9 Best Places for Christmas in North Carolina

Christmas in North Carolina is just around the corner and the song by Sufjan Stevens is just not ready to leave my mind. 

“Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! 

Early in the morning

Our Song shall rise to thee

There is a sign at the sight of thee.

Merciful and mighty

God in three Persons,

God in three persons,

Blessed Trinity” 

The tune makes my Christmas dream so treasured. 

Christmas has the powerful to evoke a longing inside me for simple times -with my parents, and grandparents over music, food, and dance.

Growing up in Forest city, one of the best Christmas towns in North Carolina, I have always seen my father bringing home a fresh-cut tree and my mother baking pies in the kitchen.

The beach towns in North Carolina are equally gorgeous. I wonder how North Carolina can be gifted with so many things.

The laughter of my grandmother and grandfather taking my brother for the hayride and the sight of the parade on the streets has always filled my heart with Christmassy joy!

So this time, have yourself a great merry in North Carolina in Christmas.

There are plenty of things to do in North Carolina for Christmas and the winter wonderland will never disappoint you with its Christmas lights.

Did you ever dare to visit the abandoned places in North Carolina? or the Beaches with your dog?

I love My place, I love North Carolina.

So, I will take you around to the best Christmas towns in North Carolina where you can enjoy the fullest and witness dazzling Christmas lights. 

Best Places for Christmas in North Carolina

North Carolina is also known as “Christmas Town USA”. The name does its justice. Plenty of twinkling light, festive décor and local celebration make it the best in the USA.

Therefore, get into the spirit this holiday season with a visit to one of the best places for Christmas in North Carolina. 

McAdenville

Population: 938

Just west of Charlotte and east of Gastonia sits McAdenville, the best Christmas town in North Carolina. 

The town shines brightly as it is decorated with hundreds of thousands of red, green, and white lights during Christmas. 

The best part is every house in McAdenville takes part in the celebration and decorates their houses with twinkling lights with their own funds to make the city gorgeous. 

Since the 1940s McAdenville has been celebrateing Christmas with full of joy, frivolity, and creativity. Hence, it earned itself a name as the best Christmas Town USA. 

In 2020, McAdenville was declared by USAToday as “one of the 10 Best Public Holiday Lights Display in the Nation”.

The Historic Bell Tower and the town lake are circled with evergreen Christmas trees and lights. The town plays seasonal music.

Can you imagine the beauty?

Also, in the 1980s, McAdenville was featured in Charles Kuralt’s Morning Show. Since then it has become one of the great places to spend Christmas in North Carolina. 

McAdenville – Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• Walk my friend, the best way to explore and enjoy Christmas in McAdenville is on your foot. The entire town is illuminated and echoes Christmas music and songs. 
• Since 1949, McAdenville has been celebrating an event in their town called the Yule Log Ceremony. The ceremony features small parades and lighting of the Yule Log. The Yule Log Ceremony is one of the best Christmas events in North Carolina.

Tips for McAdenville Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• The Tree Light Ceremony Will Be Started On 1st December 2022 At 5.30 Pm At 208 Main Street, McAdenville, NC. The Lights Will Be On Till 26th December 2022, Night.
• The light displays are controlled by automatic timers. So, no matter how many people are there the lights will go off once it’s time. So, make your visit appropriately. 
• You can drive and enjoy Christmas at McAdenville but for that read the information published on the Christmas Town USA website. 
• The best way to explore McAdenville Christmas is by walking. So, you can park your vehicles behind the McAdenville Baptist Church, behind the business area of town, beside the lake, or at the elementary school.
• Yule Log Ceremony will be held on 15th December 2022 from 5 pm to 7.30 pm. Come early to the town at 100 Main Street

Forest City

Population: 7,357

Forest City in Rutherford County just 60 miles southeast of Asheville celebrates Christmas with a lot of holly and jolly. 

The main streets, oak trees, and fountains are all wrapped with millions of Christmas lights. They take the celebration to a new level, beyond your imagination. 

Forest City is one of the best places for Christmas in North Carolina. A sip of hot chocolate in the cold weather with the view of lights is so magical! 

