20 Travel Destinations That Go All Out for the Holidays

Want to take a holiday trip to the most festive cities in the world? Then pack your bags because we've got all the must-see destinations that go big (so you don't have to go home!) during the season of giving. Keep reading to get your dose of holiday travel inspiration!

If you've yet to visit Disneyland during the holidays, you're missing out. The park's decorated to the brim, while its neighboring California Adventure Park hosts the "Festival of Holidays," which features more than a dozen different holiday foods and beverages from around the world. (How cool is that?) Even more awesome: Several of Disneyland's rides transform into winter wonderlands, including the iconic kid-favorite It's a Small World ride.

Have a holiday feast with a full menu of celebrations in Alexandria, Virginia. Shop locally, see Santa on water skis and spend time enjoying a magical Holiday Boat Parade of Lights. End the season with a family-friendly New Year's Eve celebration where local businesses and museums turn into lively music venues followed by a breathtaking fireworks finale.

Photo via J Cliff for Visit Alexandria

It's never a bad time to visit Amsterdam, but the Dutch city comes alive during the holidays with the Amsterdam Light Festival and the largest Saint Nicholas parade in the world. Not only can you enjoy the holiday lights that cover buildings, statues, roads and canals, but you also can take part in the historic welcoming of Sinterklaas, when thousands line the streets to cheer his arrival in town.

Asheville, N.C., is the place to be for the holidays—offering a buffet of small towns and villages nearby with its own spin on Christmas magic. The city also happens to be home to the National Gingerbread House Competition and Display. You can visit the Biltmore estate (America's largest privately owned home) and view a mega-mansion full of garlands, lights, festive live music and beautifully decorated trees.

Photo via Keith Wright and Explore Asheville

Listen to jingle bells ring and carolers sing while riding through town on a horse-drawn carriage in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia. Throughout the city are numerous Civil War monuments for the history buff in your family. For those who like a little fun, there's a Christmas parade downtown and something called Window Wonderland, where local shops work together to leave riddles for holiday revelers to solve.

Photo via Michelle Crow-Dolby and the Fredericksburg Tourism Department

Las Posadas (The Inns) is a nine-day collection of events celebrated in San Miguel de Allende, where the journey of Mary and Joseph is re-created. Boys and girls, sometimes riding on donkeys, go door to door singing "Pidiendo Posadas" ("Begging for Shelter"), only to be turned down each time. Finally when they find somewhere to go, they celebrate by eating delicious treats and drinking ponche (holiday punch). It's a beautiful experience to behold.

If you're familiar with the movie "The Polar Express" or the book it's based on, Durango should definitely be on your sleigh-dar. Plowing through the Colorado snow is the real-life Polar Express train, along with a few other winter train ride options, all on their way to a local version of the North Pole. Expect a full holiday experience aboard, including delicious hot chocolate and cookies while wearing the preferred uniform: your pajamas.

How does a circus on a tiny island, 800 floating candles and St. Nicholas driving kids around in a streetcar sound? It sounds like December in Zurich, Switzerland. The city brims with holiday energy and plenty of snow, adding more fun to the skiing and sledding you're sure to do while in town this season. Plus, what could be merrier than indulging in some authentic Swiss chocolate by a warm fire? Nothing, that's what.

You want to talk Christmas lights? Then visit Branson, Missouri, for the holidays and experience 6.5 million lights that shimmer over their holiday festivities, including a parade led by Rudolph, everyone's favorite reindeer. Plus, Branson boasts more than 1,000 decorated trees and two live Broadway-style Christmas shows, making it hard to find another destination that brings as much holiday dazzle as this Midwestern town.

Imagine eating all of the most delicious things while strolling over cobblestone walkways in Vienna this season. With more than 20 traditional Christmas markets to choose from, the capital of Austria is known for being a popular winter wonderland. Warm up with a mug full of Weihnachtspunsch (Christmas punch) as you shop and stare at the beautiful displays that sparkle like crystal chandeliers.

Frankenmuth has all the trimmings it takes to be considered a festive town during the holidays. What puts this Michigan city ahead of the rest is Bronner's, the world's largest Christmas store. Appropriately located at 25 Christmas Lane, Bronner's is big enough to fill 1.5 football fields and has 350 decorated trees on display.

Although Santa's true home is in the North Pole, visitors can sneak a peek at his office in Santa Claus Village at Rovaniemi in Lapland, Finland, which is open 365 days a year. December 23 is the special day when eager eyes can watch Santa depart on his trip to deliver gifts around the world. Don't forget to stop by the Lapland post office, where Santa has received millions of letters since 1985.

Political unease aside, you're almost sure to have a white Christmas if you visit Moscow in December. During "Journey Into Christmas," locals and tourists marvel at the backdrop of magic leading up to New Year's Day. A 100-meter ice slide, a gigantic lighted ornament in Manege Square and decorated trees that are too pretty to be true make it hard to find a place more beautiful during the holidays.

More than half a million lights glow throughout this festive Bavarian-themed village every holiday season. Leavenworth's Christmas Lighting Festival means holiday characters in costumes, hand bell choirs, the smell of roasted chestnuts and the perfect amount of snow for three weekends leading up to Christmas.

You've never seen a holiday parade done Newport Beach style. This year marks the 109th Christmas Boat Parade in the festive city, where the harbors are lined with canoes, yachts, kayaks, all colored with sparkling holiday lights. Residents and visitors watch from various locations as the floating parade brightens up the evenings for five days in December. The town also boasts numerous small shops and gourmet restaurants that are decorated in full Christmas regalia.

Immerse yourself in festive tradition continued from the 12th century in this town teetering on the border between France and Germany. Named as the Capital of Christmas, Strasbourg has one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe. In the center of the city you'll find more than 300 stalls selling all things holiday-related, and you can't miss the 30-meter-tall (almost 100-foot) decorated Christmas tree.

Another Virignia city you can't miss during the holidays is Colonial Williamsburg, which stays true to its historic reputation during the holiday season. Be transported to another time as a local resident, dressed in an 18th-century costume, walks you about the town, sharing stories and folklore of yesteryear. Change the pace with nearby Busch Gardens Christmas Town, which boasts seasonally themed attractions and 8 million lights in North America's largest holiday lighting display.

Hopefully on your holiday visit, snow will blanket the beautiful city of Prague, which features mesmerizing Gothic architecture. You'll find Christmas markets in Old Town Square, carolers everywhere and a special visit from Mikuláš (St. Nicholas). After leaving a cozy café, tour the city's famous nativity scenes—some are carved from wood, while others feature real people!

Dubbed "America's Christmas Hometown" for good reason, Santa Claus, Indiana, hosts a never-ending holiday season, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. During the first three weeks of December, there's a Christmas celebration full of fun activities, including dinner with Santa. Save your holiday cards and mail them out at their local post office to receive a special postmark exclusive from Santa Claus through December 23.

Photo via via Spencer County Visitors Bureau

Yes, it will be crowded, but a visit to Walt Disney World in Florida will offer you one of the most spectacular holiday views of the season. Beginning in November and lasting through January, Disney World, which includes four main parks, has some of the biggest, brightest lights and magical events in the country, including Mickey's "Very Merry Christmas," which brings in travelers from around the world. The shows, rides and festive food will definitely put you in the holiday mood!