Trade in the bright lights of big cities for the sparkle of small-town Christmas charm this holiday season. These picture-perfect towns feel straight out of a Christmas movie with their streets lined with twinkling lights, festive parade fanfare and old-fashioned holiday spirit. From sleigh bells ringing near snowy slopes to the scent of roasted chestnuts at a holiday market, these destinations deliver big on merriment and hospitality.
From Vermont to New Mexico, here are 16 of the best small towns bursting with holiday magic and festive cheer.
1. Woodstock, Vermont: Classic New England Christmas
Snow-dusted wreaths adorn covered bridges, and horse-drawn sleighs glide past centuries-old homes in Woodstock, a quintessential New England village glistening with holiday magic. During the annual Victorian-themed Wassail Weekend in mid-December, the whole town turns out for the Wassail Parade, artisan market, carriage rides, bonfire and caroling.
Take a step back in time during Winter Celebration on the Farm at Billings Farm and Museum. Dip your own candle in the 1890 Farm Manager’s House, sip hot cocoa or cider by an outdoor fire pit, and meet the farm animals.
If you’re feeling adventurous, go snowshoeing, hiking or cross-country skiing the carriage roads in Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park. Warm up by sipping a maple leaf latte at Woodstock Coffee Company, and stay at Woodstock Inn and Resort to add to the holiday nostalgia.
2. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: “Christmas City, USA”
Founded on Christmas Eve in 1741, Bethlehem blends history with holiday magic. You might get serenaded by carolers as you wander the cobblestone streets lined with Moravian architecture or pass by in a horse-drawn carriage ride. Get a glimpse of what life was like in the 1700s during a Christmas City Stroll walking tour. Shop for unique gifts at the Christmas City Village, inspired by the German Weihnachtsmarkt, or shop at the Bethlehem Christkindlmarkt, considered one of the country’s top holiday markets.
Book a Bethlehem by Night bus tour for a unique view of the town’s star atop South Mountain and to learn why the city’s north side twinkles in white lights and the south side sparkles in colored lights. Join the crowd for the Live Advent Calendar. Bethlehem’s one-of-a-kind tradition happens nightly, December 1 through 23. Book a room at the historic Hotel Bethlehem, decorated with over 35,000 lights, trees and life-size nutcrackers.
3. Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia: Candlelit Christmas Past
Enjoy the yuletide spirit of early America as you experience an 18th-century Christmas, complete with caroling by flickering torches and the scent of pine wafting through the air thanks to all-natural Christmas wreaths and garland decorating doors throughout Colonial Williamsburg. Enjoy spiced cider and colonial sweets as costumed interpreters share stories of how Christmas was celebrated in centuries past.
Colonial-era festivities, including the Yule Log Ceremony procession and historical reenactments, are part of the month-long Christmastide. Complete with musket fire in homage to 18th-century traditions, the Grand Illumination lights up the night sky over the colonial capital with a festive fireworks and music celebration.
4. Middleburg, Virginia: Equestrian Elegance Meets Holiday Cheer
Just an hour outside of Washington, D.C., small-town Christmas traditions meet country sophistication in historic Middleburg. Known as the “Nation’s Horse and Hunt Capital,” it’s only fitting that the mile-long Christmas in Middleburg Parade is led by a cavalry of hounds and horses trotting down Washington Street. The town’s lively historic district, decorated with greenery and twinkling lights, is lined with quaint boutiques, cafes and restaurants.
It’s also in the heart of one of the top wine regions along the East Coast. Sip some holiday cheer by popping into nearby wineries for seasonal wine tastings.
Whether you stay for a weekend or just enjoy dinner, the Salamander Middleburg transforms into a holiday haven with crackling fires, events with Santa and luxurious festive teas. A group of friends and I found it to be a festively fun shopping and sipping surprise while on an annual girls' trip for holiday shopping in the Washington, D.C. area.
5. Frankenmuth, Michigan: Little Bavaria’s Big Christmas
Known as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” Frankenmuth goes all out for the holidays, including a 40-foot musical Christmas tree. Frankenmuth’s Bavarian-style architecture draped in garland sets the stage for a traditional Christkindlmarkt. Vendors’ stalls overflow with ornaments, mulled wine and more, as polka music fills the air. From cuckoo clocks to forged goods, get all your holiday gifts while perusing the shops behind the scenic Main Street storefronts.
It’s Christmas year-round in Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, purportedly the world’s largest Christmas store. When you’re hungry, devour Bavarian specialties, and don’t miss the Frankenmuth Cheese Haus with more than 270 different types of cheese from all over the world. Drop your letter to Santa in a “Santa Letter Only” mailbox during your visit. Book a festively themed spa treatment at Serendipity Wellness Spa that offers snow globe pedicures. Everything is festive in Frankenmuth during the holidays.
