5 Charming Virginia Towns That Go All-Out For Christmas, According To Visitors

Virginia is for lovers — lovers of history, lovers of the outdoors, lovers of beaches, and especially lovers of the holidays. Few states do Christmas quite like Virginia. The Colonial-era aesthetic that defines many of its towns — cobblestone streets, brick sidewalks, old taverns, and Victorian-era downtowns — naturally creates the storybook charm associated with classic Christmas tales. Add seasonal wreaths, candles, and garlands, and these towns begin to feel as though they've been pulled from a holiday greeting card. Much of Virginia also experiences nor'easter snowstorms in winter, with especially heavy snowfall in mountainous areas such as the Blue Ridge Mountains, dotted with tiny towns along the western stretch of the state. Such scenes make for especially enchanting Christmas destinations. Old Town Alexandria; Colonial Williamsburg; charming little Abingdon, Staunton, and Middleburg; along with Bristol, Charlottesville, and historic estates like Mount Vernon and Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home and centerpiece of the Monticello Wine Trail, all turn up the magic during the holiday season.

To narrow down the top five Christmas towns in Virginia, we reviewed tourism boards, online forums, review platforms, reputable publications, and roundups spotlighting towns known for exceptional seasonal décor and entertainment. We also aimed for geographic variety — from the Piedmont to the mountains to the coastal plain — to offer a small but representative sample of what the commonwealth brings to life at Christmastime.

From candlelight tours and light displays to Christmas markets, holiday boat parades, the season blends old-world warmth with distinctly Virginian charm. Whether you're drawn to waterfront cities or quiet mountain hamlets, you're sure to find festive backdrops across the state. This list is not in any way exhaustive, but we hope it inspires delightful December adventuring — and maybe even helps you live out your own Hallmark-movie holiday dreams.

Alexandria is known for its charming Old Town neighborhood, where Scottish heritage lingers from its early European settlers. It's consistently ranked among Virginia's best year-round destinations, thanks to its indie shops, preserved architecture, and tranquil riverfront. At Christmastime, however, Old Town truly shines. Victorian-era iron lampposts along King Street are draped in garlands and bows, storefront windows glow with holiday color, and the city rolls out a full calendar of seasonal events. Highlights include a Christmas boat parade on the Potomac River, holiday concerts, and the Scottish Christmas Walk, where descendants of Scottish clans parade through the streets in kilts with bagpipes and drums. A free trolley that runs through Old Town, providing convenient transport to a number of shops and restaurants. In 2019, Southern Living even called Old Town Alexandria the ideal setting for a Hallmark holiday movie, a sentiment echoed by visitors. "You could not pick a more 'magical' place to visit than Alexandria during the holidays," wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer.

For those who love holiday lights, Holly's Tacky Christmas Lights provides an annually updated guide to Fairfax-area homes known for elaborate displays — ideal for a self-guided driving tour. Just 8 miles south of Old Town sits Mount Vernon, George Washington's riverfront estate, famous for its spring tulip festival and its Christmas Illuminations, a fireworks show over the Potomac. Visitors can also partake in holiday high tea, take a candlelight tour, and meet Aladdin the camel, a whimsical holiday tradition that the first president himself kept to entertain guests. To cap off the season, Old Town hosts First Night Alexandria on New Year's Eve — an all-day celebration featuring lights, live performances, interactive activities, and midnight fireworks set against the historic streets of an early American town.

If you thought Old Town Alexandria was historically festive, wait until you see Colonial Williamsburg. Picturesque year-round, one of America's first planned cities transforms into an immersive Christmas destination, blending living history, vintage charm, and holiday traditions like few other places can. Williamsburg was one of the first towns in the country to put up Christmas trees and was listed on Runaway Suitcase's top 25 Hallmark holiday towns index. Located in the historic Jamestown-Yorktown area, the district also hosts European-style Christmas markets and seasonal events.

Candlelight lanterns, evergreen garlands, bows, actors in period costumes, and singing madrigals recreate colonial Christmas customs, giving visitors a vivid sense of holidays past. Special events include holiday performances, Christmas dinners, candlelight ghost tours, holiday tea at the Williamsburg Inn, and hands-on workshops like wreath-making. On select December dates, the town hosts the Grand Illumination — a fireworks, live music, and lights festival held along Duke of Gloucester Street. Evening carriage rides showcase private homes and businesses dressed in candles and holiday décor, making you feel like part of the art. Lodging like the Williamsburg Inn, restaurants with live holiday music like King's Arms Tavern, historic pubs like Shields Tavern, and boutique shopping abound.

Just 6 miles southeast, Busch Gardens Christmas Town is another major winter draw. "The World's Most Beautiful Theme Park" lights up from November to January with one of the largest Christmas light displays in North America, featuring over 10 million lights. Visitors can ride classic theme park rides, enjoy holiday shows, meet Santa, shop for seasonal gifts, and indulge in festive treats. "We added Christmas Town to our annual Yuletide trip to Williamsburg," wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer. "It was a wonderful experience. Millions of lights brighten the park and there are decorations everywhere."

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern Virginia, Abingdon is a small town with an award-winning food scene and big Christmas spirit. Downtown's brick sidewalks, iron lampposts, independent shops stocked with local art, and timeless Christmas décor give the town the feel of Bedford Falls from "It's a Wonderful Life." The Abingdon Antiques Mall offers 24,000 square feet of vintage finds, while the William King Museum decorates its galleries and hosts seasonal events like the Mistletoe Market. Visit the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace to Christmas shop from local artisans, hear live regional folk music, and attend holiday programs.

