Unique Holiday Celebrations Across the Country
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
A Christmas Story 5k
Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Uniqueness factor: The Cleveland house was used for exterior scenes of Ralphie’s house.
A Christmas Story is one of those timeless holiday classics which you can watch over and over again. In 1996, Ralphie’s house opened for tours. You can also stay overnight but it costs a fortune and books out months in advance. I was a fan of this movie way back in the 90’s so I had to tour the house on my first roadtrip to Cleveland.
The house featured in the film is located on 11th Street just north of downtown Cleveland in the historic neighborhood of Tremont. My favorite part about the tour was our guide sharing tidbits about the filming process. Besides strolling through the house which was modeled to look exactly like the film (right down to the leg lamp in the front room), you can browse around an amazing memorabilia museum and shop for unique souvenir gifts. On a side note, I love how they leave the lamp lit all night. You can drive around anytime and see it for free.
Every year, the house hosts a really unique themed 5k race where runners go all out with crazy themed outfits – don’t be surprised if you see runners dressed in a bunny suit or leg lamp costume! Finishers receive free admission to the house, along with a special themed medal and t shirt.
Update: This race is sadly cancelled but touring the house is still a must if you are a fan!
Wynn Holiday Gardens
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Uniqueness factor: Hundreds of rare gold & white poinsettias create a mesmerizing winter wonderland.
While the extravagant Bellagio gardens get most of the attention, I feel like the Wynn Gardens are even more stunning. I really love how they incorporated hundreds of rare golden & white (Gold Rush & Princietta Max) poinsettias instead of the usual red. I also love the pretty trees which are perfectly strung with lights. Even if you can’t afford to stay here, it’s worth a visit just to take in the grandeur.
The most recent display included mini villages shipped from Hong Kong, rare poinsettias, and beautiful trains, all with a gorgeous gold and silver theme. This display, although less flashy and not as popular as The extravagant Bellagio display, really is impressive. I was in awe just walking around. I also recommend treating yourself to the best buffet in Vegas while you are here. The dessert display was incredible dn they had plenty of vegetarian fare which was a bonus for me.
Vegas is a surprisingly great Christmas destination. Most of the casinos are decorated beautifully. The Bellagio fountains play holiday music. Special buffets are on the lineup. And, you will even find a real ice skating rink at the Cosmopolitan. It’s a fun time of the year – I love visiting the week after Christmas.
Ethel M Cactus Garden
Location: Henderson, Nevada
Uniqueness factor: The best cactus light display in the Southwest!
The Ethel M Chocolate Factory in the Vegas suburb of Henderson hosts quite a unique tradition each year in their on-site botanical cactus garden. The 4 acre garden is one of the largest of its’ kind in the world. If you are up for leaving The Strip for a bit (I know it’s hard to leave the excitement – don’t worry this amazing display is worth your time!), you will be treated to a walk through a most exotic lights display.
In the garden, you will find over half a million colorful lights creatively draped over 300 species of cactus. I recommend grabbing a cup of cocoa and enjoying a gorgeous stroll. I love seeing cacti and palms decorated with lights – it’s so different than what I grew up seeing in Chicago. The result is beautiful, unique, and totally worth the drive or Uber ride. Best of all, it will cost you absolutely nothing! While you are here, you can also tour the chocolate factory, sample sweets, and pick up a few unique gifts for loved ones.
Update: Admission is now $3 per person as of 2024, however, it goes towards a good cause (a local food bank).
Winterhaven Festival of Lights
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Uniqueness factor: One of the most over-the-top community light displays in the US!
While many neighborhood associations put on a community-wide lights festival each year, few offer the pizzazz & dedication as that of the Winterhaven community of Tucson. This neighborhood goes all out in terms of decor with almost every single house getting into the excitement. What really sets this neighborhood’s display apart from so many others I’ve seen is the sheer creativity. I was so impressed with how over-the-top the displays were and the number of neighbors that got involved (there were barely any dark houses).
All the houses were so creative – one house even had their own fountain show. On any given night, you may find carolers, plays, screenings of popular holiday classics, and so much more.
The energy and excitement level really play a part in making this such a spectacular event. I lived in both southern and northern Arizona at different points, and this was definitely my favorite Christmas event. Positive vibes were all around and you couldn’t help joining in on the excitement.
And, most important of all, donations and food are collected at the entrance. Last year, Winterhaven collected over $23,000 and 49,000 pounds of food!
Like Vegas, Tucson was another surprisingly great Christmas destination. I didn’t expect much being that it is located in a desert, but this city really offers a lot this time of year. I definitely recommend seeing a holiday classic at the Fox Theater downtown. You can check out my Tucson holiday event guide for more details.
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Uniqueness factor: This display features 34,000 flowers, 28,000 of which are poinsettias!
Every December, the gorgeous 14,000 square foot Bellagio Conservatory is transformed into a winter wonderland. According to the hotel, a staff of 120 horticulturists is needed to maintain this intricate display which includes polar bears constructed of over 12,000 white carnations. When I first saw this incredible setup, I was truly astonished. The amount of work and detail that went into putting on this marvelous event was so evident.
The 40 foot tree is loaded with over 2500 ornaments and surrounded by more than 25,000 poinsettias. My favorite seasonal display was the 2018 setup which featured 14 foot toy soldiers.
The gardens change 4 times throughout the year, reflecting the changing colors and atmosphere of each passing season. I’ve seen the garden in every season and nothing compares to the magic of the holidays.
Definitely check out the fountain show while you are here. This choreographed masterpiece includes a number of holiday songs in the lineup beginning in November. On a side note, the buffet here is one of the best in Sin City.
