30 of the Prettiest Places Decorated for Christmas Across America

Everyone loves the holidays. But when it comes to Christmas decor, some destinations in America really do it right. Beyond the usual holiday light display, these places do things a little differently, embracing the old-fashioned side of Christmas in historic homes and garland-decked downtowns. Whether it's the parade of fox hunters on horseback in their red jacket finery through the streets of Middleburg, Virginia horse country or the charming Victorian Christmas tradition in Jacksonville, Oregon where Santa dresses in the long flowing red robe of a 19th century Mr. Claus, there are hundreds of charming ways to celebrate. If we had to pick one to visit, it might b the spectacular decor inside and out the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, shown here.

Want it more ideas for places to visit for Christmas cheer? We've chosen the best town for holiday vibes in each state right here.

Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth, Washington is a Bavarian-style village that feels especially atmospheric all dressed up for the holidays. Local Alpine-style restaurants serve Bavarian fare and the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum displays thousands of nutcrackers, some of which date back centuries.

This grand Washington, DC hotel The Willard InterContinental is a spectacular winter wonderland during the holidays featuring nightly complimentary choral performances, afternoon teas and a gingerbread house display that pays tribute to the city's world famous monuments.

Generations of the DuPont family lived at Eleutherian Mills, the first family home built in America. And each year residents of Wilmington, Delaware can enjoy the home decorated for Christmas often with period decor that captures the traditions and style of a previous generation.

You'd expect nothing less than a transportive holiday experience in a town that was named Bethlehem on Christmas Eve in 1741. Bethlehem has also been dubbed Christmas City, USA for its extravagant approach to the holidays. Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt Christmas market has been named one of the best in the nation and features ice skating close by. A Live Advent Calendar and horse-drawn carriage rides through downtown distinguish this Pennsylvania city steeped in charming Christmas traditions.

Stan Hywet Hall is considered one of the best examples of Tudor Revival style in the United States and come Christmas, this 1915 former home of F.A. Seiberling — co-founder of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company — is a true winter wonderland. This historic home and museum and its grounds are decorated with over 1 million lights outside. Inside winter-themed decor is created by local designers in 21 themed rooms that activate the home's historic architecture and decor.

In Telluride's small downtown, a Christmas tree is created from recycled skis to honor the town's emphasis on winter sports. Traditions that capitalize on the stunning landscape of the snowy San Juan Mountains include horse-drawn sleigh rides and on Christmas Eve a Torchlight Parade in which skiers holding lights descend the mountains into the town of Telluride.

The easily walkable small town of Dahlonega in the foothills of Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains has a beautifully vibrant, well-maintained historic downtown that becomes the epicenter of the holidays with a decorated tree and plenty of lights and festive evergreen swags. The annual Dahlonega Christmas Historic Home Tour allows visitors to experience one of the town's gracious mansions decorated for the holidays.

Outdoor Christmas markets are a longstanding tradition in Germany and Austria and in St. Paul, Minnesota visitors and residents can experience a Minnesota spin on those festive events. The European Christmas Market is a visual and culinary delight, featuring decorated booths and 60 vendors selling crafts, spiced mulled wine and European delicacies including roasted nuts, bratwurst, potato pancakes, strudel, Hungarian goulash, schnitzel, and aebleskivers (Danish pancake rounds), among other treats.

Considered one of the best places to visit in the United States, this historic city is even more special during the holidays. Charleston's downtown Marion Square features a beautifully lit Christmas tree and a holiday market featuring local farmers and artisans. Throughout the city garlands and evergreens festoon Charleston's iconic street lamps and a two-hour Charleston Strolls Holiday Walking Tour of the historic district allows an up close view of the city's lavishly decorated historic homes.

You can find spectacular holiday decor each year at French Lick Resort's French Lick Springs Hotel and at West Baden Springs Hotel whose centerpiece is a spectacular atrium boasting a 45-foot-tall tree. The resort also hosts a child-friendly annual Gingerbread House display with 700 pounds of edible decor including gingerbread and candy.

For those looking for milder temperatures along with their holiday spirit, the Golden Isles of Georgia which include the barrier islands of St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons Island and Sea Island are an ideal destination. The area features multiple holiday markets, a Letters to Santa station at the King and Prince Resort and even a Georgia Elvis Festival.

This cozy holiday image is part of Youngstown, Ohio's annual Memories of Christmas Past exhibit at Arms Family Museum. Seven period rooms on three floors represent the Arms family (Wilford P. and Olive Freeman Arms), the former residents who donated their 1905 Arts and Crafts-style home to the Mahoning Valley Historical Society. Rooms have been meticulously decorated to reflect the holidays as experienced by multiple generations of the Arms family in a tradition equal parts history lesson and holiday magic.

An 1811 Antebellum home in Madison, Georgia, Heritage Hall is in the Greek Revival style and filled with period furnishings. Every Christmas the home and other historic Antebellum and Victorian residences in the town open their doors for an annual Christmas Tour of Homes featuring stunning holiday decorations. The Christmas Tour of Homes celebrates 75 years in 2025 in this historic town located 60 miles east of Atlanta.

