“The most wonderful time of the year” will be here before you know it. This holiday season, we think you should make a trip to some of Ohio’s most spirited towns to really embrace the magic of Christmas. All throughout the state, there are historic villages, city parks and even ranches that are transformed into enchanting Christmas towns the whole family will love. Here are 10 of the best Christmas towns in Ohio:
- Cambridge
Dickens Victorian Village of Cambridge/Facebook Dickens Victorian Village in Cambridge is a must-see. Take a trip back in time and explore the historic downtown of Cambridge. Until early January, the town is transformed into old world England, featuring more than 80 scenes of 180 lifelike figures representing typical scenes from Victorian society and Dickens’ novels, making this one of the best Christmas towns in Ohio. Cambridge, OH 43725, USA
- Lebanon
Warren County CVB/Flickr The Lebanon Horse Drawn Carriage Parade & Christmas Festival takes place in downtown Lebanon on December 3rd. (The Christmas Festival is from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and the Horse-Drawn Carriage Parades are held at 1p.m. and 7 p.m.) This free event also features gift and food vendors stationed along E Mulberry St, Christmas carolers, musical entertainment and train rides to the North Pole via the North Pole Express to visit Santa. Lebanon, OH 45036, USA
- Middletown
Light Up Middletown/Facebook Light Up Middletown is open the day after Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve and features a drive-thru light display. (Donations are encouraged.) View the lights every night from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m., regardless of weather (including holidays.) It is located at 500 Tytus Ave., Middletown, OH 45042. Middletown, OH, USA
- Gallipolis
Brandi Barton/Google Maps The French City’s park lights up the night during the holiday season, beginning November 23. Visit this quaint small town along the Ohio River for a visit to Santa’s house (also located in the park) and a memorable holiday season. You’ll find the city park at 2nd Ave., Gallipolis, OH 45631. Gallipolis, OH 45631, USA
- Washington Township
Woodland Lights at Washington Township Recreation Center/Facebook This half-mile wonderland of lights, displays and festival activities in Countryside Park is a popular holiday family fun attraction. It is open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. nightly starting from November 18 until December 23. Washington Township, OH, USA
- Steubenville
Steubenville Nutcracker Village/Facebook The Steubenville Nutcracker Village features the largest display of life size nutcrackers in the U.S., Christmas lights, vendors, caroling and more at the at the Fort Steuben Park. The nutcrackers will be on display from November 22 until December 30. Steubenville, OH, USA
- Clifton
Zagrev/Flickr The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill are featured nightly from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (weather permitting) starting the day after Thanksgiving until December 30. (On Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve the display closes at 8 p.m.) Clifton, OH, USA
- Grand Rapids
Downtown Grand Rapids Ohio/Facebook This town goes all out for the holiday season with a Christmas Open House, which features horse drawn wagon rides, ice sculptures, twinkle lights and more. This year’s Christmas Open House takes place on November 19-20. Grand Rapids, OH 43522, USA
- Kirtland
Friends of the Kirtland Ohio Stake/Facebook Featuring 150,000 Christmas lights and more than 1,000 nativity scenes from around the world, this historic village is a unique holiday experience for families. The exhibit opens for the season on November 27 at 6:30 p.m. with free hot chocolate and caroling at the Historic Kirtland Visitors’ Center. Kirtland, OH 44094, USA
- The Christmas Ranch
April Dray/Only In Your State This popular family fun attraction features a million dancing Christmas lights synchronized to holiday music, Christmas shops, pictures with Santa, wagon and train rides and hot food and drinks. It is open from November 18 until December 23 on Sunday - Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Friday - Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Christmas Ranch is located at 3205 S Waynesville Rd., Morrow, OH 45152. Morrow, OH 45152, USA
Have you been to any of these Christmas towns in Ohio during the holidays? If so, let us know what your experience was like!
Dickens Victorian Village of Cambridge/Facebook
Dickens Victorian Village in Cambridge is a must-see. Take a trip back in time and explore the historic downtown of Cambridge. Until early January, the town is transformed into old world England, featuring more than 80 scenes of 180 lifelike figures representing typical scenes from Victorian society and Dickens’ novels, making this one of the best Christmas towns in Ohio.
