Are you looking for the best Christmas towns in the South to visit over the holidays? Southern states are loaded with festive celebrations and unique holiday traditions from the mountains and foothills to coastal beach town celebrations. We gathered an awesome list of over 20 festive Christmas towns in South Carolina. But, we didn’t stop there! North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee also have some amazing towns for Christmas celebrations. Many include everything from horse carriage rides and traditional downtowns to historic Christmas home tours.
Celebrate the holiday season at any of these southern Christmas towns. While you’ll rarely find a white Christmas here in the South, that doesn’t mean you can’t strap on those ice skates and head into a Southern winter wonderland.
Fill up on holiday spirit with light displays, Christmas carols, and a tree lighting ceremony. Now is the perfect time of year for a small-town Christmas or a giant city celebration with twinkling lights. Get that Christmas spirit bubbling at one of these southern Christmas towns.
Looking for a short trip?
Make the season even more memorable with a holiday day trip to one of these towns!
20+ Best Christmas Towns in South Carolina
South Carolina towns are full of festive holiday magic. These towns are some of the best for Christmas cheer and festivities.
Fountain Inn, SC: Christmas Inn Our Town
Celebrate Christmas in Fountain Inn, SC.
- Horse-drawn carriage rides that take you through historic neighborhoods decked out with lights
- Polar Express trolley ride
- Santa every night during Christmas Inn Your Town
- Yuletide Unicorn Festival with Santa
Places to Stay in Fountain Inn
Greer, SC: Historic Downtown & Classic Celebrations
Here’s what we love about Christmas in Greer, SC:
- Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony (typically even includes snow!)
- Decorated shops & lights along Trade Street
- Annual Christmas parade
- Story reading with Santa and Mrs. Claus
- Annual Greer Farmers Holiday Market
Visiting Greer, SC? Our Visitor’s Guide to Greer, SC has everything you need to know!
Travelers Rest, SC: Nestled in the Foothills
Enjoy Christmas in Travelers Rest, SC with the unique small-town Christmas charm of picturesque Main Street set in the Carolina Foothills.
- Annual Holiday Hop that includes stories from Mrs. Claus, horse-drawn carriage rides, and a Christmas Tree lighting
- Annual Christmas parade
- Annual Very Christmas Holiday Market
Gaffney, SC: Laser Light Show in Jolly Park
- Annual parade
- Christmas Laser Light Show in Jolly Park
- Festival of Trees
- Annual tree lighting
- Annual “Grinch” video
Camden, SC: Revolutionary History and Christmas Charm
Even though they are a small town, Camden doesn’t skimp on the holiday celebrations.
- Colonial Christmas in Camden
- Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes
- Camden County Tinsel Train
- Annual Tree Lighting
- 12 Days of Christmas
- Colonial Christmas at Camden
- Several parades
- Multiple holiday markets
- Multiple holiday performances
Visiting Camden, SC? Discover Camden, SC, and all the fun they have to offer in our guide.
Aiken, SC: Walk Through a Free Downtown Light Display
You heard that right. Aiken, SC celebrates Christmas with a FREE light display you can walk through. How much more festive does it get? Turns out, a lot. Aiken, SC goes big for Christmas with two parades, carriage rides, and more!
- Christmas in the Hopelands free walking lights display
- Night of 1000 Lights
- Festival of Trees
- Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
- Santa is downtown every Saturday and Sunday in December (plus a Fun Santa in the Depot event)
- Two annual parades
- Carriage rides
North Augusta, SC: Christmas Tour of Homes
- Annual Christmas parade
- Christmas Tour of Homes
- Annual tree lighting
Spartanburg, SC: Dickens of a Christmas
If you are looking for a magical place to visit for a holiday adventure, Spartanburg, SC is an excellent option. Visit Downtown Spartanburg for Christmas fun.
- Trolley Holiday Light Tours
- Dickens of a Christmas: Victorian-style Christmas Celebration
- Annual Tree Lighting
- Annual Christmas Parade
- Free Things to Do for the Holidays in Spartanburg
Greenville, SC: Lots of Decorations and Things to Do
- Annual Festival of Trees
- Downtown ice skating
- Annual parade
- Window decorations and the Poinsettia Postcards downtown
- Annual Christmas tree lighting
- Greenville Christmas Market
- Santa Sleigh Rides (reserve early)
- Tons of Holiday shows, Nutcracker performances, and more
Easley, SC: Downtown Events Plus a Large Lightshow
- Christmas Parade of Lights
- Horse-drawn carriage rides
- Annual Christmas tree lighting
- Greenville Pickens Speedway Upstate Holiday Light Show
Anderson, SC: Holiday Lights, Ice Skating, and More
- Anderson Lights
- Ice Skating in Wren Park
- Annual Parade
Columbia, SC: Holiday Lights on the River
- Carolina Lights on the SC State Fairgrounds
- Annual Christmas Parade
- Tons of Holiday Markets and Shows
- Holiday Lights on the River
🎄See our Ultimate Holiday Guide to Columbia, SC for all the festive fun available at Christmas time in Columbia, SC.
