The holiday season is upon us. And in the Carolinas, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate. From cozy mountain retreats to charming, small holiday towns in NC, there’s a destination in your backyard that brings to life every vision of the holidays. These are just a few of our annual favorites.
Charleston, SC
What could set the stage for a more romantic holiday season than snuggling under a blanket for a horse-drawn carriage ride down cobblestone streets? In Charleston, SC, that’s just one of the many ways the city’s old world charm pairs perfectly with the yuletide season. Fragrant wreaths perched on wrought iron gates, Rainbow Row balconies draped in garland and warm white lights, hot toddies in historic hotel rooms, and every shop on King Street bursting with gift-giving potential—it almost feels as though the Holy City was built for the holidays. Stay for New Years to ring in the new year feeling high on potential and energized by activity in a city that teems with old world class and new world verve.
Greenville, SC
Like many other towns with a strong local business community, Greenville goes hard for the holidays. Seasonal events include a tree lighting ceremony, Christmas parade, and special holiday edition of the city’s summer farmer’s market. An annual holiday window display competition for local merchants takes downtown shopping to the next level. Holiday visitors to Greenville will also discover an ice skating rink on the Village Green off Main Street.
Hilton Head Island, SC
Head to Hilton Head for a coastal holiday with plenty of cheer. Feel the tickle of a sea breeze instead of the nip of Jack Frost as you discover everything Hilton Head has to offer during the holiday season. See performances of Elf The Musical at the Arts Center at Coastal Carolina. Take a ride on the Polar Pines Wagon (styled after the Polar Express). Dazzle in the twinkle of waterfront light displays at Shelter Cove and Harbour Town. Mix and match elements of island relaxation with holiday traditions to curate a season that uniquely suits you.
Davidson, NC
Insofar as small town charm goes, the college town of Davidson might be unrivaled in the Carolinas. And when a charming small town like Davidson enters the holiday season, magic ensues. Stop by any time in December to drink in a town awash in merriment and twinkling lights. But visit during the first weekend in December for the full holiday towns in NC experience. This is when the town hosts a weekend-long festival called Christmas in Davidson.
Every evening during the festival, local merchants offer extended store hours and organize holiday activities. The town green transforms into a tent village of local artisans. Christmas tree decorating competitions fundraise for local nonprofits, school music groups perform Christmas tunes. A live nativity scene brings camels to the Piedmon, and horse-drawn carriages whisk revelers through the town’s twinkling streets. On Saturday morning, check out the area’s annual Christmas parade as it marches down Main Street.
And, if you can find the time, take a short trip to neighboring McAdenville, a.k.a. Christmas Town U.S.A.® for a Christmas light display that has drawn national attention.
Asheville, NC
McAdenville, NC might be Christmastown, USA, but it’s hard to imagine a more festive place to spend the holidays than Asheville, NC. And now more than ever, Asheville can use your support. The Omni Grove Park Inn hosts a national gingerbread competition every year, with the contenders on display November through January. Find a gift for everyone on your list at the many singular shopfronts featuring local goods. Asheville’s true holiday darling, The Biltmore, reopened in early November. There, the holiday season really shines. Picture historic architecture draped in garland, doors decorated with wreaths, rooms bathed in firelight, and the whole estate twinkling with candlelight.
Blowing Rock, NC
Nestled in the mountains of western North Carolina off of a bend in the Blue Ridge Parkway is the ever-quaint village of Blowing Rock. Visit the town’s main street and you’ll wonder whether you’ve stumbled onto the set of a Hallmark movie. Time your visit to overlap with one of the town’s weekend holiday celebrations. But leave time to visit the Festival of Lights at the Chetola Resort. At this free display, installations dazzle throughout the resort and around Chetola Lake, which glistens at the heart of the resort’s campus.
Highlands, NC
Framed by the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, Highlands is one of the most picturesque holiday towns in NC. Bundle up and venture out during daylight hours to explore any of the many nearby waterfalls and Nantahala National Forest, then tuck into town for excellent gift shopping, outstanding food, and dazzling decorations. Book a few nights at Old Edwards Inn and Spa for the ultimate holiday experience in Highlands. Aside from being impossibly cozy and festively decorated, the Inn offers a range of holiday-specific packages to make the season extra special.
North Carolina Ski Resorts
What could be more cozy than an evening in a ski resort, gazing out on snow dusted mountains, curled up next to a lit fireplace, steaming mug of hot chocolate in hand, resting tired slope-tested muscles in a cushy armchair? Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain Resort promise just such dreamy days during the winter months. Add a fir wrapped in tinsel and holiday wreaths adorning doorways, and it becomes hard to imagine a more seasonally appropriate destination in the Carolinas.
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