This publish might comprise affiliate hyperlinks. Read our disclosure web page for full particulars.
I’m an enormous fan of the basic, conventional Christmas expertise, and that’s why I am keen on Christmas in New England so very a lot.
Here, the postcards and carols come to life. Here, the snow falls like clockwork, and a roaring hearth is rarely far-off.
If you’re ever after that basic winter scene, look no additional. A New England Christmas can be simply what you want.
I wished to share my love for this area’s Christmas season, so I requested a few of my associates and fellow New Englanders to contribute their favourite New England vacation locations in addition to their treasured traditions.
If you’re contemplating Christmasing up on this pretty a part of the Northeast, these New England vacation traditions and locations offers you an awesome begin to your planning.
Best Places to Spend Christmas in New England
First, the place must you go? If you’re touring to the area for the vacations, we’re certain you’re looking for the finest locations to go to throughout Christmas in New England. Unsurprisingly, there are tons! In every state, you’ll find a couple of of the perfect New England Christmas cities.
We’re going to present you a reasonably temporary overview of among the finest choices for the place to spend Christmas in New England. These are locations that stand out as cities with numerous vacation actions, Christmas occasions, and even only a Christmassy vibe.
Christmas in Vermont
Woodstock, Vermont
Surely top-of-the-line Christmas cities in Vermont, Woodstock is understood for its annual Wassail Weekend. But even all through the remainder of the yr, Woodstock provides off that “Currier and Ives” vibe that’s so consultant of an outdated New England Christmas.
Where to Stay in Woodstock: Woodstock Inn & Resort
Stowe, Vermont
Stowe is likely one of the most stunning locations in Vermont. Its mountain location, quaint Main Street, and normal prettiness makes it a superb place to cozy up for the Christmas season. Check out our publish for our high options on issues to do in Stowe and the encompassing space.
Where to Stay in Stowe: The Golden Eagle
Christmas in New Hampshire
Jackson, New Hampshire
If you’re in quest of the best Christmas holidays New England has to supply, you’ll completely wish to take into account the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The city of Jackson is maybe probably the most idyllic spot of all. In December, there are lots of Yuletide occasions, together with the Jingle Bell Chocolate Tour which conveys you by horse-drawn sleigh. What could possibly be extra Christmassy than that?
Where to Stay in Jackson: The Christmas Farm Inn & Spa
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Perhaps of all of the Christmas issues to do in New Hampshire, a go to to the coastal metropolis of Portsmouth tops the checklist.
With its annual Vintage Christmas celebration, the town has earned the title of 2019 Hallmark Channels’ Hometown Christmas Town, along with its different titles as a #1 Christmas vacation spot within the USA.
If you’ve ever wished to expertise a Victorian Christmas come to life, Portsmouth is the place to be!
Where to Stay in Portsmouth: The Hotel Portsmouth
Christmas in Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is stuffed with glitz and glamour, dwelling to many spectacular Gilded Age mansions which you can go to. But at Christmas, these mansions are decked to the nines and supply numerous festive occasions. That alone makes Newport, RI an exquisite vacation vacation spot.
But Newport can be dwelling to top-of-the-line Christmas resorts in New England, the historic Francis Malbone Inn. This mattress & breakfast recurrently wins native vacation adorning contents and is indisputably, an idyllic place to spend your Christmas.
Where to Stay in Newport: The Newport Marriott
Providence, Rhode Island
A New England Christmas doesn’t simply imply snowy villages. Big cities like Boston and Providence could make for among the finest New England household Christmas getaways!
Providence, Rhode Island’s capital, has a full roster of Christmas occasions in the course of the vacation season, together with leisure, buying, and extra. Don’t miss the out of doors ice skating rink at The Bank Newport City Center.
Where to Stay in Providence: Graduate Providence
Christmas in Maine
Freeport, Maine
Freeport is likely one of the hottest locations for Christmas in Maine. Each yr the town hosts the Sparkle Celebration, which boasts a parade of lights, the Sparkle Market, adorning contents, and a speaking Christmas tree, amongst different sights!
Where to Stay in Freeport: Candlebay Inn
Kennebunkport, Maine
Another of the beloved Christmas cities in New England is Kennebunkport, recognized for its Christmas Prelude that transforms the coastal city each December. HGTV as soon as featured Kennebunkport because the “#2 Christmas Town in America.” So many great vacation spots throughout New England.
