11 Enchanting New York Towns That Feel Like You’ve Fallen Into A Snow Globe
Now is the time of year where you’ll start to see holiday spirit pop-up around you more and more as you look around. While you may be inclined to simply go for a drive around your local area to see what decorations your neighbors have hung up so far, we suggest taking things a step further by visiting one of our charming small towns. Looking like a destination that old Saint Nick designed himself, these towns around our state are magical to experience during the winter. Take a look!
If there's any place in New York that will make you feel like you're inside of a snow globe... it's the North Pole! Up in Essex County and sitting along Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway, Santa's Workshop has been open since 1949 and is a tradition for many of us to visit every holiday season. The park's winter weekend hours will remain until December 17th, with their Village of Lights hours open also the 20th through the 23rd. To find out more information, click here.
Home to one of our favorite winter festivals, the small town of Saranac Lake's annual Winter Carnival is filled with ideal snow globe scenery. The main attraction of the carnival is the epic ice castle, created with a new layout and theme each year that will blow you away. The 10-day event features fireworks and tons of family-friend activities that will get you out into the snow! To find out more information, click here.
Visit Long Island's small town of Jericho and you'll find the ever-so charming Milleridge Inn. A favorite restaurant to visit that's full of history, right on the other side of the parking lot you'll find The Shops. Made up of toy shops, a bakery, flower shop, general store, candy shop, cafe and yes a Christmas shop, the stores come to life each winter with holiday decorations and christmas gifts for you to shop around and take home with you. To find out more information, click here.
A Christmas gem of Erie County, the town of Hamburg hosts the annual Festival of Lights at the local Fairgrounds. Taking place every weekend until December 23rd, the Fairgrounds transform into a winter wonderland and come alive with the spirit of the holidays. Made up of light displays that you can both drive and walk through and even an entire marketplace building that turns into the North Pole! To find out more information, click here.
A beautiful town to visit all throughout the year, Cooperstown sits right on the southern end of Otsego Lake. The scenic town is home to the famous National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, but it's the beautiful Farmers' Museum that you'll want to visit during the holidays. Hosting their annual Candlelight Evening on December 9th from 3PM to 7PM, you'll find the grounds covered in hundreds of lights and horse-drawn carriage rides that are decked out in jingle bells. To find out more information, click here.
Just west of the northern shores of Cayuga Lake, the stunning town of Seneca Falls is certainly a wonderful place to visit. The small town is most commonly known for being the reported inspiration for Bedford Falls in 1946 film It's A Wonderful Life, and annually hosts the It's A Wonderful Life Festival in town. Taking place on December 8th through the 10th this year, you can come and visit this beautiful town on the water to see it decorated in holiday lights. To find out more information, click here.
One of the most unique towns you will ever visit, the historic Lake Placid is one of New York's many mountain towns that comes to life during the winter. While other towns are closing up shop for this stretch of the year, Lake Placid thrives on visitors coming to play in their own personal snow globe. Sitting along Mirror Lake, the water freezes over every winter and turns into a natural ice skating rink that's picture-perfect. To find out more information, click here.
Down in Westchester County before you hit the Big Apple, White Plains features the fan-favorite North Kensico Light Show. The light show is made up of four houses that have their magical displays synced to 107.7FM, with candy canes and lights decorating the homes to make them look almost as though they're real life gingerbread houses! To find out more information, click here.
One of our favorite places out in the Finger Lakes to visit during this time of year, the lakefront town sits on the northern shores of Skaneateles Lake. The small town's main street comes to life with holiday cheer, with horse-drawn carriage rides offered and even an assortment of Dickens characters making their way around! Home to the Dickens' Christmas that happens every Saturday and Sunday until December 24th, the town turns into something out of storybook with this annual tradition. To find out more information, click here.
A popular holiday event to visit for those of our residents out in the Syracuse area, the town of Liverpool hosts its annual Lights on the Lake event! Celebrating this tradition for nearly thirty years, the lights are open nightly until January 7th. Creating a variety of light displays that will make you feel like you're in another holiday-themed world, you'll love checking out what they've put together this year. To find out more information, click here.
So maybe the Big Apple isn't exactly what you envision when you think of a New York town, but there's no denying that this is one of the most magical destinations in our state during this time of year. Head to Rockefeller Center and you can enjoy some ice skating while you soak in the sights of the decorations and large Christmas tree that seems too magical to actually be real. To find out about more holiday events at Rockefeller Center, click here.
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