Best Christmas Towns In The Midwest

Branson, Missouri- We explored the Branson area a few years ago, and it’s a great family-friendly destination. During the holidays, you can check out the awesome light display at Silver Dollar City (theme park), and don’t forget to catch one of their Christmas shows!

 

Saint Charles, Missouri. If you love history and the holidays, Saint Charles is the place to be during the Christmas season. You can step back in time, taking a stroll down Main Street. With cute and cozy shops along Historic Main Street, you’ll feel like you’re in one of those Christmas towns you see in the movies. You can also get a blend of history with storytelling mixed in with a little fairy-telling, visit stcharleschristmas.com to check out updates for 2020. “For nearly half a century, Saint Charles Christmas Traditions® has helped create cherished memories for the young and young at heart. With a unique blend of storytelling, history, and fairytale whimsy, visitors are transported to a world of yuletide nostalgia where reindeer fly, Victorian carolers share a cheerful tune and sugarplums dance in your head.” 

 

 

Omaha, Nebraska- If you love Christmas trees, visiting Omaha to see their Christmas tree which typically is about a 65-foot tree decked with the finest directions, is the place to go. They also offer an Ethnic Holiday Festival, bringing in various celebrations and cultures from around the world.

 

The Osthoff Resort Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin- Deep into Wisconsin, you can join the 10-day Old World Christmas Market celebration. With activities ranging from cookie and ornament decorating workshops to hayrides, breakfast with Santa, and a caroling line that makes a living Christmas card, you will enjoy all the unique experiences this area has to offer!

 

Duluth, Minnesota- Home to America’s Largest Free Walk Through Lighting Display, you can walk through over 4 million lights in a 20-acre park right off Lake Superior in Bentleyville. The kids can see Santa, as well as enjoy hot cocoa, see Rudolph, and partake in other Christmas festivities. The Duluth area also offers a Polar Express ride dubbed Christmas City Express.

 

Best Christmas Towns in Iowa

Visitors looking to add a little merry to their Christmas flock to The City of Christmas Display of Lights at Rand Park. This massive light display in Keokuk, Iowa features over a million lights across 100 displays and is a huge holiday draw. The even opens around Thanksgiving and typically runs until a few days after Christmas. Visit Santa’s workshop and interact with elves and reindeer and start the holiday season off right. Keokuk is near Fort Madison and sits along the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers.

On the other side of Iowa, you’ll find Le Mars; home to The Pioneer Village Christmas Wonderland. What better way to ring in Christmas than with a horse-drawn sleigh ride. The winter wonderland also features a live-action nativity and live performances.  If you’re up for ice cream in the winter, consider a visit to the Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor’s Center.  Le Mars is home to Blue Bunny Ice Cream and the center includes exhibits, a museum, and an ice cream factory. You can also stop in and grab your favorite Blue Bunny flavor at the on-site ice cream shop. 

Best Christmas Towns in Kansas

Located midway between Kansas City and Denver, Wakeeny, Kansas is the epitome of small-town America. WaKeeny home to several historical sites, the Shiloh Vineyard and Winery, and the Smoky Valley Scenic Byway. It’s also a popular Christmas town in the midwest. Christmas City of the High Plains is an adventure for the whole family. You’ll enjoy Virtual reality sleigh rides, horse-drawn wagon rides, encounters with live reindeer, Christmas tree lighting in a quaintly decorated downtown area, visits, and a parade with Santa. Christmas City of the High Plains is fun for the whole family, a Thanksgiving weekend event. 

You’ve likely heard the saying, “Get the heck out of Dodge,” but during the holidays, you’re going to want to head in to Christmas in Dodge City, Kansas. Whether you’re in town for sightseeing or exploring the casinos, a visit to the area during the holidays puts you right in the center of the action. Visitors can stroll the old-timey streets and enjoy holiday concerts, a tree lighting ceremony, and visits with Santa. All of these are set against the backdrop of the old frontier. You’ll feel like you’re in the middle of a Gunsmoke episode.

Best Christmas Towns in South Dakota 

Rapid City, South Dakota is the perfect Christmas town in the midwest. Home to the Storybook Island Christmas Nights of Light, visitors can enjoy a bit of holiday cheer amidst the shopping, dining, and attractions. Visit the Christmas Village Store or shop for that perfect gift a the Winter Market. Guests can also visit Main Street Square for ice skating and visits with Santa. Rapid City, South Dakota near Black Hills National Forest, offers stunning landscape views from every angle and it offers an array of culinary and historical experiences for foodies and history buffs alike.  

Walk in a Winter Wonderland at Falls Park in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at this yearly event featuring over 25-miles of string lights and beautifully decorated shops and restaurants along Falls Park. Enjoy the lights among the waterfalls and rock faces of this stunning Big Sioux River, park. Visitors can enjoy live music in a warm, overlook area, a delicious and warming chili bar, adult beverages for the grown-ups, and treats and ice cream for the kids.

Best Christmas Towns in North Dakota 

Fargo, North Dakota features a bustling downtown area full of dining, shopping, and fun things to do throughout the year, but during the holidays, the town transforms into a Christmas wonderland. The yearly Parade of Lights takes visitors through the decorated downtown area while a drive-through light display of Lindenwood Park from the cozy warmth of your car is a delight for all ages. 

Best Christmas Towns in Ohio

Wooster, Ohio- I fell in love with Wooster, Ohio, last year on a press trip. A huge attraction that draws in a ton of visitors each year is the Pine Tree Barn. This is a restored Dutch bank barn featuring over 25,000 square feet of furniture, home decor, and all things Christmas. This family-owned shop and restaurant started back in the early 1960s selling Christmas trees.

