People Are Sharing Their Favorite Places In The US To Get Into The Christmas Spirit
We asked people in the BuzzFeed Community to share their favorite places to travel this holiday season. If you're looking to plan a trip to get you into the Christmas spirit, check out these fan favorites!
From tree lighting festivals to Christmas markets, the United States has plenty of holiday cheer, in fact you might find the perfect Christmas getaway is closer than you think.
1.Chicago, Illinois
"There’s nothing like Christmastime in downtown Chicago! In November, there’s a parade and light festival down the Magnificent Mile and a lighting of the huge Christmas tree. There’s horse drawn wagon rides, (free) ice skating rinks, an indoor winter wonderland, and my favorite thing to do as a child was to walk down Michigan avenue and look at the displays in the storefront windows. It’s a whole vibe."
2.Leavenworth, Washington
"Growing up my family went to Leavenworth, Washington every year at Christmastime, and it was always so beautiful and festive. Pre-pandemic the crowds had gotten a bit crazy, but definitely still a fun trip. We always stayed at the Enzian Inn and their Christmas decor is *chef’s kiss*."
3.
"Leavenworth, Washington is a Bavarian-themed city in the Cascade mountains a couple hours outside of Seattle. Displays of over half a million lights, plus music and entertainment; holiday characters for photo ops, strolling carolers, kids’ activities, roasting chestnuts, Santa photos and much more! Its wonderful!"
4.Frankenmuth, Michigan
"My family doesn’t celebrate Christmas but I love the spirit and the beauty of it, especially in Frankenmuth, Michigan. It’s home to the largest Christmas store in the world and the town itself is modeled after old Bavaria. it just feels so magical."
5.New York, New York
"You can’t get much more iconic than NYC at Christmastime. You have the Rockefeller tree and ice rink, the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Christmas Markets in Bryant Park and Columbus Circle, and 5th Avenue and Madison shops are all decked out beautifully for the holiday season. Saks 5th Ave even has a light show with music. I went back in 2018 and it was absolutely magical. I recommend going in early December before the rush though."
6.
"Definitely NYC! It’s been a long time but I loved seeing the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and all of the department store window displays when I was younger. 🎄"
7.
"It has to be New York! The Rockettes at Radio City, the holiday markets, ice-skating, the Saks light show…. Need I go on?"
8.Disney World in Orlando, Florida
"Walt Disney World at Christmastime is fantastic! While it’s usually at max capacity on Christmas Day, the holidays basically start right after Halloween, so it’s nice to go before the actual day. The ticketed nighttime event is fun, but there is so much more to see and do, like visiting the life-size gingerbread house in the Grand Floridian Resort and the celebrity-narrated Candlelight Processional concert in Epcot. Plus, the holiday-themed food is incredible!"
9.Santa Fe, New Mexico
"Santa Fe! I remember whenever we would visit at Christmastime the old town was decorated with light! So many luminarias and string lights in the trees, on the buildings, and the tops of the adobe walls. The whole city is decorated with lights and nativity scenes. Truly the most beautiful place in the world at Christmas time!"
10.Asheville, North Carolina
"Pre-Covid I went to Asheville, NC around Christmas. It was incredible. We went to the Biltmore and it was decorated to the nines. We loved it so much we came back at night. There was a local artisan market and they do a huge gingerbread competition every year. We found amazing handmade gifts for our family and the weather was mild enough that we could walk pretty much everywhere. It was a Hallmark movie come to life. We loved it."
11.San Antonio, Texas
"The San Antonio Riverwalk. It is beautiful year-round, but especially around the holidays. And you can't beat the food."
12.Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"Milwaukee. People either think of the crime rate or That 70s Show. Instead, they should come for the indoor and lake shore ice skating, the Christmas market (German immigrants really started the tradition, and it looks like a winter wonderland), the amazing light displays, the fantastic food. I came from San Francisco and have never looked back, especially around the holidays."
13.Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
"In downtown Pittsburgh, there is a building with statues and stories of how Santa looks across the world. Right outside of the building is a hot chocolate stand and a huge ice skating rink as well a a pretty large Christmas tree. It is definitely worth it!"
With so many holiday obsessed destinations, it looks like Hallmark Movies are going to have a tough time picking their next filming location.
Are there any places we missed? Leave them in the comments below.
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.