Cambridge, OH 43725, USA
Warren County CVB/Flickr
The Lebanon Horse Drawn Carriage Parade & Christmas Festival takes place in downtown Lebanon on December 3rd. (The Christmas Festival is from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. and the Horse-Drawn Carriage Parades are held at 1p.m. and 7 p.m.) This free event also features gift and food vendors stationed along E Mulberry St, Christmas carolers, musical entertainment and train rides to the North Pole via the North Pole Express to visit Santa.
Lebanon, OH 45036, USA
Light Up Middletown/Facebook
Light Up Middletown is open the day after Thanksgiving until New Year’s Eve and features a drive-thru light display. (Donations are encouraged.) View the lights every night from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m., regardless of weather (including holidays.) It is located at 500 Tytus Ave., Middletown, OH 45042.
Middletown, OH, USA
Brandi Barton/Google Maps
The French City’s park lights up the night during the holiday season, beginning November 23. Visit this quaint small town along the Ohio River for a visit to Santa’s house (also located in the park) and a memorable holiday season. You’ll find the city park at 2nd Ave., Gallipolis, OH 45631.
Gallipolis, OH 45631, USA
Woodland Lights at Washington Township Recreation Center/Facebook
This half-mile wonderland of lights, displays and festival activities in Countryside Park is a popular holiday family fun attraction. It is open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. nightly starting from November 18 until December 23.
Washington Township, OH, USA
Steubenville Nutcracker Village/Facebook
The Steubenville Nutcracker Village features the largest display of life size nutcrackers in the U.S., Christmas lights, vendors, caroling and more at the at the Fort Steuben Park. The nutcrackers will be on display from November 22 until December 30.
Steubenville, OH, USA
Zagrev/Flickr
The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill are featured nightly from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (weather permitting) starting the day after Thanksgiving until December 30. (On Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve the display closes at 8 p.m.)
Clifton, OH, USA
Downtown Grand Rapids Ohio/Facebook
This town goes all out for the holiday season with a Christmas Open House, which features horse drawn wagon rides, ice sculptures, twinkle lights and more. This year’s Christmas Open House takes place on November 19-20.
Grand Rapids, OH 43522, USA
Friends of the Kirtland Ohio Stake/Facebook
Featuring 150,000 Christmas lights and more than 1,000 nativity scenes from around the world, this historic village is a unique holiday experience for families. The exhibit opens for the season on November 27 at 6:30 p.m. with free hot chocolate and caroling at the Historic Kirtland Visitors’ Center.
Kirtland, OH 44094, USA
April Dray/Only In Your State
This popular family fun attraction features a million dancing Christmas lights synchronized to holiday music, Christmas shops, pictures with Santa, wagon and train rides and hot food and drinks. It is open from November 18 until December 23 on Sunday - Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Friday - Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Christmas Ranch is located at 3205 S Waynesville Rd., Morrow, OH 45152.
Morrow, OH 45152, USA
And for more reasons why you should celebrate Christmas right here in the Buckeye State, check out our previous article 10 Reasons Why I’ll Always Come Home To Ohio For The Holidays.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Ohio Is Happening During The Holidays October 31, 2022 William Suphan What are the most festive lodges in Ohio to enjoy a stay during the holidays? There’s something special about how lodges become magical places of holiday cheer at Christmastime. There’s an English Tudor-styled manor called Punderson Manor where you can enjoy skiing, snow tubing, sledding and more and then go inside the beautifully decorated lodge for warm food and drink. Burr Oak Lodge and Conference Center in Glouster is not only lovingly decorated, but provides views of Burr Oak Lake. After wandering the nearby hiking trails, you can enjoy a swim at the indoor pool. The Shawnee State Park Lodge and Conference Center in West Portsmouth has a beautiful dining hall and a massive fireplace where you can warm up with a nice mug of hot cocoa. What are the best Christmas light displays in Ohio? You’ll find no shortage of impressive illuminated displays in this state! Fort St. Clair Park in Eaton has a drive-through lights display with over 1.2 million lights. Take a drive with the family to marvel at the mesmerizing displays here. The Lake of Lights in Kenton is right next to France Lake and is another drive-through display that is sure to delight the whole family. For a special treat, the Guernsey County Courthouse Light Show in Cambridge is a sight to behold, with the courthouse lit up like you wouldn’t