15 Christmas Getaways in the Mid Atlantic Region

If you’re looking for a festive getaway during the holiday season, these are 15 great options in the mid-Atlantic region of the US.

New York

New York City

Of course, NYC is a famous destination with iconic holiday sights, such as the Rockefeller Center Tree, Radio City Rockettes, Dyker Heights Christmas lights, pop up holiday markets, and extravagant holiday decor throughout the city. You can find ice skating at the Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, or Central Park. The New York Botanical Garden hosts a well known train display.

Corning, the Crystal City

The town of Corning, also called the Crystal City, is a quieter choice that boasts a lot of festive beauty. This town in upstate New York is known for its glass-making history, and the “Crystal City Christmas” includes a 14 foot glass ornament tree and Santa’s crystal house. You can find many other charming attractions along the brick streets of this town, such as horse and carriage rides, twinkling lights, Victorian carolers, and a gingerbread competition.

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Area

There are many gorgeous attractions in the greater Philadelphia area, including the Philadelphia Zoo’s “LumiNature” walk through light display, a German-style Christmas market at LOVE park with shopping and ice skating, and over-the-top light displays along South 13th Street. A little farther south you can visit the world-class Longwood Gardens for stunning holiday botanical displays, or Morris Arboretum for a huge outdoor model train exhibit.

Lancaster Area

Lancaster is a charming place any time of year with its Amish residents and rolling farmlands. Strasburg Railroad offers themed train rides with Santa, and the famous Koziar’s Christmas Village, an old fashioned Christmas market and light show, is located less than an hour away. Dutch Wonderland, a small amusement park great for younger children, has a fun light display and visits with Santa. Hershey Park, better for older children, is also located within an easy drive and includes a large drive through “Candylane” light show, or you can still take a free tour/ride of the Chocolate Factory even without tickets to the theme park.

Poconos Area

Bethlehem is known as the “Christmas City” and features a sprawling, Moravian style Christmas Village as well as a Christmas Market in the Steel Stacks, a renovated industrial factory. Peddler’s Village is less than an hour away, and includes a Victorian-themed market with Christmas lights and entertainment. Jim Thorpe, known as the gateway to the Poconos, celebrates its “Olde Time Christmas” with carolers, carriage rides, and a Santa Special train ride.

Bonus: The Endless Mountains of PA is another magical destination to celebrate the season.

New Jersey

Cape May

This charming Southern New Jersey beach town already has numerous Victorian homes that look like gingerbread houses. Add some twinkling Christmas lights and you have a real-life gingerbread town just waiting to be explored. Candlelight home tours are available on select dates. Not far away you can find Historic Smithville which offers unique holiday shopping and train rides.

Camden County – Christmas Underwater

The Adventure Aquarium in Camden offers exciting themed fun during the holiday season called Christmas Underwater, featuring “Scuba Santa.” Not far away, you can find a free drive through light display in Bellmawr Christmas in the Park, and a holiday parade and tree lighting in Collingswood. This website lists numerous holiday themed activities in Camden County.

Delaware

The Beaches

Schellville is a fun attraction in Rehoboth at the Tangier Outlets that opens just for the season with a Christmas market including food and drinks, ice skating, sledding on a huge slide, playgrounds and even a tiny village for little ones to play in. It is free to enter, and quieter during the daylight hours. The neighboring beach town of Lewes is known for its lights and the charming, old-fashioned decor of its neighborhoods. You can also ride the ferry from Lewes to the town of Cape May if you’d like to see both places.

Wilmington

The Wilmington riverfront celebrates with a long trail of lights that stretch along the river to a bridge and tower offering scenic views of the river and city. Winterthur and Hagley are museums that celebrate the duPont heritage that brought wealth to the area, and both offer special holiday decor in their historic mansions and beautiful grounds. The Nutcracker plays throughout the season at the Grand.

Maryland

Maryland’s Western Shore

Annapolis Holiday Market and Midnight Madness includes shopping and waterfront charm with decorated boats. Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD features ICE! – a display of hand-carved ice sculptures, ice slides, and a Cirque show. Finally, head farther inland to Baltimore to enjoy a German-style market at the Inner Harbor, or take in a 1.5 mile light trail, giant tree and snow tubing at Winter City Lights.

Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Mount Harmon Plantation hosts an open air Yuletide festival each year with artisan goods and seasonal decor. At St. Michaels, you can see a unique lighted boat parade, and the town of Ridgely hosts a very popular free Christmas festival with miles of lights and selfie-stations. Rock Hall Hometown Christmas is a small-town event with shopping, horse and carriage rides, and holiday home tours.

Washington DC

Christmas in D.C. blends the spirit of the season with iconic national landmarks from late November through New Year’s. There is a huge, free LED light display at the National Zoo, a light maze and village at Nationals Park along with ice skating, a holiday boat parade at the Wharf, and a concert series at the National Cathedral. Don’t miss the beautiful decorations at the various Smithsonian Museums, the “Season’s Greetings” train display at the US Botanic Garden, or the National Christmas tree located near the White House.

Virginia

Williamsburg Area

This area, known as the “historic triangle,” is a treat to visit during the holidays. Colonial Williamsburg is alight with 18th-century Christmas charm, including historic decor, candlelit windows, and colonial Christmas music. Nearby, Busch Gardens (voted the most beautiful theme park in the US) celebrates Christmas Town with lights, rides, and holiday treats. The holiday-themed live shows at the theme park are wonderful.

Shenandoah Valley

The charming town of Winchester at the north end of the valley celebrates with its Old Town Winter Village with European foods, artisans, caroling, and Santa. Farther South, you’ll find Harrisonburg’s Winter Wonderfest with carriage rides, shopping and caroling. You can watch a performance of A Christmas Carol at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse, or see how Christmas was celebrated in 1864 at a Victorian Christmas at the Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center. Check Visit Shenandoah Valley for more information.

Richmond Area

The Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights takes place at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden with hot beverages, food, and spectacular lights and decorations throughout the garden. In Richmond, you can go on a tacky light tour to find unique neighborhood light displays or take a Victorian home tour such as the Churchill Holiday House Tour to see tasteful displays of holiday cheer.