Why should Christmas only happen in December?
If you’re anything like me and think there is no such thing as too much Christmas, you’re going to want to add these towns to your travel bucket list. Across the United States, there are places where Christmas isn’t just a holiday, it’s part of the town’s personality.
We’re talking streets named after Santa and his reindeer, giant Santa statues, Christmas stores open year-round, holiday-themed hotels, Christmas postmarks, and even an actual town called Christmas.
And yes, I realize that some people might think Christmas decorations in July are a little much.
Those people are wrong.
I love finding quirky places like these, especially when they make a fun road trip stop. And let’s not forget the shopping. If you love Christmas décor and unique gifts as much as I do, you could probably do some serious damage to your credit card in a few of these towns.
So, grab your Christmas playlist, pack the car, and let’s go find some holiday spirit. no matter what month it is.
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North Pole, Alaska
Let’s start with the obvious one.
North Pole, Alaska, is about 15 minutes south of Fairbanks on the Richardson Highway, and yes, it looks like Christmas even when it’s nowhere near December.
You can drive down streets with names like Santa Claus Lane, Kris Kringle Drive, and Mistletoe Lane. If that’s not enough Christmas for you, you can even stay in the Santa Suite at Hotel North Pole.
The big attraction is Santa Claus House, an all-Christmas and Alaska-made shop where you can find gifts, food, Christmas goodies, and, of course, Santa.
Outside, there are plenty of photo opportunities, including a nearly 50-foot-tall Santa statue, a Christmas tree that’s decorated year-round, and Santa’s sleigh.
Next door is the Antler Academy, where Santa’s reindeer team lives. You can visit the reindeer pen, learn about them, and, when available, pet and feed them.
Highlight: Send yourself—or someone else—a letter from the North Pole. The local post office gives mail a North Pole postmark, which makes for a pretty fun souvenir.
Road Trip Worthy? Absolutely. Pair North Pole with Fairbanks and you’ve got the makings of a pretty epic Alaska trip. Depending on when you visit, you can add dog sledding, ice fishing, an ice bar, or a soak in a hot spring. And honestly, how often do you get to say you spent part of your vacation in North Pole?
Santa Claus, Indiana
Yep. There is a Santa Claus, Indiana.
This little town has completely embraced its name, and Christmas is part of the experience all year long. You’ll find holiday-themed street names, Christmas-loving businesses, and plenty of places to stop for photos.
Start at the Santa Claus Museum & Village, where you can learn about the town’s history, then check out the original post office and historic Santa Claus Church. There’s also a 22-foot-tall historic Santa statue that’s practically begging for a selfie.
Feeling hungry? Santa’s Candy Castle has chestnuts roasting over an open fire and frozen hot chocolate. Because apparently Christmas doesn’t have to mean hot chocolate.
And then there’s the shopping. The Santa Claus Christmas Store, Evergreen Boutique & Christmas Shop, and Santa’s Toys give you plenty of opportunities to find something you absolutely did not need but will probably buy anyway. I collect the Dept. 56 North Pole collection, and they have an amazing assortment at the Santa Claus Christmas Store, needless to say I bought a couple pieces.
And here’s a fun challenge: How many Santas can you find around town? If you’re traveling with children make a game of how many they can find. We had a lot of fun here exploring all things Christmas.
The town is also home to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, so you can easily turn your Christmas-themed stop into a full vacation. Just remember that the amusement and water parks are seasonal.
Fun Fact: The Santa Claus Post Office is the only post office in the world with the name Santa Claus. You can also get a special Santa Claus postmark here.
Road Trip Worthy? Yes! You could spend a few days between Santa Claus and Holiday World. Louisville and Evansville are also within about an hour and a half, so there’s plenty of opportunity to make this part of a bigger road trip.
Pro Tip: Whenever I know I’ll be shopping while exploring around town, I bring the shopping tote with wheels. It’s great so you don’t have achy arms when you’re done.
Frankenmuth, Michigan
There’s just something about Frankenmuth, Michigan, that screams Christmas.
Maybe it’s the Bavarian architecture. Maybe it’s the European-style buildings. Or maybe it’s the fact that this town is home to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, one of the biggest Christmas stores you’re ever likely to walk into.
Seriously, if you love Christmas shopping, give yourself some time here. Bronner’s is the kind of place where you go in thinking, I’ll just look around and come out wondering how you’re going to fit everything in the car. You can even have ornaments personalized while you’re there! Add a little extra fun to your Bronner’s trip with a scavenger hunt! Go to their website to find a list of items for the hunt.
