Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
With the holiday season in full swing, I hope you have already started planning your vacation. Whether it’s visiting family or friends, or traveling to someplace new for some good old-fashioned relaxation – there are plenty of magical destinations across America waiting for you this holiday season. And who better to tell you about them than me?
I’m Santa Claus – the one in charge of making sure that Christmas morning is full of presents under the tree. Here are my favorite places to spend Christmastime in America:
- New York City
- Santa Claus Village
- Aspen Snowmass, Colorado
- San Antonio, Texas
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Chicago, Illinois
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada
- Snowshoe, West Virginia.
- Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee
- Whitefish, Montana
- Asheboro, North Carolina
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Boerne, Texas
New York City
New York City is the only place where you can see the Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue window displays and Central Park all covered in snow on Christmas Day. It’s truly one-of-a kind!
New York City is filled with holiday cheer – it even smells like gingerbread everywhere you go! There are beautiful lights at Rockefeller Center, where everyone gathers for the annual tree lighting ceremony, and the Rockettes do their famous holiday show.
New Orleans
Come to New Orleans for some real Mardi Gras spirit!
The Creole culture of the city will add a touch of spice to your winter vacation that you won’t find anywhere else in America. Be sure to wear green or red when visiting – it’s the only way to fit in during Mardi Gras!
Snowbird, Utah
If you’re looking for a winter getaway that won’t break your bank account, Snowbird is just the place.
It has some of the cheapest skiing and snowboarding rates in America – they pretty much give away free ski lift tickets on Christmas Day!
And if you’re looking for a little more adventure, I recommend taking the scenic helicopter tour of nearby Arches National Park.
Trust me – it’s breathtaking.
Santa Claus Village
If you want to be where Santa is during his busiest time of year, visit Santa Claus Village in North Pole, Alaska . Of course this place isn’t actually in Alaska – it’s just a clever name.
If you want the full Santa Claus experience, this is definitely where to go! You can even have your photo taken as an elf with Saint Nick himself.
Aspen Snowmass, Colorado
For those who don’t mind spending their Christmas break covered from head-to-toe in snow, I recommend Aspen Snowmass.
They even have a special holiday tradition here: every night at the stroke of midnight (so really early Christmas morning!) they spray fake snow from fire hydrants all over the streets to make it look like Santa and his reindeer were there overnight!
So if you want to be covered in white powder on your trip, make sure you visit Aspen Snowmass this festive season.
San Antonio, Texas
You can’t go wrong with a trip to San Antonio this winter – and it’s the perfect place for those who love Mexican culture.
During Christmas in San Antonio, the city puts on a fabulous holiday parade that includes an “angel tree” where children can pick out presents for their parents.
The Alamo also has its annual Christmas light show when they deck-out historic Mission San Antonio in lights! And if you’re feeling festive, there are plenty of Mexican restaurants in town where you’ll find delicious food and festive Christmas songs.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the perfect place for a holiday escape that’s full of bright lights and fun.
The Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas does an awesome light show every night during Christmas time – it lasts all through New Year’s Eve!
And if you want to get married on December 25th (because why not?) there are several chapels in town that will host your wedding!
Nashville, Tennessee
One of my favorite cities to visit during the holidays is Nashville, Tennessee.
Not only will you find some great places around town that put up Christmas lights, such as Centennial Park and the Parthenon, but you’ll also find some delicious southern comfort food to keep your spirits high.
From fried chicken at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack to pumpkin pie at Loveless Cafe – I guarantee that this trip will be one of your best holiday memories!
Hershey, Pennsylvania
For those who love chocolate, make sure to visit Hershey , Pennsylvania. On Christmas, Hershey puts on a big chocolate festival that includes free samples of everything Hershey sells!
But the best part is that there’s also an awesome light show at Hershey Park where you’ll find over three million lights covering several acres.
The whole park turns into one massive Christmas display – it’s guaranteed to bring out your inner child!
Don’t forget to bring your wallet – the town is full of delicious chocolaty treats!
And if you’re feeling extra festive make sure to try some “Hot Chocolate”, a local specialty that’s served with marshmallows and peppermint sticks.
Chicago, Illinois
If you’re looking for a big city to visit during the holidays, look no further than Chicago , Illinois.
The town puts up Christmas decoration all over downtown and there’s even an awesome light show that turns Michigan Avenue into a winter wonderland!
Chattanooga, Tennessee
If you’re looking for a more outdoorsy way to explore Christmas in America, I recommend Chattanooga, Tennessee.
During the wintertime this city is full of festive activities – from skiing and ice skating on Lookout Mountain to hot air balloon rides with views of the riverfront!
And if you want to escape all that fresh mountain air, then I highly recommend checking out the Aquarium of Chattanooga – it’s one of my favorite aquariums in the world!
Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada
If you’re up for a road trip to Lake Tahoe , make sure to stop by during December and experience all that this beautiful town has to offer.
During Christmas time, the town puts up an awesome display of lights that covers trees in several hotels.
And if you want to go ice-skating, there are plenty of places around Lake Tahoe where you can rent skates and have fun! Also, if you want to go skiing and snowboarding – this is the place for it!
Snowshoe, West Virginia.
If you’re looking for a small town in America filled with Christmas cheer, look no further than Snowshoe . This little ski resort gets covered in snow during wintertime and has an awesome holiday parade that goes through the town.
Of course, there are also plenty of ski resorts that will let you experience some more extreme winter activities – like skiing and snowboarding!
So if you’re looking for a place to get away during Christmas, make sure to check out one (or all!) of these places in America.
Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota
For those who love being surrounded by nature during the holidays, I recommend Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota.
This town puts up amazing Christmas lights in several neighborhoods and there are also fun activities to do outdoors!
For example, you can go ice-skating on Lake Calhoun or try your hand at cross country skiing – just make sure to dress warmly because it gets pretty chilly during wintertime.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
For those who want a memorable Christmas vacation, I recommend Gatlinburg , Tennessee.
This town is located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains and has an awesome display of lights that goes up every year on the main drag! Not to be missed!
And if you’re looking to have some fun outdoors – there are plenty of places around this town where you can go horseback riding, zip lining or even try some rock climbing!
Whitefish, Montana
For those who love to explore nature during the holidays – I recommend Whitefish , Montana. This town is located in one of my favorite national parks (Glacier National Park) and has an awesome display of lights that goes up around the town.
Asheboro, North Carolina
Asheboro puts up an awesome display of lights around downtown and has so many fun activities happening throughout December – from ice skating rinks to Christmas parades!
Asheville, North Carolina
Christmas in Asheville is something that you don’t want to miss! From spectacular decorations all over downtown and a famous light show that happens on the side of the hotel, this town is filled with Christmas cheer.
If you’re looking for some fun activities during your stay here – make sure not to miss out on Harrah’s Casino where they have holiday festivities going on all month long!
Asheville also has a beautiful Biltmore Estate that has been decorated for Christmas – you can even go ice-skating here if you want!
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is perfect for those who want to experience the holidays in cowboy country!
There are several holiday festivals that happen throughout December and there’s even a Christmas light show on the side of one of their casinos.
The town also puts up an awesome display of lights around downtown – definitely worth seeing if you’re here during this time!
Boerne, Texas
If you’re looking for a small town in America that is filled with Christmas cheer, I recommend Boerne. The city has an awesome display of lights around downtown and even has a lighted boat parade that goes through the town with festive music playing in the background!
Merry Christmas! Ho ho ho! And to all a good night!
Wow – that was some list right? I hope it inspires you to start planning your own holiday vacation here in the States. If not, well then…
