Galena, Illinois
The town is well preserved and decorated to the hilt for the holidays. Its extreme location also gives it some of the highest snowfall amounts in Illinois to cover the hills and valleys carved by the Galena and Apple River.
-Doug Martin, C.C.
Galena, Illinois, was a mining town that was charted in 1841. The town received its name due to the galena, which is a natural form of lead sulfide, that was mined there for centuries. Native Americans, French, and American peoples have all been through this town, mining its natural resources and contributing to its culture. During the holidays, there are a number of festive events to participate in. Spectate the wondrous festival of trees, where local artists, organizations, and businesses design trees, wreaths, and other holiday items. Or revel in the 'Holiday Fire in the Sky,' where families gather for hot chocolate, carolers, bonfires, and fireworks.
Woodstock, Vermont
Woodstock, Vermont: Everything you would think a New England Christmas would be. End of story
-Doug Martin, C.C.
Woodstock, Vermont, was chartered in 1761 before the start of the American Revolution. Since the Industrial Revolution, the small village has mainly been supporting itself through tourism, especially during the holidays. There are many events to participate in throughout the entire shire town, such as concerts, craft fairs, a holiday house tour, parade, and much, much more.
Lewiston, New York
Lewiston, New York: My hometown. Historic village on the Niagara Rivers that pre-dates the Revolutionary War. Most buildings are will preserved and were constructed in the early 1800's (recognized as one square mile of history). Downtown's tree line streets are resplendent with c7 transparent multicolor twinkle lights and store fronts are decorated in traditional holiday fair. The town's famed Christmas Walk and Tour of Homes are something to look forward to, along with ice skating in academy park.
-Doug Martin, C.C.
Lewiston, New York is a historic village on the Niagara River that dates all the way back to before the Revolutionary War. Many of the buildings were constructed in the early 1800’s, and are incredibly well preserved. The town sports many attractions during the holidays, including ice skating in Academy Park, and the Tour of Homes, in which many of the homes around the town are decorated to the extreme for the holidays. The town’s most famous attraction, the Christmas Walk, includes horse and carriage rides, entertainment of many varieties, and even has Santa arriving by helicopter!
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Frankenmuth is Michigan's little Bavaria and home to Bronner's the world's largest Christmas store. Just google it!
-Doug Martin, C.C.
Frankenmuth, Michigan, is always in a perpetual state of Christmas, due to the presence of Bronner's, the world’s largest Christmas store. In addition to this cascading crowd of Christmas collectibles, Frankenmuth is home to its very own Christkindlmarkt, where vendors sell various goods. There is even a magic show that features the 'World’s Tallest Elf,' performing various feats of festive illusion.
Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is truly "Miracle Town." After being bypassed by Interstate-90 and on the verge of becoming a ghost town, this sleepy lumber village on the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains was inspired to re-imagine themselves as a tourist destination. The locals invested all they had into redesigning the facade and architecture of the town to resemble tradition alpine villages in Switzerland and Bavaria. Part of the draw to the town is its many seasonal festivals and celebrations including its now famous "Christmas Tree Lighting" which draws thousands. The stunning backdrop of the Cascades combined with the heavy snowfall of the eastern slope allows visitors the experience of "living in a snow globe." It was also recently voted by A&E as the Top Holiday Town in the U.S.
-Doug Martin, C. C.
Leavenworth, Washington is a city in that is completely modeled after a Bavarian village and has consistently won awards for being the number one Christmas destination in the United States. There are many different things to enjoy during the holidays in this small town. First off, the scenery of the surrounding territory is nothing short of miraculous. The town lies directly on the Cascade Mountain range, and it provides beautiful scenes of frosted pieces of nature. In the town itself, there are many opportunities for shopping, including the Nussknacker Haus, or the Christmas store thats open all year round, Kris Kringl! One of the greatest events of the season includes the Christmas Lighting Festival. There are many different events during the festival such as live music, many carolers, costumed Christmas characters, and a ceremony where the whole city lights up with over half a million lights! To put it simply, Leavenworth gives many reasons to be number one during the holidays, and remains an enchanting holiday experience for all.