The Christmas spirit doesn’t stop at the store. Frankenmuth goes all-in on its Bavarian charm, making the entire town feel festive and a little bit like a Christmas movie set. A fun thing to do, especially for the kiddos is go on the Gnome hunt around Frankenmuth.
Be sure to stop at the outdoor Silent Night Chapel, too. It’s a peaceful little spot to take a break from all that shopping.
Highlight: Take a ride on the Bavarian Belle Riverboat for a different way to experience Frankenmuth.
Road Trip Worthy? Yes. Frankenmuth makes a fun weekend trip, and nearby Saginaw and Flint give you more options if you want to keep exploring Michigan.
Christmas, Michigan
Christmas, Michigan, is a tiny community near Lake Superior with only about 400 residents. Good things really can come in small packages, and Christmas, Michigan, is proof.
And yes, it has a giant Santa. You’ll find a 35-foot-tall Santa Claus greeting visitors, streets with names like Jingle Bell Lane, Santa and Mrs. Claus figures, and a giant North Pole.
There’s even a Christmas-themed casino called Kewadin Casino Christmas on Candy Cane Lane. Because apparently Michigan decided that wasn’t enough Christmas and needed to throw a casino into the mix.
And, of course, there’s the post office. Who doesn’t want a postmark from Christmas?
Fun Fact: People send their Christmas cards to the local post office just so they can get a Christmas postmark.
Road Trip Worthy? Absolutely. This is a great little stop if you’re exploring Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Lake Superior. It’s exactly the kind of quirky roadside destination I love finding on a road trip.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget your camera. You’ll want to pull them out when you need some Christmas spirit.
Santa Claus, Georgia
Santa Claus, Georgia, is a tiny town with fewer than 200 residents, but it has plenty of Christmas personality.
You’ll find candy-cane street signs, Christmas decorations, holiday-themed shops, and even police cars with festive red lettering.
It’s a small town, so don’t expect a giant Christmas attraction with rides and shows. That’s not really the point.
This is more of a quirky road-trip stop, the kind of place where you pull over, take a bunch of pictures, wander around, and think: “Yep, I’m definitely glad I stopped here.”
Fun Fact: The City of Santa Claus has a phone number for the REAL Santa Claus! You can call (951) 262-3062 and a jolly Santa (recording) will answer the phone and let you leave a voice mail with all your Christmas wishes!
Road Trip Worthy? Yes, if you’re in the area. Check out Vidalia, the onion capital of the world, or head toward Metter for more things to do.
Christmas, Florida
Want Christmas without freezing your fingers off? Then Christmas, Florida, might be more your speed.
As you drive into town, you’ll find street names like Cupid, Blitzen, and St. Nicholas Avenues, along with Rudolph and Dasher Streets. The Christmas decorations continue throughout the area, and the Christmas General Store is a fun place to look for unique finds.
Highlight: People have been coming to Christmas, Florida, for years to have their Christmas cards and packages postmarked from the town. And sometimes Santa himself even shows up at the post office during the holiday season. I have to admit, there’s something pretty fun about sending a Christmas card from Christmas, Florida.
Road Trip Worthy? Absolutely. Orlando is nearby, so you can combine your quirky Christmas stop with all the other attractions Central Florida has to offer. There are also plenty of outdoor adventures in the surrounding area.
Solvang, California
Okay, Solvang, California, isn’t technically a Christmas town. But it does embrace the holiday spirit and they do go big for the Christmas season!
This Danish-style village has that storybook European look that makes it feel like Christmas could happen here at any time. Solvang was founded by Danish farmers, and the town’s architecture, bakeries, shops, and Scandinavian touches make it a fun place to wander.
Grab a Danish pastry, take a ride on the horse-drawn streetcar, and browse the Scandinavian Christmas decorations and nativities at Jule Hus and you’ll start to feel the Christmas spirit. And when you’re done shopping for Christmas decorations, you can go wine tasting. We haven’t made it to Solvang yet, but this is on my bucket list for sure, even if we don’t make it for the holidays.
During December, the town really turns up the Christmas spirit for Julefest, pronounced “Yule-Fest.” There’s a parade, nativity pageant, live music, and plenty of holiday fun.
Highlight: Jule Hus is the place to go if you’re looking for Scandinavian Christmas décor and gifts.
Road Trip Worthy? Yes. The Santa Barbara-to-Solvang area makes a great Central California road trip, with mountains, wineries, historic sites, and plenty of places to stop along the way.
Pro Tip: Wear comfortable shoes, there are lots of shops to explore here.
Medina, Ohio
If you’re a fan of Christmas movies, you’re going to want to know about Medina, Ohio.
This is where you’ll find Castle Noel, a giant indoor Christmas attraction packed with Hollywood Christmas movie props, costumes, displays, and holiday experiences.
