Best Places to Visit at Christmas in the USA (2026)

What Are the Best Places to Visit at Christmas in the USA?

The best places to visit at Christmas in the USA are the cities and towns that build the season around a signature event, from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting in New York City to Christkindlmarket in Chicago and Celebration in the Oaks in New Orleans. Each one offers a different version of the holiday, whether that is a Bavarian mountain village, a harbor of lighted boats, or a million lights under century-old oak trees. All ten events below have 2026 dates confirmed.

If you are comparing Christmas travel destinations and the best places to go for Christmas, start with the region you can reach most easily. The list covers the East Coast, the Midwest, the South, and the West, so the best places to celebrate Christmas in the US are within reach of most travelers.

We checked each date and detail against the event's official page and noted where tickets or timed entry apply. Dates can shift, so confirm before you travel.

The Top Christmas Events in the USA

1. Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting: New York City, New York

Image credit: https://www.tripsavvy.com/rockefeller-center-christmas-tree-visitors-guide-1612948

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting is the most recognized holiday tradition in the country. The 2026 lighting is set for Wednesday, December 2 at 7 p.m. during the live broadcast of Christmas in Rockefeller Center.

This year's tree is a 76-foot Norway spruce from West Edmeston, New York, wrapped in more than 50,000 lights and topped with a Swarovski star, according to amNY. Pair the visit with the holiday window displays along Fifth Avenue and skating near the tree.

Our guide to experiencing New York City covers the rest of the trip, from where to eat to how to move around Midtown.

2. Christmas in the Park: San Jose, California

Image credit: https://christmasinthepark.com

Christmas in the Park is Silicon Valley's free holiday tradition at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in downtown San Jose. The 2026 season runs November 27 through January 1 and opens with a Community Tree Lighting Ceremony the day after Thanksgiving.

More than 40 animated displays, free photos with Santa, and nightly live entertainment fill the plaza, which is open daily from noon to 10 p.m. including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission is free and leashed dogs are welcome.

For an easy arrival, book car service in San Jose and read our family holiday travel tips before you go.

3. Christkindlmarket: Chicago, Illinois

Image credit: https://www.choosechicago.com/blog/dining/what-to-eat-and-drink-at-christkindlmarket

Christkindlmarket is a German-style market at Daley Plaza and one of the best Christmas markets in the US, and 2026 marks its 30th anniversary. The Chicago market opens Friday, November 20 and runs daily through December 24, with free admission.

Vendors sell handcrafted gifts, German food, and drinks, and many do not accept credit cards, so bring cash. NBC Chicago reports additional markets at Wrigleyville's Gallagher Way through December 31 and at RiverEdge Park in Aurora.

Flying in for the weekend? An airport transfer takes you from the terminal to Daley Plaza without a parking search.

4. The Christmas Boat Parade: Newport Beach, California

Image credit: https://www.christmasboatparade.com

The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade turns Newport Harbor into a floating festival of lights, and the tradition is more than a century old. The 2026 parade runs Wednesday through Sunday, December 16 to 20, with boats setting off around 6:30 p.m. each night from Tip of Lido Isle.

Opening night adds a fireworks display off Newport Pier at about 6:15 p.m., weather and safety permitting. Marina Park at 1600 W Balboa Boulevard is the main public viewing site and viewing there is free.

Marina Park has only 177 parking spaces, so a pre-arranged airport transfer or chauffeured ride is the easier way to arrive on parade nights.

5. Christmastown Village of Lights: Leavenworth, Washington

Image credit: https://thatadventurer.co.uk/leavenworth-wa-christmas-market

Leavenworth is a Bavarian-style mountain village and one of the best Christmas towns in America. Christmastown runs November 27 through December 24, 2026, and the lights stay on from Thanksgiving through the end of February from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Viewing the lights is free. The schedule includes live music at the gazebo, roaming carolers from December 1 to 23, Santa on weekends, and ticketed concerts at the Festhalle, including a Motown Christmas show on December 12.

