Skip to Content

20 Fabulous Towns to Celebrate Christmas in Texas

Texas is never short on things to do, and that is definitely true during the holiday season. 

Everything is bigger in the Lone Star State, so that has to include Christmas in Texas, right?

While some places across the country celebrate a white Christmas, the holiday season means tons of lights and some good old Southern charm to try and replace the missing snow.

Honestly, Texas has so many great Christmas towns that you are sure to grab the holiday spirit! 

This post contains affiliate links.  By purchasing through these links, we get a small commission at no additional cost to you. That Texas Couple also participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.  As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Love Texas as Much as We Do?

Get your free Texas Bucket List Experiences Checklist!

See how many of these great Texas experiences you can check off!

    Don’t worry, we won’t spam you. You can unsubscribe anytime

    Christmas in Texas: 20 Great Christmas Towns

    Christmas Capital of Texas, Grapevine, TX

    christmas trees and a kissing booth

    Christmas in Grapevine, TX, is no joke. 

    Grapevine isn’t called ‘The Christmas Capital of Texas‘ for nothing. 

    This small town outside of Dallas knows how to ring in Christmas Texas style.

    Hosting over 40 days of Christmas events during the holiday season, there is guaranteed to be something for everyone at the Grapevine Christmas Capital of Texas!

    Kids will love the holiday events that Grapevine offers every year.

    These include riding the Grapevine Vintage Railroad dubbed ‘The North Pole Express’ train this time of year. 

    These train rides are awesome holiday events.

    Adults will love the Christmas Wine Train rides and the great wineries and shops throughout the town, especially Main Street.

    There is also a great Christmas tree to take the perfect picture with!

    While here, check out the amazing ice sculptures at the Gaylord Texan Christmas celebration.

    Grapevine is one of the most popular Christmas towns in Texas, for sure!

    Again, it is the Christmas Capital of Texas!

    Girl waiting in a Christmas themed kissing booth

    Christmas in Cleburne, TX

    Cleburne, TX, is one of our small Christmas towns.

    You will find Cleburne, located about 40 minutes southwest of Fort Worth. 

    Cleburne is turned into a Christmas wonderland every Christmas when the local park is transformed with over 3 1/2 million twinkling lights.

    The opening ceremony lights up the park and hosts Santa and Mrs. Clause while carolers serenade guests.

    Numerous holiday events are planned throughout the holiday season, so be sure and check out the complete schedule here.

    This is one of the best places to spend Christmas in Texas.

    Christmas in College Station

    College Station is one of the Christmas towns in Texas that will surprise you!

    For a true TX Christmas experience, you must go to Santa’s Wonderland to celebrate Christmas in College Station. 

    Here, you can enjoy hayrides, carriage tours, festive live music, and a visit with Santa.

    They even have a mechanical bull!

    This is definitely one of the most fun Christmas towns in Texas!

    Wimberley Trail of Lights

    Marty and I visited Wimberley’s Holiday Trail of Lights and loved it. 

    This is one of the best places to spend Christmas!

    There are so many things to do in Wimberley throughout the year, especially when celebrating Christmas!

    During the holidays, visitors flock to Wimberley to experience the six-acre winter wonderland park known as the Holiday Trail of Lights takes place at the EmilyAnn Theatre. 

    This free event includes tons of light displays, live music, a fire pit to roast marshmallows and make s’mores, carolers, and so much more.

    Wimberley is a Texas town that is one of the best places to visit year-round!

    Old truck decorated for Christmas

    Christmas in Galveston: Moody Gardens Christmas and Dickens on the Strand

    Galveston is one of the unique Christmas towns in Texas on our list.

    The Texas coast town of Galveston is famous for the old-fashioned Victorian holiday festival, Dickens on the Strand, which includes costumed vendors, Victorian-style food, drinks (even hot cocoa), and crafts. 

    In addition to Dickens on the Strand, Galveston hosts awesome Christmas events at Moody Gardens, including an ice skating rink, their Festival of Lights, incredible ice sculptures, and an awesome Christmas market. 

    Moody Gardens boasts eight-holiday winter wonderland attractions under one venue for their holiday celebration. 

    This makes Galveston one of the best places to spend Christmas in Texas!

    Grand Prairie Christmas

    Grand Prairie Lights is a great way to celebrate Christmas. 

