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15 of the best Christmas towns in the USA

woodstock in vermont
The Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vermont, is a popular destination during the holiday season.

James Kirkikis/Shutterstock

  • From Christmas markets to light displays, small towns across the US get into the holiday spirit.
  • Helen, Georgia, is a recreation of a Bavarian alpine village that goes all-out for Christmas.
  • Santa Claus arrives by boat during Nantucket, Massachusetts' annual Christmas Stroll.

From dazzling festivals of light to towering Christmas trees, there are plenty of ways for small towns across the US to celebrate the holidays.

Whether you're celebrating the holiday season in a quaint New England town or hitting the slopes in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, there's no wrong way to get in the holiday spirit.

For local small businesses, hotels, and restaurants, the holiday season offers more than just festive cheer β€” it's also a prime opportunity to generate income from tourism. Day-trippers and overnight tourists boost local economies while getting to enjoy festive holiday markets, local restaurants, quaint and cozy inns, and more.

Keep reading to discover the best Christmas towns in the US, from Alaska to North Carolina.

North Pole, Alaska
north pole alaska
North Pole, Alaska.

Kit Leong/Shutterstock

North Pole, Alaska, is decked out in Christmas decorations year-round, although it's an especially festive place to be during the holiday season.

It's only fitting that there's a town called North Pole in Alaska. The small town, which has a population of just 2,285 people, keeps the holiday spirit alive all year long. However, the North Pole is especially festive around the holidays.

The North Pole's post office is a famous local attraction that reportedly receives over 400,000 letters addressed to Santa Claus every year, Travel Alaska reported.

Solvang, California
solvang california newsom
Solvang, California.

George Rose/Getty Images

Solvang, California, is an adorable Danish-inspired village located in the Santa Ynez Valley, up the coast from Santa Barbara.

The town feels festive all year round, although Solvang stands out during the holiday season. Every year, the European-inspired town hosts Julefest, a holiday celebration complete with Christmas tree lighting, plenty of holiday shopping, and Danish treats.

Mystic, Connecticut
Mystic Seaport december
Mystic Seaport.

Carol Ann Mossa/Shutterstock

Visitors to Mystic, Connecticut, can stroll around the town's harbor to admire the elaborately decorated boats, watch Santa Claus arrive by tugboat, or grab a slice at the town's most famous restaurant, Mystic Pizza.

Helen, Georgia
german-looking stores line a brick street in Helen, Georgia
Helen, Georgia

NiglayNik/Shutterstock

The downtown of Helen, Georgia, is a recreation of a Bavarian alpine village that only gets more adorable once it's decorated for the holidays.

While the town is famous for its Oktoberfest celebration, Helen also comes alive around the holidays.

The town has a Christmas market and parade featuring costumed characters, floats, and Santa Claus himself. There are also festive lights, a breakfast with Santa, and the opportunity to buy your gifts at Helen's own Christmas Shoppe.

Frankenmuth, Michigan
Frankenmuth, Michigan, under snow.
Frankenmuth, Michigan.

T-I/Shutterstock

Frankenmuth, also known as Michigan's Little Bavaria, is one of the coziest places to spend the holidays. The town's architecture will make you feel as if you've been transported to Europe, and it's even better when it's covered in snow.

The town is also home to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, which, at 320,000 square feet, calls itself the world's largest Christmas store.

Silverton, Oregon
The lit-up Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.
The Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.

Bob Pool/Shutterstock

Silverton is a tiny town in Oregon, although it's arguably the most festive place in the state during the holiday season.

The Silverton Christmas Market at the Oregon Garden Resort is a popular holiday event in Silverton. During this event, the gardens are lit up with festive light displays, snowless tubing, a Biergarten, and a vendor market.

Nantucket, Massachusetts
nantucket christmas
Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Shackleford Photography/Shutterstock

Many people only associate the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, with summer vacations, although the town is filled with holiday charm in the offseason.

