margaritaville’s Lakeside Lights walk-through light show. Indulge in the Ultimate Santa Package if you book an overnight stay, which includes an Elf Tuck-In (complete with story time and milk and cookies) and Breakfast with Santa.
14. St. Augustine, Florida
Although St. Augustine is far from the North Pole, the holiday town makes up for the distance with a variety of fun and festive holiday options. Founded in 1565, this town’s celebrations are informed by years of tradition. Nights of Lights, often ranked one of the top holiday lights shows in the nation, envelops historic buildings and traditional architecture from the Plaza de la Constitución to the Bridge of Lions in dazzling ambiance. And it’s hard to pass up the holiday Regatta of Lights’ intriguing juxtaposition of Florida heat and Christmas ornamentation. If you’re planning to visit from nearby cities, car rentals at Orlando Airport and Miami Airport offer convenient options for making the trip.
15. Lanesboro, Minnesota
Just a few hours from the Minneapolis airport, Lanesboro offers a Christmas Inn Tour spanning seven bed and breakfast inns. Beyond the Christmas Inn Tour, performances of A Christmas Carol show at the Commonweal Theatre Company. The Carols Cocktails and Covers holiday event at the High Court Pub will remind you that it’s the most wonderful time of the year. You can even get into the spirit of Christmas with Christmas spirits: the pub’s spiked eggnog, mulled wine, and hot buttered rum are sure to bring you good cheer. The Artisan Christmas Market’s craft artistic creations will impress even the most industrious of Santa’s elves.
16. North Pole, Alaska
Okay, so this isn’t the real North Pole, but it’s as close as you’ll get in the U.S. The town is renowned for its candy cane-striped streetlights lighting the way on streets like Mistletoe Lane, Kris Kringle Drive, and St. Nicholas Drive. North Pole is fully adorned with festive holiday ice sculptures and decorations. You can even go dog mushing on a guided dog sledding tour or try and catch the Aurora Borealis shining in the winter sky. Santa and Mrs. Claus greet visitors at the Santa Claus House, housing the largest Santa fiberglass statue in the world.
17. Paradise, Nevada
This unincorporated town adjacent to Las Vegas offers glitz and glamour throughout the year. In fact, much of the Las Vegas Strip is actually in Paradise. Still, the town outdoes itself during the holiday season. If you’re flying in, grab a Vegas airport car rental and make your way to Paradise. Christmas in and around Paradise includes manufactured snow, the Fountains of Bellagio performing holiday tunes, a giant gingerbread house at the ARIA, a winter wonderland extravaganza, and a holiday cactus garden at the Ethel M. Chocolate Factory. Casinos try to outdo each other: lights, decor, shows, and even a scuba-diving Santa are all a part of Paradise festivities.
18. Stockbridge, Massachusetts
This Christmas town’s Main Street at Christmas festival inspired the Norman Rockwell “Main Street at Christmas” painting for a reason. Holiday pop-up delights, a marketplace stuffed full of gifts, decorated historic homes, and dazzling light shows are sure to put you in the holiday spirit. The Winterlights at Naumkeag and Children’s Holiday Sing Along at the Stockbridge Library Museum & Archives help celebrate the joyous season. The biggest annual event is always the reenactment of the Rockwell painting, which takes place at the close of the holiday weekend. For added convenience, you can rent a car at Boston Airport to easily reach this charming holiday destination
19. Bernville, Pennsylvania
Koziar’s Christmas Village is a true winter wonderland of vintage Americana. Light exhibits, animatronics, and holiday decorations fill the streets. The Village offers millions of holiday lights and even a kissing bridge—complete, of course, with mistletoe. You can finish up your holiday shopping and ensure you’ve covered everyone’s wish list with a bundle of toys flung on your back at Santa’s Toy Shoppe. The holiday town’s handmade train platform is sure to delight children of all ages.
20. McAdenville, North Carolina
Each December, the small town of McAdenville changes its name to Christmas Town USA—so you know they’re serious about the holiday spirit. The hamlet shines with twinkling light displays, a Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Plaza, and a Yule Log ceremony at Legacy Park. The McAdenville Baptist Church puts on a full nativity scene, and the town’s lake is surrounded by festive, decorated evergreen trees. If driving through the town’s 1.3 miles of light displays isn’t your speed, see if you’re faster than Santa and his reindeer at the annual Christmas Town Fun Run.
If any of these small Christmas town celebrations give you a reason for the season, go ahead—pack up your gifts in a Santa sack and explore the nation’s most festive holiday towns. For those of you who prefer horsepower to reindeer, you may want to rent a car instead of relying on Santa’s sleigh.
No matter where you celebrate, may this holiday season bring you warm tidings and good cheer.