    Each year, Grand Prairie hosts an awesome drive-through holiday light park on the banks of Joe Pool Lake, the Grand Prairie Lights.

    The 2-mile winding path takes you through numerous light displays showcasing over 4 million lights!

    On the way out of the park, you will be rewarded with a drive through the second-largest lighted tunnel in Texas.

    Christmas in San Antonio

    If you choose to spend Christmas in San Antonio, you are in for a treat!

    San Antonio is a Texas town known for its festive atmosphere all year long, but I especially love it during Christmas. 

    The historic streets and the famous Riverwalk shine even brighter as they come alive with holiday light displays and festive holiday music.

    That is why we love grabbing hot cocoa and visiting the San Antonio Riverwalk at Christmas.

    The Riverwalk comes alive with thousands of lights, a lighted boat river parade, and more than 6,000 luminaries!

    And the best part, the River Walk is one of the many free things to do in San Antonio!

    You can also visit Six Flags Holiday in the Park and SeaWorld to enjoy their Christmas festivities.

    Honestly, a San Antonio Christmas is just so much fun!

    Christmas in Texas-San Antonio Riverwalk

    Fredericksburg, TX Christmas

    Fredericksburg is another one of our favorite Christmas towns in Texas.

    The German Christmas roots of Fredericksburg, Texas, shine brightly during their holiday festivities!

    There are so many things to do in Fredericksburg that you will love this Texas Hill Country town!

    Grab a hot cocoa and come and watch the Light the Night Christmas Parade and the annual Christmas tree lighting.

    Afterward, go ice skating at their outdoor ice skating rink or shop on Main Street to check off your holiday shopping list!

    Walkway of Lights-Marble Falls

    Head about 50 miles northwest of Austin into the Texas Hill Country, and you will find one of the Highland Lakes of Texas, Marble Falls Lake, and the town of Marble Falls.

    This town is one of the cool Christmas towns in Texas!

    Right on the banks of Marble Falls Lake, you will find the Marble Falls Walkway of Lights. 

    The Walkway of Lights features over 2 million lights and is completely free to enjoy! 

    The light displays range from running water toys to patriotic flags and eagles.

    This is truly a Christmas light extravaganza!

    Johnson City

    Plan your visit to Johnson City the last weekend of November so that you can participate in the opening festivities of the famous Johnson City Christmas Lights.

    The Friday after Thanksgiving, they kick off the season with the lighting of the Blanco County Courthouse, which is draped with more than 100,000 twinkling white lights!

    Even the Christmas tree is draped in white lights!

    The Johnson City Christmas Lights make Johnson City one of the festive Christmas towns in Texas and one of the great places to celebrate Christmas.

    Marshall

    Go to East Texas to experience Marshall, Texas’ Christmas light display. 

    Marshall comes alive when millions of white lights illuminate their town every holiday during their annual Wonderland of Lights Festival.

    Marshall has an outdoor ice skating rink, hayrides, a restored carousel, horse-drawn carriage rides, and Santa Claus’ Village, making it a great place to spend Christmas in Texas. 

    While visiting this East Texas town, you can participate in the Wassail Walk or the Jingle Bell Run to work off some of those holiday sweets or shop away your calories at the Outdoor Christmas Market.

    Marshall is an old-fashioned Christmas town that will have you singing carols in no time!

    Christmas decorations on building
    Photo from Wonderland of Lights’ Facebook Page

    Jefferson

    Jefferson is proud to say that it celebrates Christmas on the Bayou.

    Step back in time when you participate in the Candlelight Tour of Homes the first two weekends in December. 

    Several gorgeous Victorian homes open their doors for you to see them decorated in their holiday best.

    They open the season with a Christmas Parade and an Enchanted Forest Tree Lighting Ceremony.

    These holiday lights are amazing and will put you in the holiday spirit.

    While in the area, consider booking an East Texas Wine Tour and visiting some East Texas wineries like Enoch’s Stomp and Walkers Mill.

    Austin Christmas Lights

    Austin is one of the fabulous Christmas towns in Texas and the perfect place for a day trip from Dallas!

    After checking into one of the best places to stay in Austin, head out to enjoy the Austin Christmas Lights at the Austin Trail of Lights.

    Even better, this light display is one of the free things to do in Austin!