You may not want to swim in the frigid Atlantic Ocean but the beach is just as charming in the winter thanks to its beautifully decorated lighthouses.

Nantucket also holds an annual Christmas Stroll festival, during which visitors can shop at discounted prices at many of the island's shops and watch Santa arrive by boat into Nantucket Harbor.

Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley Idaho
A skier in Sun Valley, Idaho.

CSNafzger / Shutterstock

It's nearly impossible to avoid holiday cheer in Sun Valley, Idaho.

The charming ski town goes all out β€” its celebrations include Christmas light displays, tree lightings, and visits from Santa Claus.

Santa Claus, Indiana
The town post office at Santa Claus, Indiana.
The town post office at Santa Claus, Indiana.

Kevin Pang/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service/Getty Images

What better place to spend the holidays than a town called Santa Claus?

The Indiana town is well-known for its post office, appropriately located on Kringle Place, where thousands of children mail their letters to Santa every year.

There's also a large Santa statue that stands outside the post office year-round, serving up a dose of Christmas cheer even in the summer.

Branson, Missouri
Table Rock Lake, Branson, Missouri.
Table Rock Lake, Branson, Missouri.

Tara Ballard/Shutterstock

Branson is a go-to spot for Missourians looking to get into the holiday spirit.

From live shows to holiday lights and shopping, Branson has everything you could ask for in a festive night out. It also offers natural beauty like snowy vistas at Table Rock Lake.

McAdenville, North Carolina
McAdenville nc christmas
A lit-up street in McAdenville, North Carolina.

Elizabeth W. Kearley/Getty Images

Located outside Charlotte, McAdenville also goes by "Christmas Town, USA" during the holiday season.

The name is fitting since it's one of the best places to view holiday lights and decorations in the country. Beginning December 1 β€” and sometimes, even earlier β€” homes and buildings all over town are aglow in lights and decorations until the day after Christmas.

Woodstock, Vermont
Woodstock, Vermont, at Christmas.
Woodstock, Vermont, at Christmas.

James Kirkikis/Shutterstock

Woodstock, Vermont, is widely regarded as one of the most quintessentially New England towns in the country. Gorgeous in both the fall and the dead of winter, Woodstock has a number of festive attractions and activities.

If you're planning to stay in town over the holidays or the winter season, try to book a room at the cozy and festive Woodstock Inn. Each guest suite has its own fireplace perfect for cuddling up next to with a cup of hot cocoa and a copy of "'Twas The Night Before Christmas."

Stowe, Vermont
Stowe Community Church on a cold frosty fall morning in Stowe, Vermont, USA.
Stowe, Vermont.

DonLand/Getty Images

People love to visit Stowe, Vermont, in the wintertime for skiing and other outdoor activities, but the town especially comes alive during the holiday season.

Stowe offers a beautiful winter landscape and hosts an annual tree-lighting ceremony, a holiday bazaar, and ice skating.

Leavenworth, Washington
leavenworth washington
Leavenworth, Washington.

Checubus/Shutterstock

Leavenworth, Washington, is a small Bavarian-inspired town with amazing Christmas lights.

Every year, Leavenworth's downtown is decorated in lights and the town's annual Christmas market keeps the holiday festivities going all season long.

Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson, Wyoming.

Felix Lipov/Shutterstock

The ski town is famous for its arches made of elk antlers, which are covered in Christmas lights during the holiday season and provide the perfect opportunity for family photo ops.

Outdoor enthusiasts can also hit the slopes at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort or enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the multiple surrounding national parks.

Read the original article on Business Insider

7 small US towns that will make you feel like you're in Europe for the holidays — without the pricey airfare

german-looking stores line a brick street in Helen, Georgia
Helen, Georgia.

NiglayNik/Shutterstock

  • Many small towns across the United States resemble quaint European villages.
  • Helen, Georgia's downtown area resembles a quiet Bavarian alpine village.
  • Solvang, California,Β is a Danish-inspired village that feels festive year-round.

