One of the best things about the holidays is seeing communities come together. Here in Northern California, we have some truly spectacular towns that encourage people to get out and about during the Christmas season. Here are some of our favorite Christmas towns in California; which Christmas town is your favorite? Let us know!
- The small town of McCloud hosts a delightful event known as Winter Fest.
McCloud Chamber of Commerce/Facebook This delightful holiday event takes place each Saturday in December. Dress warm and come see all the fun, festive things that make this little town one of the best places to spend Christmas in Northern California.
McCloud is also a lovely winter retreat if you are looking for a place to play in the snow this holiday season.
McCloud Chamber of Commerce/Facebook It’s hard to find a white Christmas here in Northern California, but McCloud is an amazing place to throw a snowball. McCloud, CA 96057, USA
- On December 3rd, the town of Redding will continue to be lit long into the evening with Holiday festivities.
Active 20-30 Club of Redding #143/Facebook The electric light parade is sure to delight visitors and locals alike.
And, of course, Santa will bring up the rear of this celebration.
Active 20-30 Club of Redding #143/Facebook This is easily one of our favorite Christmas parades in Northern California. Redding, CA, USA
- Eureka is another amazing town for Christmas events.
Becky/Flickr Take a ride in an old-fashioned carriage through the festive community.
The Carson Mansion is a beautiful stop where you can really experience the magic of Christmas.
Becky/Flickr The Snowball Drop is another fun tradition in Eureka! Make sure to visit Eureka’s website to get the latest information on all the holiday fun goings-on. Eureka, CA, USA
- Corning is another small town with big holiday plans!
Corning Hometown Christmas/Facebook The Corning Hometown Christmas happens on the first Saturday of December.
It includes a pancake breakfast, craft fair, spaghetti dinner, Christmas parade, tree lighting, and appearance by Santa Claus.
Corning Hometown Christmas/Facebook Christmas in Northern California is a magical time, and Corning is a great place to celebrate. Corning, CA 96021, USA
- You are definitely going to want to ride the festive Skunk Train in Fort Bragg.
Skunk Train Storytellers read traditional holiday tales as you ride on the bedecked train. This Christmas train in Northern California is a family tradition you never knew you needed. Fort Bragg, CA 95437, USA
- Look no further for a one-of-a-kind, old-fashioned Christmas celebration than Nevada City.
Bob White/Flickr The downtown is lit up with Christmas lights and revelers enjoy Victorian singers, bagpipers, brass bands, and strolling minstrels as they explore the town. This is an annual Christmas festival you’ll love for life. Nevada City, CA 95959, USA
Here’s a really fun preview of the Victorian Christmas Celebration:
McCloud Chamber of Commerce/Facebook
This delightful holiday event takes place each Saturday in December. Dress warm and come see all the fun, festive things that make this little town one of the best places to spend Christmas in Northern California.
It’s hard to find a white Christmas here in Northern California, but McCloud is an amazing place to throw a snowball.
McCloud, CA 96057, USA
Active 20-30 Club of Redding #143/Facebook
The electric light parade is sure to delight visitors and locals alike.
This is easily one of our favorite Christmas parades in Northern California.
Redding, CA, USA
Becky/Flickr
Take a ride in an old-fashioned carriage through the festive community.
The Snowball Drop is another fun tradition in Eureka! Make sure to visit Eureka’s website to get the latest information on all the holiday fun goings-on.
Eureka, CA, USA
Corning Hometown Christmas/Facebook
The Corning Hometown Christmas happens on the first Saturday of December.
Christmas in Northern California is a magical time, and Corning is a great place to celebrate.
Corning, CA 96021, USA
Skunk Train
Storytellers read traditional holiday tales as you ride on the bedecked train. This Christmas train in Northern California is a family tradition you never knew you needed.
Fort Bragg, CA 95437, USA
Bob White/Flickr
The downtown is lit up with Christmas lights and revelers enjoy Victorian singers, bagpipers, brass bands, and strolling minstrels as they explore the town. This is an annual Christmas festival you’ll love for life.