6. Santa Claus, Indiana: America’s Christmas Hometown
With a name like Santa Claus, there’s no doubt this small town in Indiana lives and breathes Christmas. “America’s Christmas Hometown” turns into a merry playground where thousands of children’s letters to Santa are answered by volunteer elves.
Enjoy the annual Santa Claus Christmas Parade and drive through Santa’s Land of Lights, a 1.2-mile holiday light show. See the giant 1935 Santa, and learn the history of the town at the Santa Claus Museum and Village. You can even send a letter at the original Santa Claus Post Office.
7. Franklin, Tennessee: Dickens of a Christmas
Just south of Nashville, Franklin feels like a holiday Hallmark movie. During the annual Dickens of a Christmas festival, costumed characters from "A Christmas Carol" stroll alongside carolers and vendors serving roasted nuts and mulled cider. A 40-foot tree shines bright in the Main Street square.
Catch a holiday flick at the Franklin Theatre, an Art Deco movie theater built in 1937. Find artisan gifts at holiday markets, including the Made South Market in November and the Holiday Made Market in December.
The modern-day general store of White’s Mercantile was a huge hit with my annual girls' shopping trip when we visited Franklin during the holidays. Live music and southern hospitality add to the magic of a Tennessee Christmas.
8. Branson, Missouri: Ozark Mountain Christmas
Known for its family-friendly shows, Branson shines even brighter during the holidays as the Ozark Mountain Christmas festival takes center stage. The season-long celebration is filled with parades, concerts and spectacular light displays. From dancing trees of light to ones made of life jackets and library books, there are more than 100 decorated trees on the America’s Christmas Tree City Tour.
Take a ride through one of three immersive drive-through light displays or zoom down a run on a snow tube at Wolfe Mountain. Hop aboard the Branson Scenic Railway’s Polar Express Train Ride for a magical ride through the Ozarks. The amusement park Silver Dollar City’s “An Old Time Christmas” dazzles with over 6.5 million lights. Cruise aboard the Showboat Branson Belle, decorated to the nines, and shop ‘til you drop at Branson Landing, decked out for the holidays.
9. Natchitoches, Louisiana: A Creole Christmas
In Louisiana’s oldest town, Natchitoches, Christmas is six weeks of holiday cheer. There are more than 300,000 lights and 100 set pieces displayed along the banks of Cane River Lake to honor the holiday, infused with the town’s Creole heritage.
Shop the stalls of the Fleur de Lis Craft Market and stroll through decorated houses during the Christmas Tour of Homes. Just minutes from downtown, take a walk in the woods to see the more than 300,000 dazzling LED lights of Dark Woods Christmas.
10. Gruene, Texas: Cowboy Christmas
There’s a saying, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” and that includes the Christmas spirit. The historic limestone buildings and smell of brisket on the smoker are the perfect backdrop for a Lone Star holiday celebration in Gruene, a town midway between San Antonio and Austin. During the annual Gruene Pony Express Ride, a cavalcade of riders delivers a Christmas message from the Governor of Texas.
During the town’s annual parade, Santa arrives on horseback as Cowboy Kringle, Gruene’s version of Santa Claus. Shop nearly 100 vendors for unique finds and Texas foods at Gruene Market Days. In the historic downtown, sip some local wines and craft beer in the seasonal Grapevine Garden, and take a spin around the ice rink. Do some festive two-stepping under twinkling lights while listening to live music at Gruene Hall, the oldest continuously running dance hall in Texas.
11. Estes Park, Colorado: Rocky Mountain Christmas
Nestled on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park combines small-town Christmas festivities with mountain adventure. Traditionally the day after Thanksgiving, Catch the Glow Parade lights up Elkhorn Avenue with floats, carolers and twinkling trees. A 36-foot pixel pine tree dazzles with a light show set to classic holiday music every evening in Bond Park. The winter landscape of Rocky Mountain National Park is prime for a snowshoe hike or guided winter adventure with Estes Park Outfitters. Laughter is a sure bet while sledding and tubing in the snow-filled playground of Hidden Valley in the national park.
Sleigh the Games, a new holiday festival, is a weekend full of festive fun, including snowball dodgeball, Chase the Glow 4-mile and 1-mile races under twinkling lights, and a Sweets Stroll of a sweet-treat scavenger hunt through downtown Estes Park.
12. Breckenridge, Colorado: Santas and Slopes
As a historic mining town turned world-class ski town, Breckenridge blends holiday mountain magic with adventure on and off the slopes. During the Lighting of Breckenridge, the historic Victorian-era downtown is illuminated with more than 250,000 lights for a picturesque snow-globe glow. For a jolly good time, hundreds of red-suited runners and walkers dash down Main Street with their white beards bouncing in the Race of the Santas. The town goes to the dogs for a bit with furry friends in full festive attire during the holiday dog parade, Bernerfest at Continental Divide Winery and the Jingle Paws Runway dog fashion show with Breck Create.