The historic oceanside town of Mystic was the atmospheric location of the Hallmark movie Mystic Christmas and features a variety of seasonal activities each holiday in Olde Mistick Village, along with an annual Lighted Boat Parade in which Santa arrives via tugboat on the Mystic River.

Each holiday season the luxurious National Hotel in Oklahoma City puts on an amazing holiday show with a Sorcerer's Scone Afternoon Tea and a stunning Christmas tree ornamenting this 1931 former bank's Great Hall. Anyone, not just hotel guests, are welcome to wander the Great Hall and enjoy the festive decorations.

The Edison Homestead in Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan is part of The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. This historic home features 1910s-era inspired Christmas decor in this one time home of inventor Thomas Edison's grandparents which Henry Ford had moved from Ontario to Dearborn. Each year the homestead pays tribute to Edwardian holiday traditions.

Santa Fe is pretty spectacular any time of year but becomes even more magical during the holidays with special Southwestern-style farolitos lining the city's iconic adobe buildings. These paper lanterns are made from brown paper bags with sand and a candle or LED light inside and add an undeniably charming touch to downtown Santa Fe.

Every year the North Dakota town of Medora celebrates the holidays in their own unique way with live music, dancing, a holiday carnival and performances set against the backdrop of the iconic Badlands buttes. This Old Fashioned Cowboy Christmas blends Western-style with holiday decor, leaning into the regional spirit and beauty of North Dakota in a unique spin on Christmas tradition.

Hill City, South Dakota's historic 1884 Alpine Inn is a magical place to spend the holiday season. The family-owned hotel with only four rooms is notable for its seasonal decor and a cozy restaurant specializing in German dishes including spaetzle, bratwurst and red cabbage.

The picturesque downtown of Leesburg, Virginia comes alive during the holidays when garlands and red bows line the historic district. There is an annual tree lighting ceremony on the Town Green, a Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Show and the Annual Christmas and Holiday Parade featuring Santa and friends promenading down King Street in the historic downtown.

In Telluride's charming downtown, a Christmas tree is created from recycled skis. Traditions that capitalize on the stunning landscape of the snowy San Juan Mountains include horse-drawn sleigh rides. And on Christmas Eve a magical Torchlight Parade features skiers holding lights as they descend down the mountains into the town of Telluride.

Madison, Indiana celebrates the holidays with an annual parade immediately followed by a visit with Santa and his real-life reindeer. The annual A Very Merry Madison Christmas Parade on Main Street features a variety of holiday decorations, balloons, floats, and Santa waving at the crowd from his sleigh.

Every Christmas the Durham Museum celebrates the holiday with a nod to history. A tradition that began in the 1930s had Union Pacific employees cutting a tree along the railroad line in the Pacific Northwest to be displayed in Omaha’s Union Station train station. In 1971, Union Station closed and was replaced with the Western Heritage Museum. The museum honors that historic legacy by placing a tree in the Durham Museum waiting room to continue the Christmas at Union Station tradition.

A celebration in living history of American Christmas past, Colonial Williamsburg honors and continues the early American tradition of using fresh fruit in holiday decor. Pomegranates, lemons, oranges and the traditional emblem of hospitality, the pineapple, are incorporated alongside evergreens and magnolia leaves and other traditional foliage in a historic town that celebrates the holidays with inimitable style.

The traditional Southern symbol of hospitality, the pineapple, can be seen in holiday decor throughout Middleburg in the middle of Virginia horse country, an elegant small town close to Washington, DC that celebrates the holidays with grace and flair. An annual holiday horse and hounds parade features riders in gorgeous red coats, black boots and hats on a mile-long trot through downtown.

You don't need dramatic light displays to get into the spirit of the holiday season. In Harpers Ferry, West Virginia's Olde Tyme Christmas celebration little things mean a lot from the red bows decorating the old-fashioned downtown to the garlands hung from handrails in this town's quaint approach to the season.

Like visiting Europe but in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, the small town of Helen is known for its Christmas parade (with candy tossed from fire trucks and floats), annual light display, Christmas market—Christkindlmarkt—featuring local crafts and decorations, and horse-drawn carriage rides through downtown.

Lauded by HGTV for its inimitable Christmas spirit, Kennebunkport, Maine has been called one of the foremost holiday towns in America, and possibly the world. From the towering Christmas tree in the town square to Santa's arrival each year on a lobster boat, old fashioned caroling and a tree made from lobster traps, this is a town that celebrates its own unique heritage as a fishing village along with the season. The annual Christmas Prelude festivities feature a lobster holding a star as its very coastal Maine logo.

The annual Christmas at the Capitol event in Pierre, South Dakota is loaded with visual splendor, featuring an indoor display of 100 Christmas trees decorated for the holidays and a roster of performances for all to enjoy. The grounds of the Capitol also feature a stunning light display as part of this magical event.