30+ Best Christmas Towns of the South

Are you looking for the best Christmas towns in the South to visit over the holidays? Southern states are loaded with festive celebrations and unique holiday traditions from the mountains and foothills to coastal beach town celebrations. We gathered an awesome list of over 20 festive Christmas towns in South Carolina. But, we didn’t stop there! North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee also have some amazing towns for Christmas celebrations. Many include everything from horse carriage rides and traditional downtowns to historic Christmas home tours.

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Celebrate the holiday season at any of these southern Christmas towns. While you’ll rarely find a white Christmas here in the South, that doesn’t mean you can’t strap on those ice skates and head into a Southern winter wonderland.

Fill up on holiday spirit with light displays, Christmas carols, and a tree lighting ceremony. Now is the perfect time of year for a small-town Christmas or a giant city celebration with twinkling lights. Get that Christmas spirit bubbling at one of these southern Christmas towns.

20+ Best Christmas Towns in South Carolina

South Carolina towns are full of festive holiday magic. These towns are some of the best for Christmas cheer and festivities.

Fountain Inn, SC: Christmas Inn Our Town

Celebrate Christmas in Fountain Inn, SC.

• Horse-drawn carriage rides that take you through historic neighborhoods decked out with lights
• Polar Express trolley ride
• Santa every night during Christmas Inn Your Town
• Yuletide Unicorn Festival with Santa

Places to Stay in Fountain Inn

Greer, SC: Historic Downtown & Classic Celebrations

Here’s what we love about Christmas in Greer, SC:

• Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony (typically even includes snow!)
• Decorated shops & lights along Trade Street
• Annual Christmas parade
• Story reading with Santa and Mrs. Claus
• Annual Greer Farmers Holiday Market

Visiting Greer, SC? Our Visitor’s Guide to Greer, SC has everything you need to know!

Travelers Rest, SC: Nestled in the Foothills

Enjoy Christmas in Travelers Rest, SC with the unique small-town Christmas charm of picturesque Main Street set in the Carolina Foothills.

• Annual Holiday Hop that includes stories from Mrs. Claus, horse-drawn carriage rides, and a Christmas Tree lighting
• Annual Christmas parade
• Annual Very Christmas Holiday Market

Gaffney, SC: Laser Light Show in Jolly Park

Camden, SC: Revolutionary History and Christmas Charm

Even though they are a small town, Camden doesn’t skimp on the holiday celebrations.

• Colonial Christmas in Camden
• Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes
• Camden County Tinsel Train
• Annual Tree Lighting
• 12 Days of Christmas
• Colonial Christmas at Camden
• Several parades
• Multiple holiday markets
• Multiple holiday performances

Visiting Camden, SC? Discover Camden, SC, and all the fun they have to offer in our guide.

Aiken, SC: Walk Through a Free Downtown Light Display

You heard that right. Aiken, SC celebrates Christmas with a FREE light display you can walk through. How much more festive does it get? Turns out, a lot. Aiken, SC goes big for Christmas with two parades, carriage rides, and more!

• Christmas in the Hopelands free walking lights display
• Night of 1000 Lights
• Festival of Trees
• Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
• Santa is downtown every Saturday and Sunday in December (plus a Fun Santa in the Depot event)
• Two annual parades
• Carriage rides

North Augusta, SC: Christmas Tour of Homes

Spartanburg, SC: Dickens of a Christmas

If you are looking for a magical place to visit for a holiday adventure, Spartanburg, SC is an excellent option. Visit Downtown Spartanburg for Christmas fun.

Greenville, SC: Lots of Decorations and Things to Do

• Annual Festival of Trees
• Downtown ice skating
• Annual parade
• Window decorations and the Poinsettia Postcards downtown
• Annual Christmas tree lighting
• Greenville Christmas Market
• Santa Sleigh Rides (reserve early)
• Tons of Holiday shows, Nutcracker performances, and more

Easley, SC: Downtown Events Plus a Large Lightshow

• Christmas Parade of Lights
• Horse-drawn carriage rides
• Annual Christmas tree lighting
• Greenville Pickens Speedway Upstate Holiday Light Show

Anderson, SC: Holiday Lights, Ice Skating, and More

• Anderson Lights
• Ice Skating in Wren Park
• Annual Parade

Columbia, SC: Holiday Lights on the River

🎄See our Ultimate Holiday Guide to Columbia, SC for all the festive fun available at Christmas time in Columbia, SC.