Forest City has been voted as the best Christmas town in North Carolina, Top Place for Christmas Lights in Asheville, and the best Christmas Village near Asheville not just by luck. 

They celebrate Christmas from November to December – a full 1 month. Forest City celebrates the lighting ceremony on Thanksgiving night, I can’t explain how beautiful it is!

Forest City- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• You have seen in those Hallmark movies, lights falling snow, a small town with Christmas charm, oh my god! All these are possible only in Forest City. The main street is decked up with more than one million Christmas lights and the town echoes with a happy voice singing Christmas songs.
• On weekends relax on a carriage and sip a hot chocolate or cider sitting with your partner and enjoying the Christmas aroma in the air. 
• Take a visit to the ice skating at 172 Park Square at 6 pm
• Come to the Pavilion on Park Square to witness the most oversized lighted Christmas ornaments in the region. Do not forget to click a photo!

• Bring your dog or cat to Santa’s House and Santa Paws to click a photo with old Saint Nick
• Participate in the Christmas parade
• Bring your friend at Santa on the Chimney to add some extra calories and have a memorable dinner

Tips for Forest City Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thanksgiving night on 24th November 2022 from 6 pm till 7 pm. The air echoes music and local gospels
• On the 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, and 17th November 2022, you can take part in a carriage ride, ice skating, and hayrides. Check the fees accordingly at Park Square. 

Morganton

Population: 17,586

Just 55 miles east of Asheville at the North Carolina foothills sits Morganton, the most “old fashioned” and small quintessential mountain town. 

Morganton’s Christmas is so special because you will find people here celebrating small treasures with their families, friends gathering together and welcoming each other.

Such a humble sight reminds you of the importance of preserving small moments with a loved one and treasuring the little things that matter.

Christmas is all about celebrating, taking pictures, sharing moments, and making memories to treasure for years to come. 

Morganton- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• Bring your family downtown to watch the Morganton Christmas Parade where your little heart is bound to get delighted by the marching bands and characters playing their roles. For your next North Carolina Christmas visit, come to Morganton.
• Unique style of “horse-and-carriage ride” through the streets of downtown celebrating Christmas in the most ideal manner. The weather is a perfect look at the sky. It looks so clear and lit up. Morganton’shorse-and-carriage ride is one of the best Christmas events in North Carolina.

• On weekends there will be “Downtown Santa” to cheer up children
• You can come to The Coves Mountain River Club to enjoy the local culture and mild weather. There are small hiking trails you can follow too.

Tip for Morganton Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• For horse-and-carriage rides come to West Union Street as soon as possible because here they follow first come-first served. They will take you around across from Benjamin and Libbas. Do not forget to click a picture with Sampson, the white horse.
• The parade route runs along Green and Sterling Streets in downtown Morganton. The theme of the parade in Morganton for 2022 is “Nature’s Playground”. If you miss it then turn on your television the whole event will be broadcasted on CoMPAS X-Stream. 

Bryson City

Population: 1584

Just on the eastern edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Fontana Lake and 60 miles from Asheville sits Bryson City, the hidden gem of North Carolina. 

Bryson City is one of the best places for Christmas in North Carolina to enjoy the sight of the twinkling lights, creative decorations, delicious local food and hay rides.

Bryson City is the Christmas town in North Carolina that will first-time host a drive-thru Christmas Light show in 2022. 

The show will feature giant customised light displays with festive music along the way. 

Bryson City celebrates the best Christmas events in North Carolina earning the name from US Today as the “Top 10 Train Rides in the USA”.

The “Great Smoky Mountains Railroad” turns into a fun 75-minute train ride imitating the winter story from Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 book. 

The passengers enjoy the frosty ride singing the Christmas carols back the way. The celebration is called the “Polar Express” train ride which got popular in 2017. 

Bryson City- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• Take part in the “Polar Express” train rides. Enjoy the warm cocoa, traditional music, the story of the Polar Express, Christmas carol and Christmas joy. Do not worry about your age, everyone is allowed. Wear your pyjamas and come! This ride is the most unique thing to do in North Carolina for Christmas.
• Witness the 50-foot-tall Christmas tree at the Visitors Center all decked up in lights and decorations

• Enjoy Smoky Mountain Christmas Spectacular Light Show at Hyatt Creek Road. 
• Shop souvenirs from the shops, take part in the parade and stroll around the main streets.