Over the years, they have expanded to a full-service, treating customers with hot cocoa while they picked out their trees, then over to the store and restaurant for gifts and pastries. After spending an afternoon at The Pine Tree Barn, you can explore downtown Wooster, where you will find one of their main Christmas attractions, the Wooster Window Wonderland. Windows along the main street are decked to represent times of the past, and from what I’ve been told, it’s a sight you have to see for yourself. You can explore each storefront’s window with a cup of hot cocoa, along with other Christmas activities going on to kick off the Christmas season.

 

Finally, USA Today named The Legendary Lights of Historic Clifton Mill in Ohio as one of the top 10 light displays in the entire country. This midwest Christmas town takes you back to the 1940s. The focal point of the holiday display is a light waterfall nestled among the Christmas Village and decorated covered bridge. While in Historic Clifton Mill, visit the Clifton Opera House or tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Westcott home.

Want more of the best towns in Ohio to visit during the holidays? Heather’s most has a roundup of the most magical Christmas towns in Ohio to see. 

 

 There are so many quaint and magical Christmas towns in the Midwest; I couldn’t include everyone. However, after spending a lot of time digging and exploring, I highlighted some of the Midwest’s best Christmas towns. We plan to check off at least five of them on this list during the Holiday season. Using the Fuel Rewards® program, I will earn additional savings at hotels and restaurants along the way. The Fuel Rewards® program also helps you save on everyday needs. When you sign up, send your referral link to your friends and family so they can join the Fuel Rewards program. Then, the first time a friend (or family member) uses the program by earning a reward or using their card at a participating Shell station after registering with your link, you will instantly earn 25 cents off per gallon (up to 20 gallons). There’s no limit to how many friends you invite or how many times you earn!

 

So before you hit the road to explore a Christmas city in the Midwest, sign up for the Fuel Rewards program so not only can you earn 5 cents off per gallon, up to 20 gallons per fill!

*Restrictions apply. To qualify for the Gold/Silver Status offers, you must be a Fuel Rewards^® member and swipe your Fuel Rewards^® card or enter your Alt ID when you fuel at a participating Shell station. With Gold Status, you will receive 5¢/gal in Fuel Rewards^® savings on every fill-up. The 5¢/gal reward for Gold Status will be combined with other rewards in your Fuel Rewards^® account. If you are an existing Fuel Rewards^® member, you will receive Gold Status from 6/5/2017 through 12/31/17, the “Existing Member Introductory Period.” If you are a new Fuel Rewards^® member, you will receive Gold Status for the initial month you join through the last day of the month, 6 full calendar months later, the “New Member Introductory Period.” The last 3 months of the Existing Member Introductory Period or the New Member Introductory Period (collectively the “Introductory Period”) is the “Qualification Period.” You will retain your Gold Status during the Qualification Period, but you must make 6 qualifying fuel purchases to qualify for Gold Status for the next 3 months, the “Benefit Period.” During the Benefit Period, you must continue to make 6 qualifying fuel purchases to maintain your Gold Status for the next 3-month Benefit Period. A qualifying fuel purchase is any fuel purchase at a participating Shell station in which you swipe your Fuel Rewards^® card or enter your Alt ID and fill up with at least 5-gallons of any grade of fuel. For example, if you are a new Fuel Rewards^® member and register on 6/15/2017, you will receive Gold Status through the New Member Introductory Period (i.e., 12/31/2017). You will need to fill up with at least 5 gallons of fuel at least 6 times during the Qualification Period (i.e., 10/1/2017 and 12/31/2017) to maintain Gold Status during the Benefit Period (i.e., from 1/1/2018 to 3/31/2018). Thereafter, if you continue to fill up with at least 5 gallons of fuel at least 6 times during the successive 3 consecutive month Benefit Periods, you will retain your Gold Status. If you do not maintain your Gold Status, you will receive Silver Status. With Silver Status, you will receive 3¢/gal in Fuel Rewards^® savings. The 3¢/gal reward for Silver Status will be combined with other rewards in your Fuel Rewards^® account. Redeem Fuel Rewards^® savings with your Fuel Rewards^® card or Alt ID at participating Shell stations. Fuel Rewards^® savings are limited to 20 gallons of fuel per purchase, per vehicle, or fraud limits placed by Shell and/or limits placed on your financial card by your financial institution, each of which may be lower. Fuel Rewards^® savings must be redeemed in a single transaction. Once you begin to dispense fuel using your Fuel Rewards^® savings, you must dispense to the 20-gallon limit or forfeit any remaining discounted gallons of fuel. For example, if you only pump fifteen (15) gallons of fuel, you would abandon the remaining five (5) gallons of discounted fuel. If you have a rewards balance greater than the current per-gallon price of fuel, the price will roll down to the maximum capability of the fuel equipment, and your remaining rewards will be saved for future fuel purchase. Dispenser may require a price of up to 10.9¢/gal. It may not be possible to combine multiple discounts and/or rewards in a single transaction. For purchases of $75 or more, please go inside to pay. Unbranded diesel and alternative fuels may not be eligible. The Fuel Rewards^® program is owned and operated by Excentus Corporation. Offer may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Not valid where prohibited by law. Please see fuelrewards.com for complete Fuel Rewards^® program details and Terms and Conditions. Other restrictions may apply. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. To learn more, visit fuelrewards.com/gold or call (888) 603-0473