These 12 Christmas Markets in the US Will Make You Feel Like You’re in a Holiday Movie
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If you love Christmas markets, consider booking a holiday trip to the US. Throughout the country, you’ll find exciting markets full of holiday fun.
You can find amazing Christmas markets in the US. Once the lights go up and Mariah Carey comes on the radio, you’ll find plenty of holiday fun and shopping throughout the country.
From mountain towns to big cities, no matter which corner of the US you land this winter, you’ll find an amazing Christmas market. Below are the US’s 12 best Christmas markets to enjoy this holiday season.
Union Square Holiday Market (New York, New York)
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It’s hard to find a more beloved Christmas Market in the US than New York’s Union Square Holiday Market. The market consistently draws in millions of visitors each year. With its high-budget decorations and events, it’s easy to see why.
Since 1980, the market has grown to include more than 150 booths. You’ll find Christmas goods, holiday merchandise, and plenty of food, including German bratwurst and even gourmet Asian fusion dishes — this is New York, after all.
As the night falls, you can partake in endless events in the market and the surrounding neighborhood. If you’re lucky, you may even catch the market covered in snow and make your romantic New York Christmas dreams come true.
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Christmas Village (Baltimore, Maryland)
Baltimore’s Christmas Village is one of the largest Christmas markets on the East Coast. It started as a way to celebrate the city’s German heritage and still keeps its Christmas traditions. There’s German Glühwein (mulled wine) served from the event’s centerpiece, a Glühwein pyramid. And, just in case you were wondering, you’ll see Lederhosen worn freely.
The market is set up at West Shore Park’s Inner Harbor. There are lights, trees, and plenty of vendors selling all kinds of quirky Christmas trinkets and snacks, including bratwurst and pretzels.
Throughout the event, you’ll enjoy nightly events such as caroling and light shows. For families and adults in the area, the Christmas Village becomes a month-long celebration to remember.
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Great Dickens Christmas Fair (Daly City, California)
Daly City’s Great Dickens Christmas Fair is one of the most unique Christmas markets in the country. Here, visitors and staff dress up like they were in Victorian England, with all the wigs and makeup you could want.
Just a short drive south of San Francisco is Daly City. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the streets of Daly City and its Cow Palace transform into a holiday event like none other. Vendors adorn their stalls with 19th-century decorations and Victorian getups.
You’ll feel like you’re in a Christmas-themed fairy tale. From Dickens classics to Edgar Allan Poe, the fair has a rich literature theme. There are events such as costume contests, dances, and Christmas carols. What makes the fair even more fun is the elaborate costumes people wear to the event.
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Texas Christkindl Market (Arlington, Texas)
Arlington, Texas’s Christkindl Market is where Texans come to celebrate the holidays in style. Not far from rodeos and big trucks, you’ll find plenty of seasonal fun, Christmas lights, and holiday vibes.
In 1951, Arlington set up donation stations to send supplies to the German town of Bad Königshofen. The town was overrun with refugees escaping East Germany after WWII. Since then, the towns have been sister cities and maintain a close bond even today.
The Christkindl Market is a celebration of the ties between the two communities. Because of this, you’ll find plenty of traditional German-inspired Christmas decorations and musical performances.
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Carmel Christkindlmarkt (Carmel, Indiana)
Every winter, the small town of Carmel hosts one of the country’s largest Christmas markets. Celebrating its German heritage, the town constructs a 30-foot-high Glühwein Pyramid. Its lights can be seen for miles away.
The market’s organizers strive to preserve the authenticity of the event. Vendors from Germany often fly to partake in the festivities and sell their goods. With authenticity comes incredible traditional food, music, and decorations.
Besides the lights and endless fun, traditional workshops feature wood carving, glass blowing, and several other types of crafts. For all ages, Carmel’s Christkindlmarkt offers plenty to experience.
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Christkindlmarket Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)
From Thanksgiving to Christmas, Chicago’s Daley Plaza is filled with vendors, performers, and spectators for one of the country’s largest Christmas markets. You’ll be downtown Chicago, staring up at the historic skyscrapers as you celebrate the festivities.
