6 Small Towns in the US With Incredible Christmas Vibes

Choose a small town this season to bring you lots of holiday cheer!

Are you looking to get away this holiday season? While you might want to visit hot spots like New York City or even Disneyland to get into the spirit, you should consider some of our country’s small towns because you may find that they have just as much holiday cheer and festivities, if not more.

Like Christmas cards sprung to life, some of America’s small towns go all out for the holidays. From coast to coast, these communities go to great lengths to make the season bright by decking out their streets with twinkling lights.

In these towns, window decorations, holiday markets, and towering Christmas trees all make for a very festive winter.

These 6 destinations offer plenty of Christmas spirit alongside fun and one-of-a-kind activities, from themed train rides into the snowy mountains to long holiday parades. So which one will YOU pick?

1. North Pole, Alaska

Can’t get to Lapland? Don’t worry, our country’s got the next best thing! The next time your kids or grandkids say they want to visit the North Pole to visit Santa, you’ll know where to make their dreams come true!

Located about 15 miles away from Fairbanks, this small town is gussied up in Christmas decor all year round and is home to the Santa Claus House. The structure dates back to the 50s when a cheerful local known for dressing up as Santa Claus opened a general store.

Today, the house sells anything and everything Christmas and is home to Santa’s sleigh and a team of reindeer.

But when you aren’t visiting Santa, you can soak up the unique surroundings by strolling down streets like Kris Kringle Drive and Snowman Lane, or you can head to the annual Winter Festival for its holiday bazaar and fireworks.

2. Leavenworth, Washington

This small town in Washington is the most Christmassy town in the US. But it doesn’t come as a surprise to us. The community is designed to resemble a Bavarian village and goes all-out for Christmas, with over 21 miles of Christmas lights adorning the town.

You may have even seen pictures of it on many social media platforms. The town is home to an entire roster of fun holiday activities, including a reindeer farm and a Christmas market.

And they even have an annual sledding competition. Just be sure to bring some warm boots because it receives an average of 96in. of snowfall per year!

3. Long Grove, Illinois

The streets of downtown Long Grove come alive for the holiday season. This inviting small town of Chicago has a yearly “Vintage Holidays” theme, a seasonal tribute to the small-town holiday market experience complete with picture-perfect shops.

Festivities each weekend include the famous Christmas Tree Parade, complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides, costumed carolers, Victorian buildings trimmed in lights, a movie-perfect covered bridge, and cobblestone walkways lined with luminaries.

You’ll even get to meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus while here! You can expect all this from November 19th through December 19th, along with village merchants participating in a “Christmas Tree Parade” and much more.

The Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association organizes this event each year.

4. Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg says it’s the “Best Christmas Town in America,” and with all it has to offer, we might be tempted to believe them! This small town in Virginia doesn’t hold any punches when it comes to its Christmas celebrations.

But what exactly sets this community apart from all the rest? You’ll get to travel back in time to celebrate a colonial Christmas! The Jamestown settlement offers tours demonstrating how the colonists celebrated this winter holiday.

For even more history, you should attend the Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Market Square in Colonial Williamsburg.

During this event, you’ll get to learn about our country’s very first Christmas tree, which originated in Williamsburg, and you can enjoy a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”

You can also grab some hot chocolate and walk around town, enjoying the decorated buildings with all the twinkling lights.

5. Woodstock, Vermont

If you want to experience a genuinely traditional white Christmas with small-town charm, Woodstock is your best bet in New England.

With over 67in. of snow each year, a lively Christmas market, and traditional Christmas decorations, this small town has lots for you to enjoy during the holidays, including Billings Farm, a local holiday favorite.

It’s best known for its skiing, but the town comes alive come Christmastime thanks to the popular Wassail Weekend. This three-day celebration is jam-packed with a variety of things to do.

You can attend grand events, like the annual Wassail Parade, or sit back and relax with a holiday movie screening. There are also traditional activities, including caroling, and things for the kids, including craft-making and holiday storytime at the local library.

6. Durango, Colorado

Once December 1st hits, the small mountainous town of Durango transforms into a winter wonderland. This is the type of unique town the inside of snow globes are made of, making seasonal activities, like sleigh rides with hot cocoa or ice skating, just downright magical.

But the main reason we’d like you to visit during the Christmas season is to experience The Polar Express!

Held by the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, this journey simply brings that book we love to life by taking travelers to the “North Pole” to pick up Santa.

Along the way, passengers receive first-class treatment by receiving some tasty hot chocolate and will even get a chance to meet a few characters from the book, including Santa himself.

Included are also Christmas singalongs and a reading of the book, and each child in your family will receive a present!

If you enjoyed reading about how these small towns in the US transform during the Christmas season, leave us a comment and let us know which of them is your favorite!

And if you happen to live in a magical Christmas town that’s not on our list, be sure to tell us about it so we can include it next time.

In the meantime, while we’re on the topic of small towns, our country has LOTS of them…And they’re all equally magnificent. Here are some of our favorites: 48 Charming Small Towns You Haven’t Heard of (But Should Visit ASAP)