Most people plan holiday trips in December and then wonder why every room is gone. The smart move is to look at the calendar now. Three West Coast towns, one in each state, light up between November 20 and November 27, and they could not be more different.
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Silverton, Oregon: the one with the ice rink
The Silverton Christmas Market at the Oregon Garden Resort runs from November 20 through December 31, though it’s open most dates rather than every night. Expect more than 2 million lights, a full-size ice skating rink inside a winter tent, and a German-style market with 28 local vendors. There’s also mulled wine, snowless tubing, live music, fire pits, and visits with Santa through December 23.
This is the ticketed one. Prices vary by date, kids 5 and under get in free, and popular nights often sell out, so buy ahead. Hotel and ticket packages are offered too, which is handy if you’d rather not drive the Willamette Valley back roads after dark.
Leavenworth, Washington: the free one
Leavenworth’s Christmastown runs from November 27 through December 24, with more than half a million lights strung across the Bavarian-style downtown. The lights burn from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and in December they come on at dusk, around 4:30 p.m. Best part: the Village of Lights and the Festhalle have no admission charge, and the lights stay up through the end of February.
The catch is the crowd. Free parking lots fill early on weekends, and downtown lots can be full by late morning. Arrive before noon, or park at one of the park-and-ride lots outside town and ride the free Link Bus shuttle in.
Solvang, California: the long one
Solvang’s Julefest stretches from November 27 through January 3, so this is the town for anyone who can’t get away until after the holidays. A light and music show plays nightly in Solvang Park from 5 to 9 p.m., the tree lighting is on Friday, December 4, and the Julefest parade follows on Saturday, December 5. There’s also a citywide elf scavenger hunt that runs the whole season, which is a smart way to keep kids moving between bakeries.
Some events are free and some are ticketed, so check the Solvang USA site for each one. On New Year’s Eve, the Copenhagen Countdown runs from 2 to 4 p.m. on December 31, which means you can ring in the new year early and still make dinner.
Which one should you pick?
If I had to choose one, I’d go to Leavenworth: it’s free, it’s walkable, and the whole town commits to the bit. Silverton wins if you want an activity-packed night with skating, and Solvang wins on timing. Book a room early for any of them, since opening weekends fill first…