INFOGRAPHIC: The Best Cities in the Nation to Celebrate Christmas

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For many Americans, Christmas has become a full-season event rather than just a single day on the calendar. Between record holiday travel and near-record spending on gifts, food and decorations, more people are choosing to make Christmas a destination experience rather than simply staying put at home. The National Retail Federation estimates that consumers are set to spend around $890.49 each this holiday season on gifts, festive food and seasonal extras, the second-highest level in the survey’s history. At the same time, AAA expects holiday travel to remain at or near record highs, with more than 119 million people hitting the roads and skies over the year-end period.

To determine which major U.S. cities actually offer the best Christmas experience, the research team at Luxury France Tours analyzed 50 large cities across 23 metrics grouped into six categories: Traditions & Activities, Cost, Community & Charity, Shopping & Gift Options, Comfort & Weather, and Festive Appeal.

1. Miami, Florida

Miami takes the crown as the best big city for Christmas in the U.S., with the highest overall score in the study.  While you won’t find snow on the ground, the city more than makes up for it with sheer abundance. Miami ranks first in the nation for bakeries, gift shops, shopping centers, Christmas stores, toy and hobby shops, candy stores, card and stationery shops, and even holiday décor shops on a per-resident basis. That means you are never far from somewhere to grab pastries, pick up last-minute gifts or stock up on ornaments.

The city also has one of the highest densities of vacation rentals with indoor fireplaces and hot tubs, giving visitors a “fake winter, real bubbles” experience despite the zero average December snowfall. On the community side, Miami ranks near the top for congregations and shares of income donated to charity, suggesting plenty of scope for more traditional, faith-based and charitable ways to mark the holiday. The main downside is cost: hotel and dining prices are on the higher side, but the study still finds that the overall balance of sunshine, amenities, generosity and festive buzz makes Miami America’s top big-city Christmas destination. 

2. Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta claims second place thanks to a strong showing across traditions, community and shopping. The city ranks near the top for ice skating rinks, Christmas events and bakeries per resident, giving families plenty to do without traveling far across town. It also has one of the highest concentrations of congregations in the study and a healthy number of local charities, underlining how central faith and community are to Atlanta’s festive season.

On the consumer side, Atlanta scores second nationally for gift shops, shopping centers, Christmas stores, toy shops, candy stores, card shops and holiday decorations stores per resident, making it one of the easiest places in the country to tick off a gift list. The city doesn’t top the cost rankings, but hotel prices are relatively reasonable compared with coastal destinations, and its #CityNameChristmas presence is huge – Atlanta ranks first for Instagram Christmas hashtags, showing just how much residents love to show off their celebrations online. 

3. Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas might be better known for bachelor parties than nativity scenes, but it ranks third overall in this Christmas study. In fact, it comes first for Christmas events per 10,000 residents and scores highly for bakeries, gift shops, shopping centers and dedicated Christmas stores.

Costs in Las Vegas are relatively moderate for a major tourist hub, with hotel rates far below those in coastal big cities and mid-range dining and drink prices that are competitive with many midwestern metros. The city also offers a strong holiday lights index and a high level of social buzz through Instagram hashtags, reflecting the sheer visual spectacle of Christmas displays on and off the Strip. Community and charity scores are lower than in some of the more traditional cities, but for travelers after a “big show” Christmas with comparatively accessible hotel prices, Las Vegas makes a compelling case. 

4. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis is the first “snow city” on the list and lands in fourth place overall. It ranks first for ice skating rinks per resident and near the top for Christmas events, which is exactly what many people picture when they think of a traditional winter holiday. Average December snowfall regularly reaches double digits, and the city scores high for the availability of vacation rentals with fireplaces and hot tubs, making it perfect for anyone dreaming of a postcard Christmas.

The city also performs well in shopping and community measures, with strong figures for congregations and charities per resident, plus above-average densities of Christmas and décor shops. The trade-off is cost: hotel prices are among the highest in the top 10, and dining isn’t cheap. Even so, Minneapolis does well enough on traditions, safety and its second-place holiday lights score to remain firmly in the top tier. 

5. Boston, Massachusetts

Boston rounds out the top five and scores particularly well where it matters to families. It ranks first nationwide for both its holiday lights index and overall Festive Appeal, and second for safety. The city also does well on ice rinks, Christmas events and December snowfall, delivering that cosy “historic New England Christmas” feel.

On the financial side, Boston’s residents have one of the highest holiday spending budgets, and the city posts strong rankings for gift shops, toy stores and holiday décor retailers. Costs are its weak spot: hotel, dining and drink prices are on the expensive end. Even so, when you combine safety, lights, generous Christmas budgets and a huge volume of Instagram posts, Boston still emerges as one of America’s most appealing Christmas cities. 

