PENNSYLVANIA (WHTM) – If you’re looking for a Hallmark Christmas experience, these Pennsylvania locations are the perfect place to go to get in the festive spirit.
Peddler’s Village – Lahaska, Pa.
Peddler’s Village transports visitors to a Christmas haven with a vintage carousel, gingerbread house displays, a warm, country inn to stay the night, one million lights and more. Santa even visits leading up to his big night.
Some of the events this year include:
- A gingerbread competition on Nov. 17
- Grand Illumination Celebration on Nov. 17
- Holly Jolly weekend on Dec. 3
- Singing Santa
- Grinch storytime
There are holiday food trucks every Friday through Sunday along with a huge selection of restaurants for visitors. Peddler’s Village is also a great place to get your holiday shopping done with its array of small, locally-owned businesses.
Bethlehem, Pa.
Bethlehem, Pa. has been known as Christmas City USA since 1937. During the holiday season, there are two Christmas markets — the Christmas Huts on Main and Christkindlmarkt. Christkindlmarkt has been highlighted by Travel + Leisure, Forbes, and USA Today as one of the best holiday markets in the country.
Bethlehem has a unique tradition of a living advent calendar from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. Every night at 5:30 at 501 Main Street a chosen visitor will knock on the door and a local business representative will present a surprise. The surprises range from musical performances, a holiday story or treats to enjoy.
For a festive way to see the sites, hop on one of the horse-drawn carriages.
Stoudtburg Village – Adamstown, Pa.
Stoudtburg Village is a slice of Europe in Lancaster County. The buildings were all built in the style of German architecture. There are many shops for Christmas gift shopping and the fountain in the middle is usually decorated for the season.
If you time it right, you can visit for their Annual Christmas Tree Lighting.
Jim Thorpe, Pa.
Jim Thorpe is a picturesque mountain town in the Poconos and from November until the end of December it is transformed into a Christmas wonderland for its Old Time Christmas celebration. A special tree lighting where Santa makes an appearance and horse-drawn carriage rides are some of the highlights of the event.
To make the trip to Jim Thorpe even more special, hop aboard the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway with Santa and enjoy taking in the winter mountain scenery.
There are also lots of local shops to make your holiday purchases as you stroll through the decorated lanes.
Indiana, Pa.
Indiana, Pa. is where “It’s a Wonderful Life” star Jimmy Stewart was born and the town has wholly embraced this legacy. The “It’s a Wonderful Life” festival is held here as well as a holiday parade. There are special pop-ups throughout the festival, including Noble Stein Brewing Co. being turned into a Ski Chalet Bar.
The storefronts are all decorated for the season and downtown features vintage Christmas light displays.
Indiana, Pa. is also nicknamed the “Christmas Tree Capital of the World”.
Wellsboro, Pa.
This year Wellsboro will be hosting its eighth annual Christmas on Main Street from Dec. 8-10. Some of the highlights include the decorated street, 30 historic ornament displays and the telling of the history of how Wellsboro made sure Christmas happened even during World War II.
The best time to visit Wellsboro this year will be on Dec. 2 for the 39th annual Dickens of a Christmas. The town will be transformed into an old Victorian marketplace with live music and many vendors. There will also be choruses performing throughout the event and the community Christmas tree will be lit at 5:30 p.m.
If you can’t make either of these events, the town is still a festive place to visit throughout the holidays to stroll the decorated Main Street which looks like it is a set for a Hallmark movie.
Bernville, Pa.
Koziar’s Christmas Village is the highlight of the Bernville, Pa. holiday season. This is the 76th season of the premiere Christmas attraction. Guests are treated to buildings, the landscape and the lake adorned with over a million lights. This year, they will open on Nov. 4.
There is a country kitchen where visitors can enjoy fresh cookies, a miniature town and train display, a refreshment barn and Santa’s Toy Shoppe. The big man himself also makes appearances.
Lititz, Pa.
This quaint town in Lancaster County is adorned with a Nativity scene in the town square, thousands of Christmas lights and storefronts decked out for the season. Broad Street in Lititz was even featured in the Hallmark Channel movie “Boyfriends of Christmas Past”.
Some of the events this year include:
- Christmas in the Park on Dec. 1 with the local high school choir performing and a community candle-lighting
- Christmas Carol sing on Dec. 7
- Annual Christmas Candlelight Tour on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9
