Anonymous wrote:Bethlehem, PA. I've never been but sounds over the top christmas-y.

https://www.discoverlehighvalley.com/blog/post/welcome-to-the-christmas-city-an-itinerary-for-visiting-bethlehem-during-the-holiday-season/

https://uncoveringpa.com/things-to-do-in-bethlehem-at-christmas

https://www.christmascity.org/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A close suggestion would be the Canaan Valley in WV though you might have a hard time finding a rental at this point. We went last year with kids 2 & 5 and it was wonderful!

Tons to do:

Timberline Ski resort

Canaan Valley Ski Resort: downhill skiing/tubing/snowboarding/some cross country skiing/snowshoeing/hiking

White Grass (cross country skiing, very fun, snow pile area for kids to hang when needing a break, local beer outside, fire pits, lots of friendly local people.

Blackwater Falls State park: amazing sled run (our favorite part!!!), can rent xc skis or snowshoes, snow hiking.

That's about 2.5-3 hours from DC.

Beyond that....Williamsburg is delightful, NYC is super busy but lovely, Lake placid may be a little too far with your range but is supposed to be one of the best spots for a snowy, christmas, hallmark-like trip. Personally, we are traveling to Quebec City by car and it's like Christmas heaven lol so we are pumped but you would want to go for prolly a week if driving as it is quite far.

I was in West VA last month and NO ONE (including employees in our hotel) had masks on. Not one guest at the breakfast buffet had a mask on. Same with those in elevators. And the hotel staff informed us that they were not vaccinated. I am not sure if this matters to you but it made us on edge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A close suggestion would be the Canaan Valley in WV though you might have a hard time finding a rental at this point. We went last year with kids 2 & 5 and it was wonderful!

Tons to do:

Timberline Ski resort

Canaan Valley Ski Resort: downhill skiing/tubing/snowboarding/some cross country skiing/snowshoeing/hiking

White Grass (cross country skiing, very fun, snow pile area for kids to hang when needing a break, local beer outside, fire pits, lots of friendly local people.

Blackwater Falls State park: amazing sled run (our favorite part!!!), can rent xc skis or snowshoes, snow hiking.

That's about 2.5-3 hours from DC.

Beyond that....Williamsburg is delightful, NYC is super busy but lovely, Lake placid may be a little too far with your range but is supposed to be one of the best spots for a snowy, christmas, hallmark-like trip. Personally, we are traveling to Quebec City by car and it's like Christmas heaven lol so we are pumped but you would want to go for prolly a week if driving as it is quite far.

I was in West VA last month and NO ONE (including employees in our hotel) had masks on. Not one guest at the breakfast buffet had a mask on. Same with those in elevators. And the hotel staff informed us that they were not vaccinated. I am not sure if this matters to you but it made us on edge.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Richmond.

Google tacky Christmas light tour; I think this is last year's list: https://richmond.com/holiday/tacky-lights/

You can also search for this on YouTube. There are even private tour companies that will drive you around to all of them. Tacky Christmas lights have been a thing in Richmond since I was a kid growing up there and many of the same houses do it. I mean like millions of lights on one house. And it's more than one house, much more.

The Discovery channel even did a special on them years ago.

My extended family did this a few years ago and had a ball (admittedly all adults who went out for a few drinks first, so they had a driver).

Anonymous wrote:Richmond.

Google tacky Christmas light tour; I think this is last year's list: https://richmond.com/holiday/tacky-lights/

You can also search for this on YouTube. There are even private tour companies that will drive you around to all of them. Tacky Christmas lights have been a thing in Richmond since I was a kid growing up there and many of the same houses do it. I mean like millions of lights on one house. And it's more than one house, much more.

The Discovery channel even did a special on them years ago.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A close suggestion would be the Canaan Valley in WV though you might have a hard time finding a rental at this point. We went last year with kids 2 & 5 and it was wonderful!

Tons to do:

Timberline Ski resort

Canaan Valley Ski Resort: downhill skiing/tubing/snowboarding/some cross country skiing/snowshoeing/hiking

White Grass (cross country skiing, very fun, snow pile area for kids to hang when needing a break, local beer outside, fire pits, lots of friendly local people.

Blackwater Falls State park: amazing sled run (our favorite part!!!), can rent xc skis or snowshoes, snow hiking.

That's about 2.5-3 hours from DC.

Beyond that....Williamsburg is delightful, NYC is super busy but lovely, Lake placid may be a little too far with your range but is supposed to be one of the best spots for a snowy, christmas, hallmark-like trip. Personally, we are traveling to Quebec City by car and it's like Christmas heaven lol so we are pumped but you would want to go for prolly a week if driving as it is quite far.

I was in West VA last month and NO ONE (including employees in our hotel) had masks on. Not one guest at the breakfast buffet had a mask on. Same with those in elevators. And the hotel staff informed us that they were not vaccinated. I am not sure if this matters to you but it made us on edge.