The nostalgia of a Hallmark Christmas movie has become a thing of holiday goals, inspiring family travelers to plan their season around picturesque destinations recreating those heart-warming scenes. West Virginia makes planning such a vacation easy, with towns so charming and full of holiday cheer, families can have their own Hallmark-inspired getaway this season.
Visit “Christmas City”
Bluefield, West Virginia, spent the last three years as the state’s official Christmas City, and this year is no different. The town pulls out all the stops when it comes to Christmas, with the whole town getting in on the act. This season’s events center around the Holiday of Lights, a 28-year tradition of creating a winter wonderland with a more than 1.5 million twinkling holiday light display. Drive through light displays, take the trolley and hayride, ice skate in the skating rink, and shop for goodies at Mistletoe Market.
Throughout the season, you can also enjoy live music around town, a live nativity scene and watch the town Christmas parade Dec. 7. The Hometown Christmas Festival, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the month until Dec. 21, gives families plenty of holiday fun with opportunities to meet Santa Claus and the Grinch, and makes for great family photos in front of giant snowflakes and a 40-foot-tall inflatable Santa. Whether you only visit for a day or stay for a few nights at one of the town’s accommodations like Baker’s Hill Inn, the family will feel like they have walked on to the set of a Hallmark movie this holiday season.
Experience Christmas Magic
In Lewisburg, one of West Virginia’s most walkable cities, experience the joy of a small-town Christmas in a charming atmosphere embodying the Hallmark Christmas movie spirit. Through Dec. 24, families can walk through the boutique-lined streets of downtown Lewisburg and take in the holiday lights and decorations, along with seasonal carriage rides, live music and special holiday pop-up surprise events. For the kids, there will be visits from Santa and his elves, along with Polar Express-themed scavenger hunts.
Special events throughout the month, like Jack Skellington and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas visiting downtown and the mayor reading Elf on the Shelf at a local children’s toy and clothing shop, will spark holiday joy for little ones. And kids of all ages will enjoy special showings of Christmas movies like Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Die Hard at the local movie theater.
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