Places to go for christmas vacation in the us
North Pole, Alaska
What could be better than a visit to the North Pole? In this Alaskan town, you can drive down streets like Kris Kringle Drive, Mistletoe Lane or Santa Clause Lane and enjoy the annual North Pole Christmas In Ice Contest that draws ice sculptors from across the globe.
National newscasts are frequently broadcast live from the Santa Clause house as well. This is also the aurora season, which means you’ll have a good opportunity for viewing one of Mother Nature’s most awe-inspiring shows: the stunning northern lights.
Mackinac Island, Michigan
Hop on a ferry to this enchanting Michigan town with just 500 residents where everyone celebrates the holidays just like they did a century ago. Here, people travel by horse and buggy, as motorized vehicles have been banned for the past century.
At Christmas, Santa actually visits every child to hear their Christmas wishes. The annual Christmas bazaar features unique crafts and decor filled with green, red and lots of lilac – a favorite local color.
McAdenville, North Carolina
This Charlotte suburb with less than 700 residents is known as Christmas Town USA. For more than six decades, McAdenville puts on an impressive display for the holidays that includes 265 evergreen trees with a half-million dazzling lights, with over 160 houses elaborately decked out in a variety of decor.
Yahoo and Time magazine have named it among the “top 10 destinations to visit during the holidays”, and many news stations broadcast live from town around Christmas too. You’ll find lots to do in nearby Charlotte as well, from a variety of holiday-related events and world-class museums to outstanding shopping and dining.
Woodstock, Vermont
One of the most quintessential postcard-perfect towns to celebrate Christmas is Woodstock, Vermont, with its covered bridges, at least a light dusting of snow, and plenty of pine wafting through the air. This historic city knows how to do the holiday right, starting with Woodstock Wassail Weekend – a pre-holiday festival with 19th–century Norse culture traditions.
It includes a parade with over 50 horses and riders that don period dress and Christmas costumes, along with wagon and sleigh rides, carolers serenading and the lighting of the tree and yule log. An old-fashioned celebration with a big feast is hosted at the Billings Farm & Museum, and all the local shops with their beautifully decorated windows stay open late during the event.
Breckenridge, Colorado
It’s like stepping into a snow globe when you visit this famous ski town during the holidays. The town is transformed into a breathtaking Victorian-style Christmas village throughout December, starting with the Lighting of Breckenridge that includes hundreds of Santas racing down Main Street, picking up milk and cookies as they go, caroling and the Blue River holiday lighting on the first weekend of the month.
There are horse-drawn carriage rides, plenty of opportunities to shop for gifts, and if you stick around for New Year’s Eve you can watch the torchlight parade down the mountain, followed by fireworks.
Leavenworth, Washington
A&E Network once crowned Leavenworth the “Ultimate Holiday Town USA.” Located along the eastern edge of the soaring Cascades, this charming Bavarian village with an impressive snow-capped mountain backdrop will make you feel as if you’ve stepped into a historic German town.