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What鈥檚 your holiday vibe: Gilded Age splendor, Hallmark-movie gazebos or Bavarian-style Christmas villages? Americans have always loved decking the halls. No matter your yuletide style, we鈥檝e found 10 of the best places in the USA to visit during this magical season. 

New York, New York

Nobody does Christmas like . The Big Apple鈥檚 flagship tree, at Rockefeller Center, shines bright with over 50,000 lights, topped with a Daniel Libeskind-designed Swarovski star. Bryant Park鈥檚 Winter Village features more than 180 holiday shopping and dining kiosks and an ice skating rink 鈥� a companion to the famed one near Radio City Music Hall, where the Rockettes put on their legendary .

In the Brooklyn neighborhood of , residents' festive decorations abound. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden puts on , a nightly display curated by a range of artists, while the  in the Bronx offers its annual Holiday Train Show and a light show, NYBG GLOW.

Natchitoches, Louisiana

When it comes to throwing festivals, the state of Louisiana is unrivaled. The city of Natchitoches, the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, has consistently ranked on lists of the best ; it鈥檚 also one of the oldest community holiday celebrations in the country. The six-week Natchitoches Christmas Festival takes place throughout the downtown district and along Cane River Lake, with thousands of holiday lights, a parade, live music, fireworks over the river on Saturday nights, a holiday-themed tour of historic homes and a Christmas Gala hosted by Northwestern State University.

Burlington, Vermont

Vermont is a holiday wonderland, and the city of Burlington is a perfect example with its  held at Church Street Marketplace, the city鈥檚 main pedestrian thoroughfare. Shop windows are overflowing with flair, thousands of colored lights twinkle above, the Christmas tree lights up outside the church at the top of the street, and a nine-foot-tall menorah is lit up on the first night of Hanukkah (which for 2025 falls on December 14). Santa is in residence for visits and requests, and carolers circulate through the stores and streets.

Branson, Missouri

When you want your holiday celebration supercharged, you go to . This American mecca for family entertainment goes all in, starting with the dazzling 鈥淎n Old Time Christmas鈥� at the Silver Dollar City theme park, which includes an eight-story Christmas tree and performances of A Christmas Carol and a living Nativity. The city is home to multiple drive-through light displays, a tour of over 100 of Branson鈥檚 most striking Christmas trees, a Polar Express train ride and a Christmas Show on the Showboat Branson Belle. And don鈥檛 miss Christmas at Dolly Parton鈥檚 Stampede, which, in addition to its usual horsemanship, includes a live nativity with flying angels.

North Pole, Alaska

If you鈥檙e really going for the full Christmas experience, is there any other destination but North Pole, Alaska? Located in the Fairbanks metropolitan area, the small town鈥檚 main attraction is , which started in 1952 as a trading post and quickly expanded into a year-round attraction for Santa Claus fans of all ages. A 42-foot-tall Santa statue greets visitors, who can visit the 鈥渞eal鈥� Santa inside and shop for gifts made by local artisans 鈥� as well as pay a visit to Santa鈥檚 reindeer next door at the Antler Academy.

Leavenworth, Washington

The small town of Leavenworth, a Bavarian-style village nestled in the Cascade mountains, is Sound of Music picturesque all year round. But takes it to a whole new level, with live entertainment, visits with Santa, gingerbread exhibits and more. For extra holiday charm, skip the drive on snowy mountain roads and on the Amtrak  that runs from Seattle to Leavenworth every afternoon.

Asheville, North Carolina

Bask in Gilded Age holiday splendor at the sprawling , the 250-room French Renaissance-style mansion and grounds built in the 1890s by George Washington Vanderbilt. Christmas at Biltmore is a longtime tradition in Asheville, and it鈥檚 also the setting for a 2023 Hallmark Christmas movie: . Dubbed America鈥檚 largest home, the Biltmore mansion features 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces and ballrooms decorated in the Gilded Age holiday style, including a 35-foot Christmas tree in the banquet hall.

Duluth, Minnesota

Another Hallmark Christmas location is Duluth, the setting for  Marvel at the sweet architecture of the Pepperkakebyen, a giant gingerbread village at the Nordic Center, or hop aboard the North Shore Scenic Railroad's Christmas Tree Train. There's plenty of live entertainment: Catch , or if a blend of comedy and drama is more your thing, try . And don鈥檛 miss a visit to Bentleyville, the largest display of Christmas lights in the US.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Brookgreen Gardens, the famed South Carolina botanical garden, wraps its towering, moss-draped trees in millions of lights for its magical Lowcountry holiday festival, , running from late November until early January. More than 2700 hand-lit candles adorn the paths along selected areas of the 9000-acre gardens. Live music, hot cider, and art and artisan exhibitions add to the nightly enchantment.

Franklin, Tennessee

The historic downtown district of this Middle Tennessee city is the setting for the annual , in which Charles Dickens characters stroll the streets interacting with the crowd. From A Christmas Carol, naturally, you鈥檒l find Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and his family, the Cratchits, as well as a Father and Mother Christmas. Musical performances, arts and crafts, a KidZone and a Whiskey Lounge add to the fun.