It’s almost that time of year again, when we feel the magic of Christmas. Just the thought of it brings forth warm feelings: falling snow, fresh baking, and stockings hung on a mantle over a crackling fire. And these six destinations? They’re extra-super-magical during the holidays. Excuse the pun, but yule love them all.
Holidays in the Big Apple
Rockefeller Center in New York City. Yichun Wang
Gotham really lights up at Christmas. Head to the heart of Manhattan to skate in the shadow of the towering, sparkling Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. Browse the food and craft stalls at the holiday market at Bryant Park, which also has a very fine ice rink. From there, a bus tour to Brooklyn shuttles you over to Dyker Heights, where a walking tour showcases a neighborhood where homeowners take decorating to the next level.
Blue Ridge Christmas
The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Courtesy of The Biltmore Company
You’ve got to love a place that has hosted the National Gingerbread House Competition for the past 32 years. Nestled on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, picturesque Asheville, North Carolina, offers 12 Days of Gingerbread (at the Omni Grove Park Inn). There’s also the famed Biltmore Estate, which is illuminated in the evenings with twinkling candlelight and roaring fires—as it has been during the holidays since 1895.
Heartwarming Stroll
Santa Fe, N.M. Courtesy of Tourism Santa Fe
Christmas is extra special in this gallery-filled northern New Mexico city. A must-do in Santa Fe: the Canyon Road Farolito Walk. Thousands of paper-and-sand “little lanterns” light up a path that winds through courtyards and past gardens. Grab a spiced hot chocolate and enjoy street musicians’ music and big bonfires. It’s a stroll that promises to illuminate both heart and soul.
Bavarian Charm
Leavenworth, Washington. Connie Coleman/ GettyImages
Close your eyes and imagine a Bavarian village tucked into a mountain valley. Then, picture those charming streets decked out and twinkling—and you’re conjuring December in Leavenworth, Washington. For a few weeks, this small town becomes Christmastown (Village of Lights). Enjoy festive music from the Festehalle stage, plus sleigh rides, skiing, and snowshoeing.
History by Candlelight
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. DenisTangneyJr/ GettyImages
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a port city set on the Piscataqua River, has over 350 years of festive history to celebrate. The town invites you to experience all that wonder on the Strawbery Banke Candlelight Stroll, where centuries-old museum houses are adorned with candle lanterns and homemade decorations. Interact with costumed interpreters, dance to the music of wandering musicians, and enjoy a steaming cup of apple cider.
Time-Honored Traditions
St. Charles, Mo. Mary Van Winkle, Discover Saint Charles
The small city of St. Charles, Missouri, has been proving its passion for all things merry and bright for a half-century—this year, it’s celebrating its 50th season of St. Charles Christmas Traditions. What to expect when you visit? Tried-and-true fun, including a holiday food hall, Victorian carolers, and storytellers sharing Christmas legends. Here’s hoping this festival runs for another 50 years.
This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