 Tips for Bryson City Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• The famous train ride – “Polar Express” starts from 10th November – 31st December 2022 welcomes people of all ages. Gather up at 45 Mitchell St. 
• One of the best things to do in North Carolina for Christmas in Bryson City is participating in Ice skating at the Yard. It starts from 10th November – 31st December. Come to 43 Depot Street
• For all waiting for a hayride, come to Darnell Farms (16TH November – 23rd December. Here you can pick your fresh-cut Christmas tree. Opened from Wednesday –Saturday.

Asheville

Population: 96,829

In Buncombe County just at the confluence of the Swannanoa and French Broad rivers sits Asheville, the best place to spend Christmas in North Carolina.

Asheville is the best mountain town in North Carolina to experience your life’s most stunning Christmas celebration with a lot of Christmassy things. 

If you are planning December in North Carolina then come to Asheville to experience Christmas in a more local unique way full of festive atmosphere.

View of lighting gardens, elegant Christmas décor, snowy mountains and seeing people selling gifts, and happy faces tasting winter specialists makes you so happy. 

Asheville- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• Christmas in Biltmore is one of the best places to go for Christmas in North Carolina. The Biltmore Estate has more than 100 trees which are all decorated with holiday lights and ornaments. In the morning, take part in Biltmore’s Daytime Celebration where you can tie ribbons and other decors. 
• Come to Antler Hill Village for lunch, dinner and snacks. Also, participate in Van Gogh Alive.
• Witness the ethereal decoration, parade, and lighting ceremony at Pack Square.

• Winter Lights is one of the best Christmas events in North Carolina hosted by The NC Arboretum. The botanical garden is decorated with lights and you will find everyone dancing. However, you need to buy your tickets.
• Just out of Asheville town there is a famous event called “Deck The Tree in the Black Mountain” where you can decorate a Christmas tree with your hand.

Tip for Asheville Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• Biltmore Christmas starts from 5th November to 9th January 2022. Day time fee is $69 per adult. However, the price varies from day to day. Teenagers between 10 -16 get discounts. Kids below 9 are free. 

 Charlotte

Population: 903,211

Germany has always topped the list as the best Christmas market in the world but worries not, I found you a gem in North Carolina.

To enjoy the best Christmas lights in North Carolina and experience a Christmas market featuring food, ornaments, crafts, toys and more, come to Charlotte. 

Once you are in Charlotte you can learn history, taste great food and enjoy city life. The city host a Christmas party with decorations and a lot of variety of food. 

Charlotte- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• To experience over 4 million dazzling light décor, drive-thru the four miles at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord. Moreover, Speedway Christmas is a traditional event. 
• Come to Truist Field to celebrate the Light the Knights Festival. Here you can see the Charlotte Knights ballpark lighting up the whole place with light and love.
• You should come to Romare Bearden Park in Charlotte to experience a German-like Christmas Market. Taste bratwurst, roasted nuts, gingerbread, cookies, sauerkraut, and gluhwein.
• Spend your December in North Carolina weekend at The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

• Come to Bojangles Coliseum to celebrate The Avett Brothers
• The Christmas Village in Charlotte is one of the great places to spend Christmas in North Carolina. Shop, dance to German music, eat hot chocolate, apple cider, and pretzels, and enjoy all the other Christmas refreshments

Tips for Charlotte Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• Speedway Christmas starts from 19th November 2022 to 3rd January 2023
• The Avett Brothers celebration on 31st December 2022

Beaufort

Population: 13,857

In Carteret County sits Beaufort, the oldest town in North Carolina. It has been ranked by Budget Travel Magazine readers as “America’s Coolest Small Town in 2012.

Beaufort in Christmas decked up so beautifully that the whole ecology becomes so mesmerising and gorgeous. 