As you walk through the market, you’ll find endless German-themed Christmas decorations. You can spend hours wandering through the artisanal goods on sale. When you’re hungry, grab traditional German cuisine or Chicago favorites like deep-dish pizza to fuel your journey through the market.
Chicago’s Christkindlmarket also hosts daily events such as caroling, arts and crafts, and special musical performances. The space is loud, exciting, and filled with mouth-watering aromas of baked goods and bratwurst.
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Christmas Village (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
The center of Philadelphia is lit up during the Christmas Village celebrations. This popular market is one of the busiest in the country. Here, you’ll get to enjoy endless artisanal products, colorful light shows, and family events.
You can wander the stalls and talk to vendors as you make your way through the village. Christmas characters walk through the crowd as people shop, eat, and enjoy the holiday cheer.
You’ll be right downtown in LOVE Park, close to Philadelphia’s most famous landmarks. After the market, you can walk through the city to enjoy late-night concerts and festivities. You may even see Santa at the bar!
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Kerstmarkt (Holland, Michigan)
Just an hour outside of Grand Rapids is Holland, Michigan. Dutch immigrants founded the city in the mid-19th century, and since then, it has preserved its heritage through its architecture and community events. The biggest event happens during the holidays when Kerstmarkt opens downtown.
For several blocks, vendors set up shop downtown. You’ll find everything from nutcrackers to homemade trinkets. Plus, you’ll find plenty of homemade snacks, traditional Dutch cuisine, and, of course, the ubiquitous Dutch waffle with syrup known as stroopwafels.
The market runs from Thanksgiving to Christmas and features plenty of fun events. You’ll get to enjoy Dickens Carolers, handbell concerts, and dog-sled races.
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Christkindlmarkt (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
During the holidays, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, sets up for one of the largest Christmas Markets in the country. Throughout the Christkindlmarkt market, you’ll find over 100 vendors who sell everything from ornaments to cookies.
Besides the knick-knacks and stocking stuffers, you can enjoy plenty of holiday lights and Christmas trees. Throughout the event are live music performances and special Christmas-inspired workshops.
The market takes place in downtown Bethlehem. While enjoying the winter air and Christmas charm, you can check out the town’s German architecture and beautiful river front.
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Solvang Julefest (Solvang, California)
You may be in Southern California’s wine country, but Solvang feels like a world away. Danish immigrants founded Solvang in 1911. The town held on to its roots and has now become a major tourist destination because of it.
Come to Solvang From November 24 to January 6, and you can partake in the Solvang Julefest. This Christmas-themed event celebrates the Holidays in Danish style. You’ll walk through Danish streets lined with Christmas lights, Danish gnomes, holiday markets, and plenty of Santa Claus’ sweating under the Californian sun.
The festival also hosts caroling and candlelight tours through the town. There’s also a trolly that takes you around the town’s light displays while you enjoy a warm cup of hot chocolate.
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Downtown Holiday Market (Washington, DC.)
The nation’s capital hosts one of its largest and most popular Christmas markets. For over 20 years, vendors have set up their booths at the market. You’ll find all the common Christmas items, including artisanal decorations, books, clothes, and, of course, plenty of handmade goodies to snack on.
Besides the delicious food, decorations, and shopping opportunities, there are wonderful events. Live music, from jazz to carols, will happen throughout the event. There are also family activities and workshops for all ages.
After enjoying the market, you can walk to Washington, DC’s most famous sights, such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the White House. In the evening, the area around the market becomes one of the city’s best zones for live entertainment, so you can turn your market stroll into an all-day event.
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Christmas in Natchez (Natchez, Mississippi)
The southern town of Natchez might be known for its historic architecture and Mississippi River views, but its Christmas market draws plenty of attention. Every year, from November 25 to December 25, the town raises a giant Christmas tree and celebrates in style.
The historic city center transforms into a show of lights and celebrations. You’ll find all the usual Christmas fixings plus extra Southern charm. There are parades, holiday events, and plenty of caroling.
The festival also celebrates Kwanzaa and Hanukkah with special displays. The celebrations have become so big that the town is now known by its moniker, ‘The Christmas Capital of the South.
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