Where to Stay in Kennebunkport: Kennebunkport Inn
Christmas in Massachusetts
Nantucket, Massachusetts
When you consider the perfect New England cities for Christmas, the coastal areas may not be the primary locations that come to thoughts. But don’t low cost them! The magical island of Nantucket does Christmas proper! With an annual Christmas stroll, a 20-foot tree displayed on Main Street, and a festive lighthouse, it’s the perfect of seaside New England and the vacations.
Where to Stay in Nantucket: 21 Broad
Taunton, Massachusetts
Taunton has a fame as “The Christmas City,” which began over a century in the past in 1914. So many stunning lights! Visiting Taunton for the Lighting of the Green and Lights on Festival is definitely one of many high Christmas actions in New England.
Where to Stay in Taunton: Hampton Inn Raynham Taunton
Christmas in Connecticut
Chester, Connecticut
Each yr, you possibly can see the manufacturing of A Connecticut Christmas Carol in Chester, CT. In addition to this candy custom, Chester affords a Christmas market, caroling, tree lighting, and a genuinely beautiful charming downtown space.
Where to Stay in Chester: Copper Beech Inn
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is dwelling to Yale University, which seems to be particularly alluring within the winter snows. The metropolis additionally affords an enormous vary of Christmas actions. Don’t miss the long-lasting tree on the inexperienced.
Where to Stay in New Haven: The Blake Hotel
Romantic Christmas Getaways in New England
We couldn’t allow you to go to our weblog with out suggesting some great spots for {couples} to have fun Christmas in New England.
You can discover fantastically romantic Christmas getaways in New England on the following inns, inns, and resorts:
The Bedford Village Inn – Bedford, NH
Interlaken Inn – Lakeville, CT
The Nonantum Resort – Kennebunkport, ME
Twin Farms Vermont – Barnard, VT
Check out our entire checklist of high romantic getaways in New England.
You may additionally like:
New England Christmas Traditions
No matter the place you select to have fun Christmas in New England, there are some traditions you’ll wish to remember to take part in. Our fellow New Englanders share their favourite vacation traditions beneath, together with cooking up conventional New England recipes, having fun with the snow and chilly, and naturally, felling your individual Christmas tree!
Cutting Down Your Own Christmas Tree
Trekking out to a Christmas tree farm and selecting (and chopping) your individual tree, is likely one of the finest Christmas actions in New England. If you select the appropriate farm, it’s an particularly magical expertise:
Dana shares…
There is nothing extra magical than a horse-drawn sleigh experience in the course of the winter. Except possibly taking a sleigh experience by way of the snow in Vermont to chop down your Christmas tree.
Picking out our tree at Dave Russell’s Christmas Tree Farm has change into an annual household custom.
Visitors are greeted warmly by members of the Russell Family who additionally double as their farm arms. While you wait on your sleigh to reach, they’ll give you a cup of steaming scorching chocolate or a do-it-yourself cookie from their warming parlor.
The bells on the horses’ harnesses jingle as you make your manner out to the fields. Families typically sing carols as nicely.
The scent of evergreen timber permeates the air as you arrive in a discipline crammed with balsam fir timber of all sizes.
There are saws so that you can use to cut down your good tree and their workers comes round to choose up it as much as deliver again to the barn. There your tree can be baled loaded into your car.
Dave and his household are so real and useful. It is obvious that they’ve the spirit of the vacations in thoughts which they share with the entire guests who come to their farm.
They open the day after Thanksgiving by way of Christmas Eve and are positioned in Starksboro, Vermont.
Bake a New England Holiday Recipe
The holidays are the proper excuse to eat your fill of tasty desserts and seasonal flavors. Perhaps you may have an outdated household recipe you like to make yearly, or maybe you’ll attempt one thing new utilizing New England’s bounty.
Rebecca of Sugar & Soul says…
Christmas in New England is actually one thing particular and one thing that I imagine everybody ought to expertise not less than as soon as of their life.
It’s a lot greater than a factor, it’s a sense.
It’s the enjoyment on the kids’s faces as they experience their new sleds down the hill, it’s the gratitude to your neighbor for digging you out whenever you get caught in your individual driveway since you’re in a rush for a vacation occasion, and it’s the love that fills a house with household and associates packed in for the festivities.
And a lot extra!
