People Are Sharing Their Favorite Places In The US To Get Into The Christmas Spirit

For some "Ho ho ho" so close to home!

We asked people in the BuzzFeed Community to share their favorite places to travel this holiday season. If you're looking to plan a trip to get you into the Christmas spirit, check out these fan favorites!

From tree lighting festivals to Christmas markets, the United States has plenty of holiday cheer; in fact, you might find out the perfect Christmas getaway is closer than you think.

1. Chicago

Jon Hicks / Getty Images

"There’s nothing like Christmastime in downtown Chicago! In November, there’s a parade and light festival down the Magnificent Mile and a lighting of the huge Christmas tree. There are horse-drawn-wagon rides, (free) ice-skating rinks, and an indoor winter wonderland. My favorite thing to do as a child was to walk down Michigan Avenue and look at the displays in the storefront windows. It’s a whole vibe."

—Kateesha Mitchell

2. Leavenworth, Washington

Mark Lee / Getty Images

"When I was growing up, my family went to Leavenworth, Washington, every year at Christmastime, and it was always so beautiful and festive. Prepandemic, the crowds had gotten a bit crazy, but it was definitely still a fun trip. We always stayed at the Enzian Inn,  and their Christmas decor is *chef’s kiss*."

—ashleighstockmans

"Leavenworth is a Bavarian-themed city in the Cascade mountains a couple of hours outside of Seattle. Displays of over half a million lights, plus music and entertainment, holiday characters for photo ops, strolling carolers, kids’ activities, roasting chestnuts, Santa photos, and much more! It's wonderful!"

—brigetpeters

3. Frankenmuth, Michigan

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"My family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but I love the spirit and the beauty of it, especially in Frankenmuth, Michigan. It’s home to the largest Christmas store in the world, and the town itself is modeled after old Bavaria. It just feels so magical."

—Rachel

4. New York City

Andykazie / Getty Images

"You can’t get much more iconic than NYC at Christmastime. You have the Rockefeller Center tree and ice rink, the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Christmas markets in Bryant Park and Columbus Circle, and Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue shops are all decked out beautifully for the holiday season. Saks Fifth Avenue even has a light show with music. I went back in 2018, and it was absolutely magical. I recommend going in early December before the rush, though."

—A_Panda

"Definitely NYC! It’s been a long time, but I loved seeing the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center and all of the department store window displays when I was younger. 🎄"

—melialexander

"It has to be New York! The Rockettes at Radio City, the holiday markets, ice-skating, the Saks light show… Need I go on?"

—rhiank2

5. Disney World in Orlando

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"Walt Disney World at Christmastime is fantastic! While it’s usually at max capacity on Christmas Day, the holidays basically start right after Halloween, so it’s nice to go before the actual day. The ticketed nighttime event is fun, but there is so much more to see and do, like visiting the life-size gingerbread house in the Grand Floridian Resort and the celebrity-narrated Candlelight Processional concert in Epcot. Plus, the holiday-themed food is incredible!"

—jrihl

6. Santa Fe

Charles Mann / Alamy Stock Photo

"Santa Fe! I remember whenever we would visit at Christmastime, the old town was decorated with light! So many luminarias and string lights in the trees, on the buildings, and the tops of the adobe walls. The whole city is decorated with lights and Nativity scenes. Truly the most beautiful place in the world at Christmastime!"

—maddyb401f4a8e7

7. Asheville, North Carolina

Zuma Press / Alamy Stock Photo

"Pre-COVID, I went to Asheville, North Carolina, around Christmas. It was incredible. We went to the Biltmore, and it was decorated to the nines. We loved it so much that we came back at night. There is a local artisan market, and they do a huge gingerbread competition every year. We found amazing handmade gifts for our family, and the weather was mild enough that we could walk pretty much everywhere. It was a Hallmark movie come to life. We loved it."

—laurenk486b7dddf

8. San Antonio

Gabriel Perez / Getty Images

"The San Antonio River Walk. It is beautiful year-round, but especially around the holidays. And you can't beat the food."

—hitekx1

9. Milwaukee

Benkrut / Getty Images / iStockphoto

"Milwaukee. People either think of the crime rate or That '70s Show. Instead, they should come for the indoor and lakeshore ice-skating, the Christmas market (German immigrants really started the tradition, and it looks like a winter wonderland), the amazing light displays, the fantastic food. I came from San Francisco and have never looked back, especially around the holidays."

—janemargaretblake

10. Pittsburgh

Slomoe / Getty Images

"In downtown Pittsburgh, there is a building with statues and stories of how Santa looks across the world. Right outside of the building is a hot chocolate stand and a huge ice-skating rink, as well a a pretty large Christmas tree. It is definitely worth it!"

—emmaroseharrell

With so many holiday-obsessed destinations, it looks like Hallmark is going to have a tough time picking their next filming location.

Are there any places we missed? Leave them in the comments below.

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.