6. Celebration in the Oaks: New Orleans, Louisiana

Image credit: https://celebrationintheoaks.com

Celebration in the Oaks lights up New Orleans City Park with more than one million lights beneath century-old oak trees. The 2026 season runs November 27 through January 1.

Guests can choose a two-mile driving tour or a walking tour, and admission includes unlimited amusement park rides and access to the Botanical Garden. Hours start at 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Arriving by air? Arrange limo service from New Orleans airport so your chauffeur is waiting when you land.

7. The Polar Express Train Ride: Branson, Missouri

Image credit: https://www.rentbranson.com/all-aboard-the-polar-express-branson-a-magical-christmas-journey-in-branson-missouri

The Polar Express in Branson brings the children's book to life aboard the Branson Scenic Railway. The 2026 season runs on select dates from November 12 to January 2, departing from the historic depot in downtown Branson.

The ride lasts about 75 minutes and includes hot cocoa and a treat, a reading of the story, carols, and a visit from Santa. First Class tickets add a collectible mug, and families are encouraged to wear pajamas.

Seats sell out, so book early through bransontrain.com and choose Polar Express tickets rather than a regular scenic ride. Plan on about two hours in total and arrive roughly 40 minutes before departure.

8. Holiday Lights at Longwood Gardens: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Image credit: https://longwoodgardens.org/gardens/our-seasons/longwood-christmas

A Longwood Christmas turns the conservatories and grounds of Longwood Gardens into one of the most admired holiday displays in the country. The 2026 season runs November 20 through January 10 with a Cosmic Christmas theme.

Hundreds of thousands of lights glow across the gardens, including a tunnel lit by nearly 20,000 bulbs. Indoors, poinsettias fill the Exhibition Hall and the Orangery, and fountain shows run to holiday music.

Entry uses timed tickets, so reserve your window before you travel. Our holiday airport tips help with the trip in.

9. Magical Nights of Lights: Buford, Georgia

Image credit: https://www.margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-at-lanier-islands/attractions/margaritavilles-lakeside-lights-spectacular

Lanier Islands, home to Margaritaville at Lanier Islands, hosts a drive-through holiday show with miles of lights along the lake. Magical Nights of Lights runs November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027.

Admission is priced per vehicle and covers up to 10 passengers, and guests stay in the vehicle for the whole route. Allow at least two and a half hours, since traffic is heaviest from sunset until about 8:30 p.m.

A drive-through show is one of the easiest events to enjoy with a chauffeur, because everyone in the group can watch the lights. Atlanta airport limo service connects your arrival to the lakeside show.

10. Zoo Lights: Multiple Cities

Image credit: https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/holidays/photos/americas-wildest-zoo-lights

Zoo light festivals are some of the most family-friendly Christmas lights displays in the country, turning zoo grounds into illuminated walk-throughs after dark, and the 2026 season stretches from mid November into early January. The Cincinnati Zoo runs its PNC Festival of Lights from November 19 to January 3 with about 5 million lights and 65 oversized animal lanterns.

Columbus Wildlights runs November 20 to January 3. Detroit's Wild Lights runs select nights from November 21 to January 3, and ZooLights at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. runs November 20 to January 3 with a $10 general admission ticket.

Most zoo events sell dated or timed tickets, so book early. Our family holiday travel tips make the evening easier with children.

2026 Christmas Events at a Glance

Getting to Christmas Events with LUXY Ride

LUXY Ride is a technology marketplace that connects passengers with licensed partner chauffeurs across the country. You schedule in advance, receive an assigned chauffeur, and see your price up front.

Pricing is all-inclusive of gratuities and tolls, so the rate is locked in ahead of time with no surprises at the curb. A full-size luxury SUV gives a family room for coats, gifts, and strollers.

Holiday event nights bring heavy traffic and limited parking, which is where a pre-arranged ride helps most. Book your airport transfer before the season fills up.