When I consider Christmas in New England, I consider freshly fallen snow, flannel sheets, and forged iron specialties. It’s not simply probably the most great time of the yr, however the coziest too, and the means scrumptious Bakewell biscuits, pumpkin pie, baked beans, and cranberry EVERYTHING!
As a born and raised New Englander, I’m all concerning the cranberries and I take any probability I get this time of yr to throw these tart pink berries in a recipe.
This recipe provides a complete lotta like to my Northern roots, you’ve obtained a forged iron skillet, cake, and cranberry, now I don’t learn about you, however that seems like Christmas dessert perfection to me.
See the Beautifully Decorated Newport Mansions
Christmas is usually a nice time to go to New England’s wonderful cities and cities. Newport, RI, with its well-known mansions shines particularly vivid with its vacation decor & celebrations.
Jamie says…
In the Roaring 20s, Newport, Rhode Island was the place to have a trip dwelling for the United States’ new rich residents. Families such because the Vanderbilts constructed large, ornate mansions perched proper on Newport’s cliffsides.
These mansions are value go to any time of the yr, however are an particularly charming place to see all decked out for Christmas.
Three of Newport’s mansions The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House, are open in the course of the vacation season to tour whereas they’re embellished. The kitchens of the Breakers, which is my favourite mansion always of the yr, has a big show of gingerbread homes.
You also can watch a quintessential vacation present, The Nutcracker, on a singular stage. The manufacturing at Rosecliff dances all through completely different rooms on this mansion modeled after France’s Grand Trianon at Versailles.
After exploring the mansions, you possibly can go into downtown Newport for dinner at any of the unbelievable eating places and stroll alongside the embellished docks.
Visit The Daily Adventures of Me for extra inspiration on tips on how to have fun the vacations in Rhode Island.
Skiing within the White Mountains
New England boasts gorgeous outdoor, and in the winter time, the whole lot is usually lined with a blanket of white. Take benefit of the snow and go snowboarding. Vermont and New Hampshire are among the high spots for snow sports activities in New England.
Frank says…
Skiing within the White Mountains of New Hampshire is the final word Christmas time exercise in New England. Nothing compares to the magical feeling of gliding by way of snow-covered pine and fir timber after a snowfall.
The entire space appears like a scene from a Norman Rockwell portray. The fantastic thing about the mountains round is certain to make you are feeling festive.
Some of the perfect vacation spirit is discovered getting into a ski lodge after a day on the mountain. Huge timbered ski lodges embellished for Christmas, with a roaring hearth within the fireside, and a cup of scorching chocolate is solely bliss.
To expertise one other facet of the snowboarding in New England, attempt cross-country snowboarding within the White Mountains. The elaborate path programs are seemingly limitless and will make you are feeling like buzzing Christmas carols as you go.
Some path programs even have quaint warming huts that provide a enjoyable ambiance to satisfy individuals, share some laughs, and actually bask within the Christmas spirit. Skiing within the White Mountains of New Hampshire is Christmas!
A Cape Cod Christmas
Often, a New England Christmas means a beachy Christmas! It’s value heading to the coast for distinctive celebrations.
Brittany says…
Cape Cod may not spring to thoughts whenever you consider Christmas in New England. Let me guarantee you, although, traditions with a nautical flare abound.
Santa all the time arrives by boat, and Provincetown decorates a “tree” constructed from lobster traps with twinkly lights and vivid pink bows within the middle of city. Hyannis Harbor lights up in the course of the annual Harbor Lighting and Boat Parade.
The entire month of December is jammed with vacation cheer by the ocean.
Christmas strolls are a well-liked occasion in every city and on the islands, the one in Barnstable Village being my favourite. Main Street within the village is closed to automotive site visitors whereas bundled-up revelers sip scorching apple cider and snack on New England clam chowder or cookies supplied by native companies.
Photo Credit: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism by way of Flickr, License 2.0
Perhaps my most favourite custom of all, consistent with the seaside theme, is adorning with seashells. I really like seeing colourful scallop shells, shiny jingle shells, or swirly purple wampum (constructed from quahog shells) dangle from the branches of a glowing Christmas tree.
Cape Cod is historically a summer season spot, however there are nonetheless methods to get a bit of sand in your footwear in the course of the winter, too!
Braving New England’s Cold
It might comes as no shock that New England within the winter time may be fairly chilly! But getting out and taking part in within the chilly is a New England Christmas custom to not miss!