Beaufort- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• Nothing gets you into the Christmas spirit without participating in the annual “Night on the Town” celebration, followed by the memorable Light up the Night Boat Parade and Beaufort Christmas parade
• To move your hips and lose yourself in the beats of local cultural music participate in the Festival of the Trees and “Gullah Kinfolk Christmas Wish”
• Christmas in Beaufort is incomplete without participating in Christmas parades. You can join the Night Christmas Boat Parade and the Port Royal Golf Cart Parade. 

Tip for Beaufort Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• While coming for “Night on Town” celebrations park your car at the Marina parking lot. The celebration starts from Thanksgiving in New York.

Dillsboro

Population: 209

Just 15 miles from Cherokee, experience magic as the entire Dillsboro is transformed into a happy place with candles, laughter, songs, and lights, illuminating the town brightly.

Do you know what’s the specialty of Dillsboro? Other Christmas towns in North Carolina use electricity to light up Christmas light displays, and Dillsboro uses hand-lit luminaries. 

Without a doubt, Dillsboro is the best place to spend Christmas in North Carolina.  Also, it has been ranked among the “Top 20” events in Southeast for December.

Dillsboro- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• Come to the Main Street of Dillsboro. The first two weeks of December they celebrate the Scandinavian custom of lighting. More than 2,500 luminaries light up the small mountain village turning it into a Christmas wonderland. The shopkeepers offer handmade chocolate treats, cocoa, and hot cider for free!
• Dress up into elves, reindeer, or baggy clothes just like the time Christ was born. It is so fun seeing people flaunting their costumes and enjoying them. 

Tips for Dillsboro Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• Dillsboro Lights & Luminaries starts on 2nd December 2022 from 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm. The streets are lined up with candles inside the white bags. Be careful while walking on the road
• Dillsboro is the best town to experience Christmas in North Carolina, hence try to buy some unique gifts from the locals to help them financially. Don’t forget to take the wagon rides!

Blowing Rock

Population: 1404

North Carolina Christmas at Blowing Rock near the Appalachian Ski Mountain is a perfect holiday escape for all the exciting adventurous souls.

If you ever dreamt of white Christmas in North Carolina in December, visit Blowing Rock, the most fun place to go at Christmas in North Carolina. 

The mountains are covered with snow, giving you the best opportunity for ice-skating and cuddling up by the fire, sipping hot chocolate and enjoying Christmas music. 

Blowing Rock- Things to do in North Carolina during Christmas

• Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the Town in Blowing Rock is one of the best North Carolina Christmas events. You will find Santa giving gifts to children and adults. There are carnival games, live music, people dancing, and vendors selling hot chocolates, and the whole atmosphere is so Christmassy
• The blowing Rock Christmas parade on Main Street is super fun to witness. Everyone comes together to celebrate and the street is decorated with lights, which is followed by a visit to one of the local Christmas tree farms. 

• Attend the Festival of Lights at Chetola Resort which is completely free for the public. You can take a walk around the lake and enjoy the illuminated surroundings.
• Enjoy the nighttime train ride visiting Santa in the real-life-sized gingerbread house. Moreover, the famous Tweetsie Railroad transforms into a snowglobe world.

Tip for Blowing Rock Christmas 2022 – Christmas in North Carolina

• The Festival of Lights at Chetola Resort starts from 25th November 2022 to 9th January 2023
• Tweetsie Railroad celebration starts from mid-November till past Christmas Day. 
• Also, you can check the weather condition before arriving at Blowing Rock because they have three webcams. 

Conclusion

Christmas in North Carolina starts the Thanksgiving week (end of November) which is also called Flotilla week in Wrightsville Beach, launched by Carolina. 

Also, Airlie Gardens’ Enchanted Airlie is another opening event. Holiday Flotilla is an opening event for the Christmas holiday to begin over all the towns of North Carolina. 

The Holiday Flotilla event is a maritime parade which is done by decorating the yacht, and boats with lights, and garlands. 

It will be celebrated on 27th November 2022 with a 21-minute ride illuminating not only your mind but the sky with fireworks displays. 

Are you ready to be part of this best Christmas event in North Carolina in Wrightsville Beach?  

The above list is the best place to spend Christmas in North Carolina. I hope you are privileged to be part of these celebrations. 

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