You can ride a Santa simulator, make your way through the Blizzard Vortex tunnel, climb Santa Claus Mountain, and see all kinds of Christmas movie memorabilia. Castle Noel also houses a huge privately owned collection of Hollywood Christmas movie props and costumes.
So, if you’ve ever watched a Christmas movie and thought, I wonder what happened to that stuff after they finished filming, well, some of it might be here.
Fun Fact: Castle Noel was created by Mark Klaus. Yes, really. The name is not a coincidence.
Road Trip Worthy? For sure. Medina County has plenty to explore, including Brandywine Falls, Lake Medina, and the town of Medina itself.
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
If you love Christmas and mountain towns, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is a pretty easy addition to your list.
The town is home to The Incredible Christmas Place, a huge year-round Christmas store where you can shop for holiday decorations and gifts even when it’s 90 degrees outside. Giving you your Christmas fix all year long.
The Inn at Christmas Place is a year-round Christmas-themed resort with indoor and outdoor pools, a courtyard pond, and Christmas décor throughout the property. Want to go all in? Book the Santa Suite. It has a separate bedroom, living room, kitchen, private balcony, and plenty of Santa-themed décor. Because if you’re going to stay at a Christmas hotel, you might as well commit.
And during November and December, you can head to Dollywood for its Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration.
Road Trip Worthy? Of course! You’ve got Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Dollywood, and plenty of other attractions nearby. You could easily spend a week exploring the area.
Arlington, Texas
If Christmas shopping is your happy place, put Arlington, Texas, on your radar.
The big draw is Decorator’s Warehouse, a 60,000-square-foot Christmas store that’s open year-round. You’ll find themed Christmas collections, decorations, gifts, and plenty of inspiration for turning your house into a Christmas wonderland.
They also offer online tutorials and in-store workshops, so you can actually learn how to put some of that Christmas magic together yourself. And because shopping makes you hungry, you can stop at Dasher’s Pie Co. for pie and hot chocolate.
During the holiday season, the Texas Christkindl Market adds even more shopping and festive fun.
Fun Fact: Arlington is also home to AT&T Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys play.
Road Trip Worthy? Yes. Arlington has enough going on for its own trip, but Dallas is close enough that you can easily add a few days there, too.
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Honorable Mention: Midland, Michigan
Midland, Michigan, doesn’t really fit the Christmas-town mold, but I couldn’t leave it off the list.
Why? Santa school. Yep. Santa Claus School.
The Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School has been operating since 1937 and is the longest continuously running Santa Claus school in the world. People come from around the country to learn the secrets of being Santa, including Santa history, costume skills, toy making, singing, and even Christmas-specific sign language.
There aren’t giant Christmas decorations everywhere or a massive holiday shopping district. But if you’re fascinated by Santa, it’s a pretty cool piece of Christmas history.
And honestly, I think it’s a fun addition to this list just because who knew Santa had to go to school?
Planning a Christmas Town Road Trip
The best part about these destinations is that you don’t have to wait for December. Some are great for a dedicated Christmas getaway. Others are perfect for adding to a larger road trip.
And because we’re talking about Christmas towns, shopping is definitely part of the fun. If you’re visiting one of the giant Christmas stores, leave some extra room in the car. You know, just in case.
I’d also check attraction hours before you go. Some of these towns are Christmas-themed year-round, but individual attractions, amusement parks, festivals, and special events can still be seasonal.
And don’t forget your camera. Between giant Santas, Christmas signs, quirky street names, holiday stores, and unusual post offices, you’re going to find plenty of photo opportunities. Even better, use a dash cam in your car while driving around town to catch all the things you’ll probably miss while driving.
Final Thoughts: Who Says Christmas Has to End?
If you love Christmas, these towns are proof that you don’t have to pack away the holiday spirit when December ends.
You can visit a town called Santa Claus, walk down streets named after reindeer, shop for Christmas decorations in July, mail a letter from the North Pole, stay in a Santa-themed hotel, or get a Christmas postmark when it’s 90 degrees outside.
And that’s exactly why I love finding places like these. They’re fun, they’re a little quirky, and many of them make great road-trip stops.
Plus, there’s shopping. Did I mention I like Christmas shopping? Christmas is my big house decorating season, plus I love giving gifts so Christmas shopping is a happy thing for me.
So, if you’re looking for a different kind of Christmas getaway or just need an excuse to celebrate Christmas in the middle of summer, pick a town, load up the car, turn on the Christmas music, and go.
Because really… Why should Christmas only happen once a year?
We love sharing tips and information we learn along the way to help you plan your next trip. We hope to inspire you to find your adventures, have lots of fun and make many memories.
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