Lexington, SC: Snowball Festival
- Annual Snowball Festival
- Annual tree lighting with movie and Santa
- Annual Christmas carnival
- Annual Christmas Parade
Rock Hill, SC: Old Town Rock Hill’s ChristmasVille
- Annual Christmas Parade
- Holiday Ice Rink
- ChristmasVille (December 2-24, 2021): carriage rides, carolers, Santa, and a gingerbread house contest
Charleston, SC: Holiday Sleigh Rides and Historic Homes
- Holiday Festival of Lights
- Historic homes decorated with tours
- Festival of Trees
- Holiday Sleigh Rides
- Marian Square Tree Lighting
- Illumination Charleston
North Charleston, SC: Lights at Park Circle
- Lights at Park Circle (4800 Park Circle)
- Annual Christmas Festival and Parade
- Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
Conway, SC: Celebration of Lights
- Conway Celebration of Lights
- Christmas Movies
- Santa’s Village
- Pancakes with Santa
Newberry, SC: Annual Gingerbread Contest
- Gingerbread House competition
- Santa tours the neighborhoods in a firetruck
- Annual Christmas tree lighting
- North Pole Nights
- Showings of The Grinch
- Gingerbread Competition
Beaufort, SC: Lighted Boat Parade
- Lighted Boat Parade
- Gullah Holiday Celebration
- Beaufort Festival of Trees
- 3-day Night on the Town
- Annual Christmas parade
Hilton Head, SC: Holiday Lights and More
- Bluffton Christmas Parade
- Hilton Head Lantern Parade
- Santa and Smores at Salty Dog
- Harbor Town Lights
Myrtle Beach, SC: Tons of Christmas Shows & Fun
Check out all the fun Kidding Around had during Myrtle Beach’s off-season!
- Tons of Christmas shows from dinner shows to concerts
- Annual Festival of the Trees at Ripley’s Aquarium
- Winter Wonderland at the Beach
- Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
- Annual Christmas Parade
Greenwood, SC
- Fully decorated uptown with lights and decor
- Annual parade
- Santa on Main Street (December 3rd – 5th, 2023)
Seneca, SC
- The Magic of Christmas
- A Jazzy Christmas
- Annual Parade
- Annual Tree Lighting
Christmas Towns of North Carolina
Christmas Town USA (McAdenville, NC)
- A tiny town of 700 people that has over half a million lights. Note: The traffic line to enter this town can get massive. Christmas Town is extremely popular, but so worth it, because it is one of the best Christmas towns in the South.
- Annual parade
Bryson City, NC
- Polar Express Train Ride (be sure to book in advance)
- “The Biggest Little Christmas Parade in the Smokies”
- Annual Tree Lighting
- Decorated downtown
Asheville, NC: Masterful Gingerbread and Beautiful Lights
- Gingerbread House Competition at Grove Park Inn
- Candlelight Christmas at The Biltmore
- North Carolina Arboretum Holiday Lights
- Dickens Festival at Historic Biltmore Village
- Craggy Mountain Line Jingle Bell Trolley
- Lots of Tree Farms!
☃️Here’s a list of all the festive things to do in Asheville, NC at Christmas.
Cashiers, NC: Small Mountain Town Charm
- Annual old-time Christmas parade
- Snow tubing at Sapphire Valley Resort
Cabarrus County, NC: Speedway Christmas & Aquarium Sea of Lights
- Speedway Christmas (November 17, 2023-January 7, 2024) at Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Free walk-through Celebration of Lights in Village Park, Kannapolis
- SEA LIFE Aquarium’s Sea of Lights (December 2023)
- A Golden Christmas at Reed Gold Mine (December 2023) – take a nostalgic family hayride and tour 450-feet of the spectacularly candlelit underground mine (during the day). At the end of the route, take photos with Santa.
Tryon, NC
- Winterfest Village, Holiday Market, and Drive-thru Light Show at the Tryon Equestrian Center
- Annual Christmas parade
Boone, NC
- Tweetsie Railroad Christmas
- Annual Christmas Parade
- Annual Holiday Market
Beaufort, NC
- Christmas Candlelight Tour
- Annual Parade
- Olde Beaufort Farmer’s Market Holiday Market
Dillsboro, NC
- Lights & Luminaries is straight out of a Hallmark movie. 2,500 candles, live music, plus shopkeepers provide hot cocoa and holiday treats.
- Sylva’s (the town next to Dillsboro) annual Christmas parade is December 3, 2023
- The Sylva Historic Courthouse decked out from top to bottom – holiday lights and all
Top Christmas Towns in Tennessee
Pigeon Forge, TN Winterfest
🌟A visit to Pigeon Forge, TN is pretty fabulous any time of year. But, holiday time means Winterfest in Pigeon Forge.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
- Christmas Parade (December 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm)
- Lights Over Gatlinburg at the SkyLift Park
- Anakeesta’s holiday light display
Top Christmas Towns in Georgia
Helen, GA: An Alpine Christmas
Helen, GA is an Alpine town full of German food, style and for the holidays they decorate with a huge tree in the square. Nearby hiking makes this town a fun and unique spot to find some holiday cheer.
- Lighting of the Village- parade and tree lighting
- Festival of Trees at Unicoi State Park
- Christkindlmarkt
Athens, GA
Athens, GA is an adorable little town that packs quite the punch for things to do for families!
- Winter Wonderlights (November 22, 2023 – December 30, 2023) at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. The half-mile fully accessible trail weaves through Candy Cane Lane, through a tunnel of lights, and in between tree forests ultimately ending at the holiday market. Visitors can purchase hot coffee, cocoa, and even marshmallows for roasting at specific locations along the trail. The cost is $15/person and free for kids under 3.
- Ice Skating at Akins Ford Arena
- Downtown Parade of Lights (December 7, 2023, at 7 p.m. in downtown Athens)
