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My family travels every Thanksgiving to East Tennessee. Aside from the beautiful backdrop of the Smoky Mountains, my family has the opportunity to experience an early “Winter Wonderland”. Living in Southeast Louisiana, winters are almost nonexistent so we thoroughly enjoy the Spirit of Christmas when we travel.
If you hope to do some traveling with your family during the holiday season, you might want to catch a celebration or two going on around the country. You can celebrate Christmas as you travel by participating in celebrations that are going on along your route. Check out these great events that your family will love.
Kentucky’s Land Between the Lakes
The Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area follows a path between Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake and ends in Dover, Tennessee. The area between the lakes features a working 1850 farm known as The Homeplace, a planetarium, a nature center (The Nature Station), an elk and bison prairie and other local attractions. The Homeplace offers a look at Christmas in 1850 and The Nature Station hosts a Christmas bird count every year.
Washington D.C. Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Pageant of Peace
Every December, the American tradition of lighting the national Christmas tree is held with the annual Pageant of Peace in Washington D.C. This is a great opportunity for a family Christmas event if you plan to be traveling anywhere near the area.
The Inn at Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Maybe you don’t want to wait until November or December to start getting your Christmas on. If so, then this place is for you! You can visit this holiday-themed hotel nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains all year long and get a booster shot of Christmas cheer. With a singing Santa giving regular concerts even in summer months and Christmas movies available all the time, this is just the place to kickstart your Christmas spirit.
Minnesota’s Holidazzle Parades
Every year in Minneapolis, Macy’s annual Holidazzle Parades feature over one million lights with floats, costumed characters, music groups and holiday celebration. Held night during November and December, this is a fun stop during your holiday travel.
Land of Lights in Santa Claus, Indiana
What better place to enjoy a Christmas celebration than Santa Claus, Indiana? The Land of Lights in Santa Claus is a fun lights display that tells the story of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer in LED lights along a 1.2 mile trail. This drive-through display starts on Thanksgiving night and goes on through New Year’s Eve (but they are closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).
SeaWorld, San Diego
You probably don’t think of SeaWorld when you think of Christmas, but SeaWorld in San Diego puts on a festive spirit at Christmastime. The theme park offers breakfast with Santa and Shamu, and also offers visitors a 6,500 square foot indoor winter fantasy land known as SnowWorld during the Christmas season. You can also visit with reindeer and see an amazing 4-D Polar Express show. You can see similar Christmas attractions at SeaWorld’s other parks in San Antonio and Orlando.
While it’s true that there’s no place like home for the holidays, if you choose to roam a little, one of these cool locations can give you an extra dose of Christmas cheer or kindle your Christmas spirit.
Does your city have a large Christmas Celebration? Would you travel with your family for Christmas?
We tend to enjoy staying at home around the main Christmas week just being all together but certainly like to go to Christmas events and places to visit and see all the lights and displays, Christmas is such a wonderful time of year.
I live closest to New York City and while it’s fun, we’ve all done it. I think the Holidazzle Parades in Minnesota sound awesome!
Like Maggie C I live very close to NYC and have experienced at one time or another most of what goes on during the holiday season–my favorite is still the lighting of the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Plaza and strolling along looking at the amazing window displays. I would like to go to Sea World during the holidays–it sounds like so much fun and much warmer then here!!
I love seeing different celebrations. I wish I could go see them all.
These are awesome places to spend the holidays indeed. I have never traveled during the holidays but it just might be a plan. Thanks for sharing.
Can’t believe you didn’t mention Frankenmuth, Michigan! It’s Christmas all year long with the worlds largest Christmas store, “Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland”. The town of Frankenmuth is called “little Bavaria” and gives a wonderful taste of Germany with its quaint village shops & restaurants. I highly recommend a trip there for a taste of Christmas all year long.