Kim says…
If there’s one thing us New Englanders aren’t afraid of, it’s the chilly. We’re the masters of layering and making ready for all that winter might ship our manner.
With that being stated, my fiancé Dan and I really like to remain lively even in the course of the holidays. Who wouldn’t wish to discover the breathtaking frozen landscapes forward?
Our favourite trails are inside Acadia National Park in Maine. Parts of Acadia can be closed for the season, however the few sights left open and price visiting are the paths on the Schooner Head Overlook, Sand Beach, Seal Harbor Beach, and Jordan Pond.
You’ll get to see Acadia in an intimate mild that almost all guests have by no means skilled. Imagine wobbling throughout a frozen lake into the foggy abyss, prancing beneath snow-covered pine timber, then unpacking a do-it-yourself lunch paired with a scorching thermos of cocoa to heat your self up.
Acadia National Park is tremendous magical this time of yr and our favourite custom collectively!
Make New England Seafood Chowder
New England boasts phenomenal seafood, and you may take pleasure in it all year long. For many people Yankees, these dishes are at their finest across the holidays.
Naomi says…
I grew up in a tiny city in central Maine, so lots of my Christmas reminiscences concerned taking part in outdoors within the snow. From making snow forts to sledding on a hand-crafted toboggan to snowmobiling by way of the woods for hours, we discovered loads of methods to entertain ourselves outdoors.
But after we hung up our gloves, hats, and snowsuits to dry, top-of-the-line methods to heat up and get cozy inside was with meals.
Soup or scorching mulled cider have been regulars in the course of the winter, but it surely was all the time a particular deal with when my mother made some type of chowder. It could possibly be fish chowder (made with haddock), a easy corn chowder, or the final word: seafood chowder (which incorporates any and all seafood that you just wish to throw within the pot).
Now that I dwell a number of states away from Maine and am solely dwelling round Christmas or New Year’s, “chowdah”—served alongside my grandmother’s well-known do-it-yourself rolls—has change into considerably of a convention on Christmas Eve.
Find the Best Local Christmas Decor
In New England, Christmas decorations are in full swing. From ornaments for our pine timber to out of doors lights and garland. Here you’ll discover festive objects to adorn your entire dwelling.
Danielle says…
Each yr, Cataldo’s Gift & Garden in Littleton, Massachusetts, designs dozens of gorgeous Christmas timber by theme like no different. It has been my go-to locale for distinctive, high quality ornaments to commemorate any milestone or passion for so long as I can keep in mind.
My Mum and I’m going collectively each Christmas to pick ornaments for the household and to get within the spirit of the season.
In addition to the numerous timber, there are decorations and items galore, and Cataldo’s is a nursery as nicely. Pick up an actual tree and wreath whilst you’re at it! No element is missed, and you may wander across the retailer a number of occasions, discovering new gems as you go.
The really feel is way more Christmas wonderland than retail and the picket constructing and decor are harking back to a luxe cabin— in actual fact, it’s a former dairy barn. Swing by for some scorching cider and quintessential New England vibes!
Go to church on Christmas Eve
Amy of Two Drifters says….
If you’re a Christian, heading to church on Christmas Eve or Day could also be part of your traditions. This has all the time been considered one of my favourite elements of the vacation.
In New England, the church buildings are magical, and on Christmas Eve, because the snow falls quietly round, there’s an air of secrecy too.
This is such an integral a part of Christmas to me.
I really like the custom of attending church with household. I really like the joy of dressing up in Christmas finery and bundling as much as make the chilly trek to the church.
As a child, I used to be bursting with anticipation for the night time forward and Santa’s arrival. And now, I treasure the quiet, celebratory moments reflecting on the start of Jesus, the Light of the World.
Where’s YOUR favourite place to have fun Christmas?
Check out these different Christmas posts:
Amy Hartle is the co-founder and proprietor of Two Drifters, the place she blogs about romantic and {couples} journey, relationships, honeymoons, and extra. With a Master’s in English and a BA in Musical Theatre, Amy loves to put in writing high quality content material in addition to to entertain, and she or he hopes to do a little bit of each right here on the weblog! Amy is fortunately married to her husband Nathan, and when not engaged on their websites, Amy & Nathan may be discovered cuddling, studying, and having fun with scrumptious lattes.