Best Christmas Towns in New York State

It’s the city of magic, hot chocolate and the feeling that anything that can happen can only be good and jolly. Towns in New York State put on their best holiday lights to dazzle residents and visitors. Here are the 10 best Christmas towns in New York State to visit. 

North Pole, New York

The reason this tops the list is because the North Pole is  home of Santa’s Workshop. This is not Finland and also this North Pole is not a town but a hamlet in the town of Wilmington. The charming thing is that the North Pole is one of the best places for snow on Christmas as historical data will show, the North Pole has a 96% chance of snow each Christmas. North Pole is also home to Santa’s Workshop, an amusement park, which happens to be one of the oldest amusement parks in the country. 

New York City

New York City is no town and also not a Christmas destination in New York State, but one of the greatest spots to celebrate Christmas in the world. The tree lighting in Rockefeller Center or Central Park or ice skating or hot chocolate, the season attracts tourists and movie makers to feature the City in their itineraries. There are plenty of other holiday attractions in NYC.

Kingston

Kingston is a historical town that screams Christmas. Founded by Dutch settlers in 1652, it takes great pride in the strong Dutch traditions that have long been a part of the town’s history. The Polar Express Train makes a stop here and Kingston offers an annual Snowflake Festival. There are also Hudson River holiday cruises and light displays on Santa Claus Lane.

Cooperstown

Cooperstown seems to have been an inspiration for many Christmas movies. Historic, 18th-century buildings are decorated with lights and Christmas decorations along the town's main street with snow-covered hillsides as the background. There is a village with a horse-drawn wagon, a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. You can even enjoy breakfast with Santa or ride on the nearby Santa Express Christmas Train.

East Aurora

This quaint town of East Aurora has shops that are really worth the visit during the holidays. Not only are there many fine shops throughout the town, but it is in East Aurora that you will find Mckenzie Childs creations and The American Girl Doll store. Some New Yorkers claim that Christmas Shopping is not complete without a stop here. 

Troy

In Troy, near Albany, you will find the Annual Troy Victorian Stroll, a sprawling holiday festival market that the town puts on every year during the holidays. The locals put on their best Dickensian apparel for the full holiday festival activities, including holiday craft shopping, cocoa, carolers, food, music, and more.

Rhinebeck

Rhinebeck is a short drive from NYC and in the heart of the antiquing community. This is also  the smallest town on the Christmas list with a population of less than 500. But during the holidays you would never guess it to be this size with the bustling streets, popular restaurants and boutiques and the tourist-filled historic sites, such as the Beekman Arms, which is the oldest inn in America. 

Skaneateles

Skaneateles is truly picture perfect for the holidays and the town goes out of its way to celebrate the season. Light displays throughout, horse and wagon rides, roasted chestnuts, Christmas carol sing-along. There are some real Dickens Christmas events in Skaneateles.

Plus, many of the town’s high-end stores are tastefully, yet elaborately decorated to suit the season. Skaneateles has a lot of great shops and restaurants.

Syracuse

Syracuse is a favorite of many during the holidays. Not only does it almost always have ample snowfall during the month of December, but the entire town turns into a winter wonderland during the month as well. The Lights on the Lake Festival offers many light displays to enjoy, the classic Victorian Village brings memories of Christmas past, you can enjoy seeing elaborately decorated gingerbread houses, listen to a beautiful holiday concert or cut down your own tree, among many other holiday activities you can enjoy.

Lake Placid

Obviously Lake Placid is a Christmas lover’s paradise. Surrounded by the snow and the Adirondack mountains’ ski area, the famous Lake Placid Toboggan Chute and more, the location cannot be beat for winter activities. Here you can take the Lake Placid Holiday Village Stroll, go ice skating at the Olympic Center’s outdoor rink, or take a sleigh ride through the snow.