America’s top holiday towns
Explore very merry villages that embody the spirit of the season
This year, skip the mall Santa and hit the road — these jolly spots make for sublime winter journeys. From millions of twinkling lights to miles of gingerbread houses, our decked-out holiday destinations from coast to coast know a thing or two about making Christmas magic. Along the way, stop at a couple of festivals that continue the seasonal fun.
Leavenworth, Wash.
Nestled against the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth transforms into a postcard-perfect Bavarian village come holiday time. Think horse-drawn sleigh rides under snow-topped trees, sled dog races and an awe-inspiring number of Christmas lights (half a million, to be exact). Concerts featuring carolers, handbells and harps add to the vivacious holiday vibe. Visitors can grab last-minute gifts on Nov. 25 and 26 at the Christkindlmarkt, an Old World-inspired holiday market with Glühwein (a mulled wine) and costumed characters, or enjoy 26 kilometers of groomed ski trails within 10 miles of town. Don’t miss the Christmas Lighting Festival, held over three consecutive weekends beginning Dec. 2.
Winterfest, Sausalito, Calif.
Famous for its houseboats and Victorian charm, Sausalito’s spin on the 12 Days of Christmas — which begins Dec. 1 — lasts a couple of days longer and includes a lighted boat parade with fireworks over the water on Dec. 17. Insider tip: Book a room at Casa Madrona, a historic mansion-turned-luxury-hotel, and take in stellar views of the holiday harbor procession while sipping spiked hot cocoa and enjoying a roaring fire.
Snow Sculpture Championships, Breckenridge, Colo.
Snowman enthusiasts and serious artists alike flock to Breckenridge each winter, drawn by the chance to see and sculpt ornate sculptures from blocks of ice. On Saturdays during the championships (this winter, between Jan. 24 and Feb. 5), the laid-back ski town also presents a light show and plenty of fire pits to keep travelers warm after a day spent skiing, dogsledding and checking out the jaw-dropping frozen characters on display.
Town | Taos, N.M.
Beyond red- or green-chile-topped everything, this famous New Mexico arts town is naturally full of holiday cheer, surrounded on all sides by ethereal snow-capped mountains (making it an excellent perch for ski bums). Visitors can sip wine or hot chocolate and stroll top art galleries during the Dec. 3 Lighting of Ledoux, in which Ledoux Street is illuminated with hundreds of small paper lanterns known as farolitos or luminarias. Or observe Las Posadas, a Hispanic tradition re-enacting Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter in the nine days leading up to Christmas (this year, Dec. 16-24). The Christmas Eve Procession of the Virgin Mary at the 1,000-year-old Taos Pueblo — a National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site — should make every traveler’s bucket list. In a solemn ceremony, a statue of Mary is carried through a plaza and returned to its resting place in San Geronimo Chapel.
Branson, Mo.
Branson’s Ozark Mountain Christmas runs through Dec. 31 and captivates with millions of glittering bulbs along the 2.5-mile Shepherd of the Hills Trail of Lights. One $35 ticket covers a carload of up to eight people. Downtown, a giant nativity scene is a main attraction; the lighting of the 28-foot-tall display and Adoration Parade are Dec. 4. The Old Time Christmas festival at the Silver Dollar City theme park continues daily through Dec. 30; it showcases a five-story Christmas tree, a musical version of It’s a Wonderful Life plus Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Christmas Lights Parade nightly, with floats covered in more than 200,000 lights.
Winter Carnival, St. Paul
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival — Jan. 26 to Feb. 5 — is the oldest in the U.S. Since 1886, when it was created by locals after out-of-town reporters described the city as “another Siberia, unfit for human habitation,” it has extended the spirit of the season with ice sculptures, live music, parades, beer tastings and snowplow competitions. Buy a button and register it online for prizes.
Alexandria, Va.
Located minutes by car or subway from Washington, D.C., visitors feel like time travelers to Christmas Past in Alexandria’s quaint Old Town. The colonial-era brick-lined streets play host to numerous Christmas events such as the annual Christmas tree lighting Nov. 25, hosted by the mayor with appearances by Santa and Alexandria’s town crier. The 46th annual Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend that begins Dec. 2 includes a lavish parade of Scottie dogs, dancers and bagpipers on Dec. 3. Ten miles south, revelers who visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon on weekends between Nov. 25 and Dec. 18 can glimpse fireside caroling and 18th-century dancing.
Cajun & Creole Christmas, Lafayette, La.
Expect dozens of events with Acadian flair, like bayou boat parades and gumbo cook-offs, throughout November and December in Lafayette and nearby communities. Take a peek into the region’s past during the Old-Time Christmas Dec. 13-21 at Lafayette’s Vermilionville, a living history museum and park dotted with original settlement structures dating from 1765.
New York City
The Big Apple celebrates Christmas in a big way and it’s easy to organize a trip to coincide with Manhattan’s famous outdoor events such as the 90th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 24, or the star-studded Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting Nov. 30. Attractions that will delight all ages include the 1,000-plus gingerbread houses at the New York Hall of Science from Nov. 11 to Jan. 15, or the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden from Nov. 19 to Jan. 16. The New York City Ballet’s iconic Nutcracker, which runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 31, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which lives up to its name between Nov. 11 and Jan. 2, are must-sees. For those on a budget, glimpses of elaborately decorated department store windows are free.
Wassail Weekend, Woodstock, Vt.
Experience a New England holiday during Wassail Weekend Dec. 9-11. The snowy landscape encourages skiing, snowball fights and horse-drawn sleigh rides, but the highlight is the Equestrian Parade, with more than 50 horses and riders clad in 19th-century holiday attire. Fun fact: Wassailing refers to a medieval ritual of song and drink thought to encourage a good harvest. Today, it ensures you’ll help spread holiday cheer.