believe. It’s surrounded by over 80 lighted Christmas scenes including Dickensian and Victorian styles. What are the most wondrous winter festivals in Ohio? Ohio is chock full of fun and festive holiday events to enjoy. The Hometown HoliDazzle Illuminated Parade and Festival in Wilmington is a delight, with ornately decorated floats and characters on parade and a ton of handmade crafts to enjoy, not to mention food, drinks, and pictures with Santa. Port Clinton has a Burning Snowman Fest where a huge wood and cloth snowman is set alight and there is live music, food, and drinks. The big one to go to is Cleveland’s Winterfest, where you’ll get to enjoy live entertainment, delicious food from food trucks, ice skating, and the annual tree lighting ceremony.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Ohio Is Happening During The Holidays
October 31, 2022
William Suphan
What are the most festive lodges in Ohio to enjoy a stay during the holidays? There’s something special about how lodges become magical places of holiday cheer at Christmastime. There’s an English Tudor-styled manor called Punderson Manor where you can enjoy skiing, snow tubing, sledding and more and then go inside the beautifully decorated lodge for warm food and drink. Burr Oak Lodge and Conference Center in Glouster is not only lovingly decorated, but provides views of Burr Oak Lake. After wandering the nearby hiking trails, you can enjoy a swim at the indoor pool. The Shawnee State Park Lodge and Conference Center in West Portsmouth has a beautiful dining hall and a massive fireplace where you can warm up with a nice mug of hot cocoa. What are the best Christmas light displays in Ohio? You’ll find no shortage of impressive illuminated displays in this state! Fort St. Clair Park in Eaton has a drive-through lights display with over 1.2 million lights. Take a drive with the family to marvel at the mesmerizing displays here. The Lake of Lights in Kenton is right next to France Lake and is another drive-through display that is sure to delight the whole family. For a special treat, the Guernsey County Courthouse Light Show in Cambridge is a sight to behold, with the courthouse lit up like you wouldn’t believe. It’s surrounded by over 80 lighted Christmas scenes including Dickensian and Victorian styles. What are the most wondrous winter festivals in Ohio? Ohio is chock full of fun and festive holiday events to enjoy. The Hometown HoliDazzle Illuminated Parade and Festival in Wilmington is a delight, with ornately decorated floats and characters on parade and a ton of handmade crafts to enjoy, not to mention food, drinks, and pictures with Santa. Port Clinton has a Burning Snowman Fest where a huge wood and cloth snowman is set alight and there is live music, food, and drinks. The big one to go to is Cleveland’s Winterfest, where you’ll get to enjoy live entertainment, delicious food from food trucks, ice skating, and the annual tree lighting ceremony.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
There’s something special about how lodges become magical places of holiday cheer at Christmastime. There’s an English Tudor-styled manor called Punderson Manor where you can enjoy skiing, snow tubing, sledding and more and then go inside the beautifully decorated lodge for warm food and drink. Burr Oak Lodge and Conference Center in Glouster is not only lovingly decorated, but provides views of Burr Oak Lake. After wandering the nearby hiking trails, you can enjoy a swim at the indoor pool. The Shawnee State Park Lodge and Conference Center in West Portsmouth has a beautiful dining hall and a massive fireplace where you can warm up with a nice mug of hot cocoa.
What are the best Christmas light displays in Ohio?
You’ll find no shortage of impressive illuminated displays in this state! Fort St. Clair Park in Eaton has a drive-through lights display with over 1.2 million lights. Take a drive with the family to marvel at the mesmerizing displays here. The Lake of Lights in Kenton is right next to France Lake and is another drive-through display that is sure to delight the whole family. For a special treat, the Guernsey County Courthouse Light Show in Cambridge is a sight to behold, with the courthouse lit up like you wouldn’t believe. It’s surrounded by over 80 lighted Christmas scenes including Dickensian and Victorian styles.
What are the most wondrous winter festivals in Ohio?
Ohio is chock full of fun and festive holiday events to enjoy. The Hometown HoliDazzle Illuminated Parade and Festival in Wilmington is a delight, with ornately decorated floats and characters on parade and a ton of handmade crafts to enjoy, not to mention food, drinks, and pictures with Santa. Port Clinton has a Burning Snowman Fest where a huge wood and cloth snowman is set alight and there is live music, food, and drinks. The big one to go to is Cleveland’s Winterfest, where you’ll get to enjoy live entertainment, delicious food from food trucks, ice skating, and the annual tree lighting ceremony.
