By the Backseat View
There’s something unmistakably magical about Christmas in the South, where historic towns glow with twinkling lights, coastal breezes mingle with the scent of cinnamon, and Southern charm wraps around every festive celebration. From sparkling light displays to mountain markets and storybook small towns, the region transforms into a holiday haven, just waiting to be explored. Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or a seasonal adventure, this guide will take you through the most enchanting Christmas experiences the South has to offer.
The holidays mean family memories to me, so let’s find the perfect spot for you to spend time with the ones you love. Each Southern town puts its own special spin on the holidays. Most towns light their tree and have a big celebration the Saturday after Thanksgiving or the first weekend in December. Let’s explore my personal favorite towns and why I love them.
My Favorite Towns
1. Nashville & Franklin, TN
Nashville makes me smile with all the lights and excitement.
The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is literally a WOW, Winter Wonderland with ICE!, snow sledding, ice skating, and the best outlet malls. The Nashville Zoo has one of the best Zooluminations and playgrounds in the country. Then, there’s the Cheekwood mansion, covered in lights, to walk around and tour. Combine all the Christmas events with the pop-up bars, hockey, and the fun of Nashville, and it’s our top choice.
30 Top Things to do in Nashville
Franklin
Nearby Franklin, TN, hosts the Dickens of a Christmas event. The actors bring A Christmas Carol to life in the most magical way on the charming downtown streets of Franklin. This is another Hallmark town with boutique shopping. You know you want a real roasted chestnut on an open fire.
2. North Georgia Mountains
from Dahlonega, Helen to Blue Ridge
There’s just something about Christmas in the mountains for family weekends. These three towns are around an hour from each other. While Dahalonga is your small Hallmark town, it’s Helen that holds my heart.
Helen
I love that it looks like a tiny snow globe town filled with lights. From the mountain coaster to mini golf, then hiking, there’s a perfect balance of activities and festivities in Helen. There’s the annual Lighting of the Village and Christkindlmarkt offering German treats, ornaments, and cheer.
Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge has the Polar Express, more upscale stores, and the perfect cabin waiting for you. You can spend a weekend or a week exploring the North Georgia Mountain Towns and attending their Christmas events.
3. Asheville, NC, with the Biltmore
While we are in the mountains, let’s visit Asheville. With the small town shopping and the grand MANSION tour of the Biltmore, Asheville is the ultimate mountain Christmas retreat. This is more of a couples or classy retreat, not my teenagers.
4. Callaway Gardens
Pine Mountain, Georgia, is our longest-standing yearly Christmas tradition. It’s the ultimate small-town shopping experience with one of the best light displays in the Southeast, Fantasy in Lights. It also serves as the host of one of my favorite meals of the year at the Butler House.
5. Gatlinburg with Dollywood
While Gatlinburg is adorned with the cutest snowmen and has it all, from nature to activities to food, it unfortunately attracts large crowds. I’ll take that trip to snow tube, feed reindeer, and have strawberry pancakes, only when school is in session. Dollywood is off the charts at Christmas! Dollywood outdoes Disney in its park decorations, with every building covered in lights. Speaking of Disney, let’s stop there next. Insider’s Guide to Gatlinburg has several ways to avoid the crowds with a well-planned vacation.
6. Disney
I love Disney at Christmas, with its massive trees, gingerbread creations ranging from castles to carousels, and even a six-foot giraffe. The Christmas parties, characters in holiday attire, really make the parks sparkle. Nobody throws a Christmas Party better than Disney! I have ALL the information in my Very Merry Disney Guide to Christmas across the Parks.
7. Atlanta with Stone Mountain
- Atlanta has numerous Christmas events, but Stone Mountain is the most popular, offering lights and fireworks in a winter wonderland setting.
- The Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, sells out with the gardens covered in lights. It’s all covered in my Atlanta Guide.
- Then the original puppets from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer perform the cutest show at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
- From the Fox for Broadway plays to the Shakespeare Company performing A Christmas Carol, the events are endless.
- Outside Atlanta, the small town of Brookhaven takes on a festive atmosphere with Light Up Brookhaven, featuring vendors and a visit from Santa.
- Margaritaville’s Lakeside Light Spectacular is a short drive to Lake Lanier for Christmas activities.