Nevada City, CA 95959, USA
How does your community celebrate the holiday season and what is your favorite part about getting together with friends and family? Tell us about your traditions in the comments, and let us know your favorite Christmas town in Northern California!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Christmas Towns in Northern California November 22, 2021 Tori Jane Where is the best place to spend Christmas in Northern California? Just because California is often thought of as a surfer’s paradise with endless beaches and amazing ocean sunsets (okay, it is all those things, but still) doesn’t mean it doesn’t know how to have some amazing holidays! In fact, when it comes to holiday festivities, we suspect Northern California might be one of the best places around for exactly that. If you’re a lover of wine country, you can find plenty of that here, and one of the best possible things to do during this magical season is to get yourself a Winter in the Wineries passport and tour 14 amazing wineries all getting ready for the holidays. Grab a bottle of wine (or more, we’re not gonna judge) and gift it to that special someone! Plenty of Northern California’s small towns do Christmas amazingly, like Napa and Carmel By The Sea. These towns love going above and beyond to embrace the Christmas spirit like no other towns in Cali do. What are some fun things to do at Christmas in Northern California? We’re here to tell you that no matter what you like to do, you can find it here in Northern California. Sure, we may not be known for our epic skiing or white Christmases like other states usually are – but maybe we ought to be! In fact, there are some towns in Northern California that do see white Christmases, and we think those are some of the best ones to visit during this magical time of year. For example, Truckee, California, sees an average of 204 inches of snow every year. That’s 17 feet of the white stuff, and that puts California on the map as a Christmas-town state (or so we think). There are also places like Kirkwood, Quincy, and good ol’ South Lake Tahoe. In these places (and plenty of others around the state), you can go sledding, build snowmen, tour some amazing Christmas lights displays, attend plenty of holiday festivals and events, and so much more. Dreaming of the perfect Christmas? Spend it at any one of these gorgeous Northern California towns that are perfect for winter.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Christmas Towns in Northern California
November 22, 2021
Tori Jane
Where is the best place to spend Christmas in Northern California? Just because California is often thought of as a surfer’s paradise with endless beaches and amazing ocean sunsets (okay, it is all those things, but still) doesn’t mean it doesn’t know how to have some amazing holidays! In fact, when it comes to holiday festivities, we suspect Northern California might be one of the best places around for exactly that. If you’re a lover of wine country, you can find plenty of that here, and one of the best possible things to do during this magical season is to get yourself a Winter in the Wineries passport and tour 14 amazing wineries all getting ready for the holidays. Grab a bottle of wine (or more, we’re not gonna judge) and gift it to that special someone! Plenty of Northern California’s small towns do Christmas amazingly, like Napa and Carmel By The Sea. These towns love going above and beyond to embrace the Christmas spirit like no other towns in Cali do. What are some fun things to do at Christmas in Northern California? We’re here to tell you that no matter what you like to do, you can find it here in Northern California. Sure, we may not be known for our epic skiing or white Christmases like other states usually are – but maybe we ought to be! In fact, there are some towns in Northern California that do see white Christmases, and we think those are some of the best ones to visit during this magical time of year. For example, Truckee, California, sees an average of 204 inches of snow every year. That’s 17 feet of the white stuff, and that puts California on the map as a Christmas-town state (or so we think). There are also places like Kirkwood, Quincy, and good ol’ South Lake Tahoe. In these places (and plenty of others around the state), you can go sledding, build snowmen, tour some amazing Christmas lights displays, attend plenty of holiday festivals and events, and so much more. Dreaming of the perfect Christmas? Spend it at any one of these gorgeous Northern California towns that are perfect for winter.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Just because California is often thought of as a surfer’s paradise with endless beaches and amazing ocean sunsets (okay, it is all those things, but still) doesn’t mean it doesn’t know how to have some amazing holidays! In fact, when it comes to holiday festivities, we suspect Northern California might be one of the best places around for exactly that. If you’re a lover of wine country, you can find plenty of that here, and one of the best possible things to do during this magical season is to get yourself a Winter in the Wineries passport and tour 14 amazing wineries all getting ready for the holidays. Grab a bottle of wine (or more, we’re not gonna judge) and gift it to that special someone! Plenty of Northern California’s small towns do Christmas amazingly, like Napa and Carmel By The Sea. These towns love going above and beyond to embrace the Christmas spirit like no other towns in Cali do.
What are some fun things to do at Christmas in Northern California?
We’re here to tell you that no matter what you like to do, you can find it here in Northern California. Sure, we may not be known for our epic skiing or white Christmases like other states usually are – but maybe we ought to be! In fact, there are some towns in Northern California that do see white Christmases, and we think those are some of the best ones to visit during this magical time of year. For example, Truckee, California, sees an average of 204 inches of snow every year. That’s 17 feet of the white stuff, and that puts California on the map as a Christmas-town state (or so we think). There are also places like Kirkwood, Quincy, and good ol’ South Lake Tahoe. In these places (and plenty of others around the state), you can go sledding, build snowmen, tour some amazing Christmas lights displays, attend plenty of holiday festivals and events, and so much more. Dreaming of the perfect Christmas? Spend it at any one of these gorgeous Northern California towns that are perfect for winter.
