Download some Christmas tunes, load up the family in the car and head out for these worth-the-drive holiday destinations.
Christmastide, Williamsburg, VA
Celebrate the season with Colonial Williamsburg’s annual Christmastide. The historic district decks its halls in period decorations during the holiday season and offers a number of special events to illuminate the living museum. Try the Talk of the Town tour, which is led by an in-character Colonial docent and offers a glimpse at what Christmas was like on the cusp of the Revolutionary War. Learn 18th-century style dances inside the Capitol Hall of Burgesses or take part in a raucous party at the Raleigh Tavern. Just down the road, Busch Gardens Williamsburg lights up its theme park with one of the largest holiday displays in North America. // Through Jan. 1 (Busch Gardens through Jan. 5)
Christmas on the Potomac, National Harbor, MD
Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center pulls out all the stops for its annual Christmas celebration. This year, the resort’s signature attraction, ICE!, will tug at your heartstrings with the premiere of A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz. Charlie, Linus, Snoopy and the gang remind us the true meaning of the season in this ice sculpture interpretation of the beloved cartoon. New this year, the resort will also host Cirque Dreams Unrwapped, a 25-minute Cirque Du Soleil show in the hotel’s towering atrium. // Through Jan. 1
100 Miles of Lights, Richmond-Virginia Beach, VA
For the last 20 years, the 100 Miles of Lights has been a regional effort from Richmond to Virginia Beach to celebrate the magic and beauty of the holiday season. Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach offer drive-through or walk-through light shows, lighted boat parades, city illuminations, caroling and other activities from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. // Dates vary by city
Hersheypark Christmas Candylane, Hershey, PA
Hersheypark gets even sweeter during the holidays with its annual family-friendly slate of seasonal events. The theme park keeps evening hours so visitors can enjoy 4 million sparkling lights while they take in the attractions. Don’t miss a chance to meet Santa, plus get some face time with real live reindeers (including, we’re told, Rudolph). New this year, pose for pics with holiday-themed Hershey characters and, of course, don’t miss out on the hot chocolate here. // Select dates through Jan. 1
Christmas Village, Baltimore, MD
Baltimore brings a little bit of Germany to the Inner Harbor with its annual Christmas Village. Modeled after Christmas markets like the famous Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, vendors offer food and drinks, holiday gifts and arts and crafts, as well as lights, a Christmas tree and the aroma of gingerbread, bratwurst and mulled wine. In addition to Santa, the original Christkind from Nuremberg comes to open the market on Nov. 24. // Through Dec. 24
A Longwood Christmas, Kennett Square, PA
The gorgeous gardens at Longwood are decorated with half a million lights in winter—transforming the famous landscape into a twinkling wonderland. Visitors can stroll, sip hot chocolate, listen to carolers and see the charming miniature model train. Inside, this year’s theme gets a new, funky twist as the decorations pay homage to the decorative centerpiece of the season—the Christmas tree. Look for fir trees suspended from the ceiling and trees made from everything from stained glass to books. // Through Jan. 6