6. Seattle, Washington

Seattle sits in sixth place and looks particularly strong on the “experience” side of the equation. Residents there have one of the highest Christmas spending budgets in the study, and the city also earns a top-three ranking for its holiday lights index. Seattle performs well on traditions and shopping, with above-average numbers of bakeries, Christmas events, gift shops, Christmas stores and toy shops per resident.

As in other West Coast cities, costs are not low: hotel and dining prices are on the higher side and drinks aren’t cheap. However, Seattle’s combination of decent safety, plenty of festive amenities and a strong charity and congregations presence means Christmas there feels both lively and community-focused, rather than just commercial. 

7. Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is one of the most pleasantly surprising entries in the top 10, ranking seventh overall. It combines very strong affordability with a solid Christmas offering. The city posts one of the best dining affordability scores, competitive hotel and movie ticket costs, and still manages to rank near the top for bakeries and Christmas activities.

Cleveland also shines on the Community & Charity side: it ranks second for local charities per resident and first for holiday decorations shops per person, showing a culture of both giving and decorating. Add in plentiful congregations, respectable shopping center density and a solid holiday lights score, and you get a midwestern city that punches well above its weight for Christmas without punishing visitors’ wallets. 

8. San Francisco, California

San Francisco takes eighth place overall. Residents there have one of the very highest holiday spending budgets in the entire study, and the city ranks near the top for gift shops, Christmas stores, toy shops, candy shops and décor stores per resident. It also performs strongly on the charity side, with residents donating a high share of income.

The trade-off is cost: San Francisco is among the most expensive cities in the ranking when it comes to dining and hotels, and movie tickets aren’t cheap either. Still, the city manages to deliver a strong overall Christmas package thanks to its dense shopping options, good lights score and above-average safety – making it a big-city choice for those who can afford the price tag. 

9. Denver, Colorado

Denver slots into ninth place and offers a well-balanced Christmas experience. It ranks in the top 10 for ice skating rinks, Christmas events and shopping centers per resident, and does well on gift shops and toy stores too. Average December snowfall is healthy but not extreme, and there is a good density of vacation rentals with fireplaces and hot tubs, ideal for people wanting an outdoorsy day followed by a cosy night in.

Costs are moderate for a large, growing city – hotel and dining prices sit in the middle of the pack, while safety is relatively strong and residents maintain generous holiday spending budgets. The result is a city that may not dominate any single category but performs consistently well across the board, which is exactly what this ranking rewards. 

10. Tampa, Florida

Tampa rounds out the top 10 and offers a different flavor of Christmas again: warm weather with a strong community feel. The city ranks second for bakeries per resident and first for local charities per 10,000 residents, indicating both plenty of sweet treats and a strong charitable ecosystem. 

Tampa also posts good numbers for congregations, shopping centers and vacation rentals with cosy amenities, while maintaining a relatively high safety index. Costs are middling rather than cheap, but when you combine affordability with sunshine and a lot of ways to give back, Tampa becomes a compelling choice for families and retirees looking for a laid-back but meaningful holiday.

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Debbie Wambergue, a travel expert at Luxury France Tours, commented on the study’s findings:

“When people picture Christmas, they often think of one iconic place, like New York. But when you dig into the details, a good Christmas trip is about everyday things: how easy it is to walk to a Christmas market, whether there’s an ice rink close by, how safe you feel coming back to your hotel at night, and whether you can afford to actually enjoy the city once you get there,” she explains. 

“That’s why a city like Miami can score so highly. It has a huge choice of bakeries, gift shops and Christmas stores within a small area, so you feel surrounded by the holiday, even without the snow.”

She adds that community and charity play a much bigger role than many travelers realize.

“One of the nicest things about Christmas is that it’s not just about shopping. Cities with lots of congregations and local charities tend to have more free events, more concerts and more opportunities to volunteer,” Wambergue says. “In places like Cleveland, Tampa or Minneapolis, there’s a real sense of neighbors coming together, and the data here reflects that. Cities where people give more of their income to charity or where there are more local organizations often feel warmer and more welcoming at Christmas.” 

The final factor, she says, is balance.

“No city will be perfect in every category. Some are expensive but beautiful, some are affordable but quieter. What I like about this research is that it treats Christmas as a complete experience,” Wambergue notes. “It looks at everything from the price of a beer to the number of bakeries, from Instagram photos to how many rentals actually have a fireplace. That gives travelers a more realistic picture of where they’ll feel relaxed, festive and safe over the holidays.”

Full data of each city's ranking in every metric can be accessed here:

These are the best cities in the nation to celebrate Christmas -- FULL DATA