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Some places put up a few lights in December and call it a day. Others change completely. The streets smell like cinnamon, every window glows, and for a few weeks the whole town seems to agree that it is the best time of the year. If you are planning a holiday trip in the US, these are the ones that really go all in.
The big city classics
New York City, New York
Yes, it is crowded. Yes, it is expensive. And it is still worth it at least once. The giant tree at Rockefeller Center is lit in early December, the department store windows along Fifth Avenue turn into tiny theatre stages, and Bryant Park fills up with a skating rink and little wooden shops. The trick is to go on a weekday morning or late in the evening, when you can actually stop and look at things without being pushed along by the crowd. Walk it, do not take taxis, because most of the magic happens between the big stops.
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Chicago, Illinois
Chicago’s Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza is modeled on the traditional German markets, and it has been running since the 1990s. You get hot mulled wine in boot shaped mugs, bratwurst, hand carved ornaments and a very German atmosphere right in the middle of downtown. The city is cold, but that just makes the hot drinks better. Dress warmer than you think you need to, since the wind off the lake is serious.
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Old world charm
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
This town was founded by Moravian settlers on Christmas Eve in 1741, and it never let go of the idea. Its nickname is Christmas City, and the old stone streets, the big star on the hill and the German style market in the historic district make it feel like a different century. It is small, so you can see everything in a day, and it is a good alternative if you want the market feeling without the big city price.
Williamsburg, Virginia
Colonial Williamsburg does Christmas in a completely different way. Instead of plastic lights, the houses are decorated with real fruit, pine branches, pinecones and wreaths, exactly the way people did it in the 1700s. Walking the lantern lit streets at dusk feels like walking through a painting. It is quiet, a little old fashioned and very relaxing, and kids tend to love it as much as adults do.
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Frankenmuth, Michigan
Another town that fell in love with its German roots. Frankenmuth is known as Little Bavaria, and it is home to Bronner’s, a huge store that claims to be the largest Christmas shop in the world. Even if you buy nothing, walking through it is an experience, with rows and rows of ornaments, trees and decorations in every size. Add a chicken dinner at one of the old family restaurants and snow on the rooftops, and you have a perfect weekend.
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Warmer places
Savannah, Georgia
If the idea of freezing for the sake of Christmas does not appeal to you, Savannah is the answer. The weather is mild, the old squares are strung with lights, and the huge oaks draped in Spanish moss look beautiful at night with a little glow in them. Walk through Forsyth Park, pick up a hot chocolate and take your time. It is one of the calmest and most photogenic ways to spend the holidays in the country.
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Santa Fe, New Mexico
This one looks like nowhere else. Instead of strings of electric bulbs, the adobe buildings are lined with farolitos, small paper bags with a candle inside that glow a warm orange along the rooftops and walls. On Christmas Eve, Canyon Road is closed to traffic and people walk along it with carols, small bonfires and hot cider. The mix of desert, old adobe and lantern light is hard to forget.
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Solvang, California
A small Danish village tucked into the hills of Santa Barbara County, Solvang has windmills, half timbered buildings and bakeries selling aebleskiver, the round Danish pancake balls that you eat with jam and powdered sugar. At Christmas the whole town is covered in lights, and the weather is mild enough to walk around in a light jacket. It is an easy stop on a California road trip.
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A bit of everything
Asheville, North Carolina
The Biltmore Estate, America’s largest private home, is decorated for Christmas with dozens of trees, garlands and candles in every room, and the evening candlelight tours are the most popular way to see it. The house is huge, so go with a plan and book your time slot early, because tickets sell out in advance. The town of Asheville itself is great for warming up afterward, with plenty of cozy cafes and breweries.
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Things worth knowing before you book
Christmas is the most popular and most expensive time to travel, and the best places book up months in advance. If you can, go in the first two weeks of December. Decorations and markets are already fully up, and the crowds are smaller than the week before Christmas.
Check opening dates for any market or event you care about, since many only run on specific days or close early on weekdays. Bring cash for small stalls, especially at the German style markets, where a few vendors still do not take cards.
And do not overplan. The best Christmas moments are usually the unplanned ones, like stumbling on a choir in a square or finding a tiny shop that sells exactly one thing. Leave a few hours open each day for wandering.
Pick the place that matches the kind of Christmas you want, whether that is snow and mulled wine, quiet lantern lit streets or palm trees and string lights. Any of these will make December feel a little more special.