8. Chattanooga
Chattanooga has plenty to do with festivities, from strolling Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights at the top of Lookout Mountain to a Polar Express ride on the Tennessee Valley Railroad’s North Pole Limited, complete with a Santa visit. Wander the Chattanooga Choo Choo district for seasonal markets, live music, and photo-ready decorations. Open my Complete Guide to Chattanooga’s Top Attractions.
Christmas is all about history, traditions, and charm, and nobody delivers better than the coast. Let’s enjoy a seaside holiday vacation.
The Coast
9. St. Augustine
Always a contender for best decorated town in the south, welcome, St. Augustine. It’s always one of my favorite cities, and wrapping it in Christmas Lights is delightful. You have the relaxation of the beach, mixed with the glow from Christmas Markets and millions of twinkling lights. Y’all, this light display is impressive, along with the long list of nightly events. They host a Christmas market, a tour of homes, parades, and a boat parade, known as the Regatta of Lights. Open my Guide to Exploring St. Augustine.
10. Savannah, GA
Savannah’s history is wrapped in enchanting lights and ribbons as you stroll the cobblestone streets under moss-draped trees. The festive window displays on Broughton Street, leading to the Christmas Market at Plant Riverside District, offer a unique selection of gifts. No holiday is complete without great food, and Savannah has all the kitchen awards. Open the Weekend Guide to Savannah for the best trip.
11. Charleston
There’s no place like Home for the holidays, and Charleston feels like timeless holiday charm. Tour the festive plantations and stroll past the historic homes for the gas-light ambience. Complete the experience with The Holiday Festival of Lights, a drive-thru light display with s’mores and Santa.
12. Seaside, FL
I love traditions, and Seaside is the classic Christmas town. Palm trees covered in lights, paired with my favorite restaurants, evoke the feeling of Christmas. Want to learn about the 10 Iconic Experiences in Seaside, I have those for you in my Seaside Guide.
13. My Home Town
Birmingham, Gadsden, Oxford Area
The easiest traditions to maintain are those closest to home, which are listed in my local travel guide.
- Gadsden delivers a phenomenal light display at Noccalula Falls, featuring Santa, a train ride, and a petting zoo.
- The Birmingham Zoo Lumination features a park full of animal lanterns and is a lot of fun with the Holiday Village, treats, and train rides!
- Birmingham’s The Alabama Theatre is breathtakingly decorated, and I love the Christmas Movie Events. It’s affordable family fun for the best memories.
- Cullman’s Christkindlmarkt is hugely popular, but it was too crowded for my crew, so make sure to visit on a weekday.
- I LOVE The Barn of Blooms Santa in Ranburn, AL, so visit their market and take that family photo. Bennett Farm and Turner Farm also offer Christmas Farm activities.
- The Fiddler’s Green in Jacksonville, AL hosts a Christmas open house with a tour of their home, live music from the phenomenal Emmy Award Winning Band, Un-Reconstructed, Santa, and refreshments.
- I love a LIVE NATIVITY, so we visit Greenbriar Road Baptist Church’s version every year.
Places on my list to visit
14. Natchitoches, Louisiana, for the Festival of Lights, with the parade and spirit of the season that small towns deliver.
15. McAdenville, North Carolina, known as “Christmas Town USA” with massive residential light displays.
16. Americus, GA, has carriage rides, parades, and decorated downtown without the crowds.
17. Moultrie, GA, is off the beaten path with a large downtown light display and small town charm.
18. Santa Land in Rogersville, AL, has Santa’s workshop, the reindeer barn, and Mrs. Claus’ kitchen. From the trees to the light displays, this is a 60-year tradition.
19. Reindeer Farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky, offers photos with their reindeer, sleigh rides, snowball fights, and holiday-themed ice sculptures.
20. Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri, has been voted America’s Best Holiday Event six years in a row with 6.5 million lights, live shows, a parade, and Santa’s workshop.
Reminder: Book early, as most places fill up for the holidays.
As the lights twinkle across small Southern towns and the season’s magic settles over the mountains, coasts, and cobblestone streets of the Southeast, there’s no better place to celebrate the holidays. Discover new traditions with people you love, and may your journey be filled with wonder, warmth, and sweet memories. Thank you for reading my 20 Magical Southern Christmas Events that you can’t miss.
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