Dinner at the Abingdon Tavern, one of the area's oldest pubs, and pairs beautifully with a performance of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" at the ornate Barter Theatre, built in 1933 when locals could trade produce for tickets — literally "ham for Hamlet." For daytime relaxation, enjoy lunch followed by a massage at The Martha, a historic inn and spa that was once an elite women's college and later a Civil War hospital.

Just 13 miles southwest, Bristol, a lively shopping and entertainment scene straddling the Virginia and Tennessee state line, decks its halls with dozens of "Christmas Tree Village" displays and stages a full holiday calendar that includes Tree Lighting Ceremony, Winter Carnival, holiday parade, and maker's market. The standout attraction, though, is Speedway in Lights at Bristol Motor Speedway, where visitors drive through the track to see more than 4 million Christmas lights, animated displays, and an Appalachian-themed Christmas village. "A thrilling experience to drive on the track, and get cozy at the Christmas Village," said one Google reviewer. "The kids always love it. Speedway is a yearly tradition for us," noted another.

Nestled along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, Charlottesville and nearby Staunton — a charming small town with artistic energy matched with historic character – offer a well-balanced Christmastime getaway. Charlottesville delivers a more sophisticated winter retreat, while Staunton leans into storybook charm. The two towns sit just 40 miles apart, making it easy to enjoy both in a single trip.

In Charlottesville, the Historic Downtown Mall transforms into Magic on the Mall, a corridor of twinkle lights, evergreens, bustling shops, and dozens of restaurants. Browse the holiday market for local gifts and admire festive window displays, take a ride on the free Downtown Holiday Express, or join the annual Santa Fun Run. Just outside the city, the rolling countryside of the Monticello Wine Trail draws travelers to cozy tasting rooms, vineyard stays, and sumptuous retreats at places like Boar's Head Resort, while Wintergreen Ski Resort offers outdoor recreation. At Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's estate, you can enjoy special candlelight tours or make your own wreaths.

A short drive west into the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, Staunton amps up nostalgia with its Victorian architecture and walkable downtown that feels tailor-made for the holidays. Beverley Street is the historic district's core and sparkles with classic storefront displays and inviting restaurants. Seasonal highlights include the Christmas parade and performances at the American Shakespeare Center, and the Gypsy Hill Park neighborhood, where the homes go all out in their "Celebration of Lights," offering spectacular shows. "It was beautiful," wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer. "I loved that local businesses sponsor each display and it was an easy way to see lights without riding through various neighborhoods."

In 2024, Country Living has ranked Middleburg the second-best Christmas town in the U.S. for its old-fashioned holiday charm and unique traditions — and it's far from the "best-of" list this small town appears on. Located not far from Washington, D.C., Middleburg is tucked among Virginia's rolling vineyards and serves as a cozy getaway year-round – a reputation that even drew Jacqueline Kennedy for visits. The town's most iconic holiday tradition is the Middleburg Hunt, sealing its spot on the seasonal map. Dating back to 1906, the tradition traces its roots to a foxhunting showdown between Henry Higginson and Harry Worcester to determine whose hounds reigned supreme. While no fox is involved today, the Hunt has evolved into the beloved "Hunt and Hounds" parade, featuring riders in period attire on horseback, live carolers, steaming cups of wassail, and plenty of festive cheer. "The Hunt parade is indeed an absolute delight. The Fox Hounds are so excited and active, the horses are beautiful and the hunt costumes are exactly what you hope they will be, just exquisite," wrote one reviewer on TripAdvisor. "The fox hunters were so fun," praised a Reddit reviewer. 

Downtown, over 160 historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places create an enchanting backdrop. Visitors can stroll the streets with free weekend hot chocolate, or take part in "Jingle in the 'Burg," the town's season-long calendar of events, which offers even more ways to celebrate: A model train expo, holiday card-making workshops, and Christmas markets. Other holiday highlights include performative recreations of classic Dickens stories, a Christmas Tree Lighting, the "Jingle Paws Parade" for dressed-up dogs, and carriage rides. Stone walls, horse farms, vineyards, and a backdrop of Blue Ridge Mountains make this winter setting all the more tranquil.

It's never easy to narrow a top-five list when Virginia offers so many compelling holiday destinations. For this guide, we tapped travel writers, holiday enthusiasts, and a broad mix of online sources — from Reddit threads and Tripadvisor forums to Southern Living, Northern Virginia Magazine, and roundups from the Virginia Tourism Board, Only In Your State, and World Atlas. We focused on towns that pair historic charm with festive activities that make the season special. The final selections showcase Virginia's geographic and cultural range — from cozy mountain towns to lively cities, from east to west and north to south. Each spot offers a mix of family-friendly fun, adventurous outings, historic tours, and modern holiday experiences, with accessibility, accommodations, and ease of travel in mind.

Whether your idea of a holiday destination is wining and dining, sipping hot chocolate by a riverside lamppost, skating under twinkling lights, shopping for everyone on your list, or joining hands-on festivities, Virginia delivers something for everyone. From Alexandria's historic Old Town and Colonial Williamsburg's old-world holiday vibes to Bristol's light displays, Abingdon's mountain charm, Staunton's Shenandoah energy, Charlottesville's wine-country appeal, and Middleburg's Hunt, these towns capture the spirit of the season. Many others also shine in December, including Culpepper, one of Virginia's hottest but most underrated dining destinations with a beloved Christmas parade; Leesburg, one of Southern Living's favorite Christmastime towns; Virginia Beach, a coastal community with a boat parade, lit-up boardwalk, and Christmas Village; and Lexington, with its indie shops, thriving artist community, and foodie gems. No matter where in the state you decide to spend the holiday season, you'll love Virginia. Truly, it's for lovers.