You don't have to take a transatlantic flight to feel like you're in Europe this holiday season.

Across the United States, small towns draw inspiration from European countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden with local traditions, Christmas markets, and quaint architecture.

Plus, as many Americans are seeking to spend less this holiday season, you can avoid the expense of an international flight while still exploring a new place for the holidays.

Here are seven small towns in the US that will make you feel like you jetted off to Europe for the holidays.

Solvang, California
solvang california newsom
Solvang, California.

George Rose/Getty Images

Solvang, California, will make you feel as if you've been transported to a quaint European town. It's an adorable Danish-inspired village located in the Santa Ynez Valley, up the coast from Santa Barbara.Β 

Founded by Danish-American settlers from the Midwest in the early 1900s, the town is filled with Danish-inspired architecture. There are even replicas of Copenhagen's Little Mermaid statue and Round Tower, plus bakeries and restaurants that sell Danish cuisine.

The town feels festive all year round, although Solvang comes alive around the holidays. Every year, the European-inspired town hosts Julefest, a holiday celebration complete with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, plenty of opportunities for holiday shopping, and Danish treats.

Helen, Georgia
german-looking stores line a brick street in Helen, Georgia
Helen, Georgia.

NiglayNik/Shutterstock

Surrounded by mountains and forests, Helen, Georgia, features architecture that will seemingly transport you to a quaint German alpine village, complete with restaurants serving German cuisine such as bratwurst, schnitzel, and Sauerbraten.

While the town is famous for its Oktoberfest celebration, Helen also offers a number of festive events during the holidays. The town has a Christmas market and parade featuring costumed characters, floats, and Santa Claus himself, plus festive lights and a breakfast with Santa during the Christmas season.

Frankenmuth, Michigan
Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth, Michigan.

Alexander Sviridov/Shutterstock

Frankenmuth, also known as Michigan's Little Bavaria, is one of the coziest places to spend the holidays. The town's architecture will make you feel as if you'veΒ been transported to Europe,Β and it's even better when it's covered in snow.

The town is also home toΒ Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, which, at 320,000 square feet, calls itself the world's largest Christmas store.

Leavenworth, Washington
leavenworth washington
Leavenworth, Washington.

Checubus/Shutterstock

Remodeled in the 1960s to resemble a European ski town, Leavenworth features Bavarian-inspired architecture that will make you feel like you're in a quaint European town, not central Washington.

For the holidays, Leavenworth's downtown is decorated in lights and the town's annual Christmas market keeps the holiday festivities going all season long.

Vail, Colorado
Drone Village Skyline Aerial of Vail, Colorado.
Vail, Colorado.

Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock

Vail, partially modeled after the Swiss ski resort Zermatt, is nestled in the Colorado Rockies and attracts visitors from all over the world each winter.

The town might be best known for its ski slopes, but the European-inspired charm doesn't stop there. Shops and restaurants also take inspiration from Switzerland.

New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus, Wisconsin.

Kristen Prahl/Shutterstock

New Glarus, named after the canton of Glarus in eastern Switzerland, was founded in 1845 by Swiss immigrants, and much of the town still reflects that history.

Chalet-like buildings and events like the Heidi Folk Festival make this town feel like a quaint Swiss village. Visitors can also buy chocolate and other goods imported directly from Europe. New Glarus is also home to the only Swiss Heritage organization in the United States and the Swiss Historical Village Museum.

Lindsborg, Kansas
Lindsborg, Kansas
Lindsborg, Kansas.

Stephanie L Bishop/Shutterstock

Settled in 1869 by Swedish immigrants and known as Little Sweden, Lindsborg resembles a small Swedish town.

Around town, you'll spot colorfully painted dala horses that line the town's streets, as well as bakeries selling traditional Swedish treats like lingonberry bars and pancakes.

Every other year in October, the town holds its Svensk Hyllningsfest, a festival where locals dress in traditional Swedish clothing and participate in folk dancing and other traditions to celebrate the Swedish pioneers who created the community.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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