After a day on the slopes at Breckenridge Ski Resort or Nordic Center, toast the day with a warm drink at one of the historic saloons or sip a cocktail made with the seasonal candy cane vodka at Breckenridge Distillery. Sitting at 9,600 feet in elevation, it’s the highest distillery in America. As you explore the local galleries, cozy up in a fireside tavern or browse boutiques brimming with Colorado-made gifts, soak in the mountain magic of adventure and nostalgia in this Colorado gem made for the holidays.
13. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Desert Holiday Glow
Santa Fe glows with a warmth all its own during the holidays. Beneath the starry desert sky, flickering luminarias (or paper lanterns) on the rooftops of adobe buildings and walkways light the way. Get wowed by the stunning voices of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale performing Carols & Lullabies: Luminaria in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. It’s one of the most extraordinary Christmas concerts I’ve ever heard. Enjoy a quartet performance of holiday music in the Loretto Chapel, famous for its mysterious spiral staircase. Stroll through the Railyard Artisan Market where local artists and makers showcase gifts reflecting Santa Fe’s heritage and creative spirit.
When you’re ready to warm up, savor a bowl of tortilla soup or green chili stew at the historic Inn and Spa at Loretto, or sip a margarita and devour enchiladas at The Shed.
On Christmas Eve, during the Canyon Road Farolito Walk, thousands stroll the historic arts district illuminated by candlelight and the sounds of carolers permeating the air. From candlelit paths to spiced cocoa and bizcochitos (New Mexico's state cookie), Santa Fe’s blend of culture, cuisine and Southwestern spirit make it a magical and delicious small-town Christmas destination.
14. Solvang, California: Danish Julefest Dream
Bringing a slice of Denmark to California’s Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang is known for its half-timbered architecture, windmills and irresistible bakeries. During the holidays, the Danish-inspired town transforms into a Julefest, a month-long small-town Christmas celebration.
During December, the streets come alive with Nordic traditions under the California sun. Danish dancers, festive floats and Viking re-enactors populate the town. On a Hygge Holiday Candlelight Tour, stroll the cobblestone street while learning about Solvang’s Danish heritage along the way.
It’s the season to indulge in a warm aebleskiver, a pancake puff dusted with powdered sugar, in one of the town's bakeries. Sip a glass of gløgg, the traditional Scandinavian mulled wine, while strolling through the Maker’s Market.
Every night during Julefest, Solvang Park sparks feelings of holiday magic with lights and music. Get the list of clues from the Visitor Center and go in search of the mischievous Solvang Nisser (Danish for gnome). Mixing European charm with laid-back California vibe, Solvang’s Julefest is warm and whimsical with no snow required.
15. Leavenworth, Washington: Winter Wonderland
Tucked into the snowcapped Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth shines as one of America’s most dazzling small towns during the holidays. This Bavarian snow-globe scene twinkles with more than half a million lights illuminating timbered rooftops, alpine balconies and shop windows brimming with ornaments and Christmas goodies against an equally stunning mountain backdrop.
During the Village of Lights: Christmastown, the crisp mountain air fills with cheer from nightly tree lightings, carolers and concerts. From the Festhalle to the gazebo, there is festive fun in every corner of Leavenworth. Visit St. Nikolaus, take a sleigh ride through Icicle River Valley, or go for a spin on the ice of the outdoor rink. As snowflakes sparkle under twinkling lights and laughter echoes from cozy pubs, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a European winter village as you soak in this special holiday bliss.
16. North Pole, Alaska: Where It’s Always Christmas
Sitting just outside Fairbanks, this merry town celebrates Christmas all year long with candy-cane-striped lampposts and street names like Santa Claus Lane. When you visit the famous Santa Claus House, you might run into the big guy himself, and you can send postcards stamped from the real North Pole. When I visited, I bought an elf bell and love adding it to my tree every year.
Beyond the Christmas-decorated wonderland, winter adventures add extra sparkle here. Take a snowy stroll with real reindeer at Running Reindeer Ranch. Learn about the gentle, graceful creatures as you walk alongside them under a canopy of snow-covered spruce trees. Warm up with a steamy soak at Chena Hot Springs Resort after you tour their ice museum.
Since the region sits within the Auroral Oval, the aurora borealis, or northern lights, often dance above the snowy landscape, adding a touch of magic to the season that’s festive and otherworldly.
From snowy New England escapes to desert holidays aglow with luminarias, America’s small towns have big holiday spirit. They remind us that the magic of the season isn’t in grandeur. It’s togetherness and making memories, embracing the simple joy of celebrating Christmas in a small town.