    All of these activities make for a great weekend in Austin!

    walkway of lights
    Photo Courtesy of Facebook

    Christmas in Houston

    Christmas festivities in Houston seem never-ending, but that makes sense, given the city’s vast art and culture scene.

    You can absolutely get your fill of holiday cheer in Houston.

    This is one of those Christmas towns that has it all!

    You can lace up your skates and skate around their ice rink or enjoy the magical 20-acre lantern festival at the Magical Winter Lights. 

    Head to the Houston Zoo to see more than 15 miles of lights before attending the annual Nutcracker Ballet.

    Marlin

    Located about 20 miles southeast of Waco, Marlin once drew visitors from far and wide to experience the healing spring waters in this area.

    Today, you can come during the holiday season to participate in a small-town Christmas parade before enjoying historic tours of this small community’s church, cemetery, and homes.

    Christmas Lights in Dallas

    Couple sitting in a large wreath with Christmas lights all around them

    Dallas is packed with things to do during the holiday season, so I will hit on some of the highlights.

    Train lovers will want to head straight for NorthPark Mall to see the elaborate model train display set up annually during the holidays. 

    While here, check out the mall Christmas tree also!

    The Dallas Arboretum is overflowing with holiday cheer with its themed displays of the 12 Days of Christmas.

    You can also visit The Dallas Heritage Village during their holiday Candlelight celebration or head to Fair Park for Christmas in the Park.

    Dallas is definitely one of the fun places to spend Christmas, and all the events will have you in the Christmas spirit in no time!

    Granbury

    Christmas lights Granbury
    photo courtesy of Visit Granbury Facebook Page

    The lake community of Granbury loves to have festivals, and Christmas is no exception. 

    Granbury hosts a Nights of Lights Parade to kick off the season, ushering in Mr. and Mrs. Clause.

    You can also enjoy a candlelight tour of some privately-owned historic homes, all decked out with twinkling lights and holiday decor.

    Watching the kids make s’mores with Santa Claus will surely get everyone in the Christmas spirit!

    The shops in Granbury are also great for checking items off your holiday shopping list!

    Fort Worth

    Christmas tree in Fort Worth's Sundance Square

    Like Dallas, Fort Worth is one of the Texas Christmas towns packed with activities for the holiday season, making it one of the great places to celebrate Christmas.

    The festivities kick off with the Fort Worth Parade of Lights in downtown.

    After the parade, the Sundance Square Christmas to see the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree.  

    Enjoy Christmas in the Stockyards when Santa arrives in his magical stagecoach, ready to take pictures with the kids and browse the Christmas Market.

    Fort Worth is one of the awesome Texas towns to ring in the holiday season.

    Santa waiving

    Final Thoughts on Christmas Towns in Texas

    As you can see, a Texas Christmas is a serious business. 

    These are just a few great Texas towns to celebrate Christmas in the Lone Star State.

    Get out your calendar, and start making plans to check these places off your Texas Bucket List!  

    Spread the Love! Please Share On Social Media!

    While You’re Here, Check Out These Other Texas Posts:

    101 Experiences for Your Couple’s Bucket List

    50+ Free Things To Do In Dallas-Fort Worth

    30 Incredible Day Trips from Dallas

    101 Ideas for Date Night in Dallas

    101 Things to Do in Dallas-Fort Worth

    Fun Things to Do in the Highland Lakes of Texas

    Romantic Weekend in Downtown McKinney

    Covered Wagon Camping: Unique Places to Stay in Texas

    Fabulous Lake Buchanan Cabins, RV Park, and Camping

    15 Amazing Sunflower Fields in Texas

    12 Great Places to See Bluebonnets in Texas

    Let’s Connect on Social Media!

    Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

    Book Your Flight:

    We love using CheapOAir, Kayak, and Kiwi to search for the best flight prices. We love using these search engines because they search the web for airlines worldwide to ensure you get the best deal! In addition to flights, you can also find great hotel prices on Kayak and Kiwi.

    Book Your Vacation Package:

    If you want to book an entire vacation package, we suggest using Expedia. We love how easy Expedia is to use, and we always find good deals on entire vacation packages on their site.

    Another great site for vacation packages is BookVIP. BookVIP offers super cheap vacation packages to incredible destinations. You are sure to save money using their site!

    For full guided vacations, including hotels, some meals, transportation, and guides, then we book with Trafalgar. Trafalgar is a trusted tour company that will meet all your needs while ensuring a great experience.