Lexington, SC: Snowball Festival

Rock Hill, SC: Old Town Rock Hill’s ChristmasVille

• Annual Christmas Parade
• Holiday Ice Rink
• ChristmasVille (December 2-24, 2021): carriage rides, carolers, Santa, and a gingerbread house contest

Charleston, SC: Holiday Sleigh Rides and Historic Homes

North Charleston, SC: Lights at Park Circle

• Lights at Park Circle (4800 Park Circle)
• Annual Christmas Festival and Parade
• Annual Christmas Tree Lighting

Conway, SC: Celebration of Lights

Newberry, SC: Annual Gingerbread Contest

• Gingerbread House competition
• Santa tours the neighborhoods in a firetruck
• Annual Christmas tree lighting
• North Pole Nights
• Showings of The Grinch
• Gingerbread Competition

Beaufort, SC: Lighted Boat Parade

• Lighted Boat Parade
• Gullah Holiday Celebration
• Beaufort Festival of Trees
• 3-day Night on the Town
• Annual Christmas parade

Hilton Head, SC: Holiday Lights and More

Myrtle Beach, SC: Tons of Christmas Shows & Fun

Check out all the fun Kidding Around had during Myrtle Beach’s off-season!

• Tons of Christmas shows from dinner shows to concerts
• Annual Festival of the Trees at Ripley’s Aquarium
• Winter Wonderland at the Beach
• Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
• Annual Christmas Parade

Greenwood, SC

• Fully decorated uptown with lights and decor
• Annual parade
• Santa on Main Street (December 3rd – 5th, 2023)

Seneca, SC

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Christmas Towns of North Carolina

Christmas Town USA (McAdenville, NC)

• A tiny town of 700 people that has over half a million lights. Note: The traffic line to enter this town can get massive. Christmas Town is extremely popular, but so worth it, because it is one of the best Christmas towns in the South.
• Annual parade

Bryson City, NC

• Polar Express Train Ride (be sure to book in advance)
• “The Biggest Little Christmas Parade in the Smokies”
• Annual Tree Lighting
• Decorated downtown

Asheville, NC: Masterful Gingerbread and Beautiful Lights

☃️Here’s a list of all the festive things to do in Asheville, NC at Christmas.

Cashiers, NC: Small Mountain Town Charm

Cabarrus County, NC: Speedway Christmas & Aquarium Sea of Lights

• Speedway Christmas (November 17, 2023-January 7, 2024) at Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Free walk-through Celebration of Lights in Village Park, Kannapolis
• SEA LIFE Aquarium’s Sea of Lights (December 2023)
• A Golden Christmas at Reed Gold Mine (December 2023) – take a nostalgic family hayride and tour 450-feet of the spectacularly candlelit underground mine (during the day). At the end of the route, take photos with Santa.

Tryon, NC

• Winterfest Village, Holiday Market, and Drive-thru Light Show at the Tryon Equestrian Center
• Annual Christmas parade

Boone, NC

Beaufort, NC

• Christmas Candlelight Tour
• Annual Parade
• Olde Beaufort Farmer’s Market Holiday Market

Dillsboro, NC

• Lights & Luminaries is straight out of a Hallmark movie. 2,500 candles, live music, plus shopkeepers provide hot cocoa and holiday treats.
• Sylva’s (the town next to Dillsboro) annual Christmas parade is December 3, 2023
• The Sylva Historic Courthouse decked out from top to bottom – holiday lights and all

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Top Christmas Towns in Tennessee

Pigeon Forge, TN Winterfest

🌟A visit to Pigeon Forge, TN is pretty fabulous any time of year. But, holiday time means Winterfest in Pigeon Forge.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

• Christmas Parade (December 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm)
• Lights Over Gatlinburg at the SkyLift Park
• Anakeesta’s holiday light display

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Top Christmas Towns in Georgia

Helen, GA: An Alpine Christmas

Helen, GA is an Alpine town full of German food, style and for the holidays they decorate with a huge tree in the square. Nearby hiking makes this town a fun and unique spot to find some holiday cheer.

• Lighting of the Village- parade and tree lighting
• Festival of Trees at Unicoi State Park
• Christkindlmarkt

Athens, GA

Athens, GA is an adorable little town that packs quite the punch for things to do for families!

• Winter Wonderlights (November 22, 2023 – December 30, 2023) at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. The half-mile fully accessible trail weaves through Candy Cane Lane, through a tunnel of lights, and in between tree forests ultimately ending at the holiday market. Visitors can purchase hot coffee, cocoa, and even marshmallows for roasting at specific locations along the trail. The cost is $15/person and free for kids under 3.
• Ice Skating at Akins Ford Arena
• Downtown Parade of Lights (December 7, 2023, at 7 p.m. in downtown Athens)