    Trip.com allows you to book flights, hotels, train tickets, rental cars, airport transfers, tours, and more all on one site. Owned by the parent company that also owns Skyscanner, this is a trusted resource for travel booking and a great “one-stop shop.”

    Book Your Accommodations:

    We always begin our search by checking out honest reviews on TripAdvisor hotels. This allows us to narrow our search for specific properties once we are ready to book. Of course, you can also book directly on the TripAdvisor site!

    There are several accommodation sites that we like to use. One of our favorites is Booking.com because it offers a wide variety of hotels and guesthouses at a good price.

    Another “go-to” hotel booking site for us is Hotels.com. We love their loyalty program that allows you to earn free nights, and their “secret prices” for members are fabulous deals!

    HotelsCombined is another cool site. They allow you to compare all the top travel sites with one search to ensure you find the best deal out there. Kayak works in this way as well.

    If you want a luxurious all-inclusive vacation, consider checking out the Sandals/Beaches properties. Sandals properties are for couples only and Beaches are for families. We have visited Sandals in the past and absolutely love the attention to detail and the service they provide.

    Tour Companies We Trust:

    We love taking guided tours when visiting new places. Our go-to tour companies are Viator.com and Get Your Guide. Both of these companies have been in business for years and provide excellent customer service. You can trust booking tours from their sites for sure!

    For a guided city tour, check out City Sightseeing and BigBus Tours. These bus tours are so much fun and easy to hop on and hop off at top attractions in cities around the world.

    CityPass is a great way to save money when visiting large cities. CityPass allows you to get free admission to major attractions once you buy their pass. The savings add up quickly with this pass, often saving 50% with combined admissions.

    Another great pass to save money in larger cities is the Sightseeing Pass. This pass allows you to save valuable time and money by combining admissions to major attractions. They also have a handy app that keeps everything you need at your fingertips.

    Looking to Save Time and Money?

    Check out our resource page for all of our favorite vendors. These companies help us to save time and money on our travels!

    Michelle Snell-Founder That Texas Couple

    About the Author

    Michelle Snell is a travel writer, history buff, wine lover, and enthusiast of different cultures. Michelle enjoys bringing places to life through creative content creation and her informative writing style on her blogs, That Texas Couple and Totally Texas Travel and accompanying social media accounts.  She is happiest sipping wine in Italy or chilling on a beach with her husband, Marty.

    Brittany

    Saturday 11th of December 2021

    You can't miss the Christmas Capital of Texas during Christmastime! I would LOVE to visit Grapevine, and also, I'd love to see the San Antonia Riverwalk all decorated for Christmas. It's already magical during the rest of the year, so I can imagine Christmas is extra special. Thanks for sharing this helpful post!

    thattexascouple

    Monday 13th of December 2021

    You are so right, Grapevine is a fabulous place to visit during the holiday. The Riverwalk is also. It is one of our faves!!

    Elena Pappalardo

    Saturday 11th of December 2021

    Wow, I absolutely love how festive Texas gets for the holidays! Those Austin Christmas lights are simply incredible!

    thattexascouple

    Monday 13th of December 2021

    I know, who would have though?! Thanks for reading, Elena!!

    Daniella

    Monday 8th of November 2021

    Texas looks pretty festive at this time of the year - there really is so much to do and see.

    thattexascouple

    Tuesday 9th of November 2021

    There really is! A bonus to visiting Texas during the holidays is that the weather is usually mild as well :)

    Travel A-Broads

    Sunday 7th of November 2021

    I couldn’t have come across this blog post at a better time, considering the holidays are coming up and I live in Texas! I would especially love to do Wimberley Trail of Lights or check out some of the activities in Galveston or San Antonio. Thanks for sharing this comprehensive guide - going to pin it for later too ?. Xx Sara

    thattexascouple

    Sunday 7th of November 2021

    Thank you so much, Sara! I really hope it helps and that you get to go and enjoy some of the great holiday activities in Texas :)

    kmf

    Sunday 7th of November 2021

    Wow! All 20 of these towns in Texas know how to celebrate Christmas. Especially love all the lighting displays…beautiful!

    thattexascouple

    Sunday 7th of November 2021

    We do it up big in Texas. LOL! Thanks for reading and taking time to comment!