The Christmas we see in the movies is far from how Australians experience it. No winter wonderlands with horse sleigh rides and ice-skating, catching snowflakes on your tongue, and ending the day by a warm fireplace. Spending the holidays in a place from our favourite Christmas movies is a magical experience, whether you’re singing carols in New York’s Central Park like in Elf, or sledding in the Colorado backcountry like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Breckenridge, Colorado
The Movie: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Funnily enough, instead of filming in Chicago, the producer decided Breckenridge, Colorado would be the perfect place to shoot all the Chicago snow scenes and some interior shots of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. From the tree chopping failure at the beginning, to the scene where Clark and Cousin Eddie sled in front of traffic on silicone sprayed saucers, and even the Wall-Mart in Frisco.
Breckenridge is a great destination for spending Christmas surrounded by snow covered Colorado mountains. The “most social mountain town” as they call themselves, has plenty of activities to experience in the winter wonderland, including their famous International Snow Sculpture Championships, the snow loving Ullr Fest, skiing, horse sleigh rides, hot tubs and more.
For more on travelling to Breckenridge check out: https://gobreck.com/
Chicago, Illinois
The Movie: Home Alone
Although you can’t take a tour of the McCallister home (you’d be too busy looking out for booby traps anyway), ‘Home Alone House’ has been preserved in its original movie state, and is available to visit anytime of the year. The house is wonderful to visit during the holiday season, with blankets of snow and beautiful decorations decking the house and surrounding neighbourhood of Winnetka. Nearby you’ll spot other movie locations. such as the Trinity Methodist and O’Hare International Airport.
There are plenty of sights to see in the Windy City at Christmas. Chicago is lit up with many dazzling light displays, including The Lincoln Park Zoo which stays open late, and the Botanic Gardens which are filled with installations to see and walk through. You can also catch a festive live show, ice skate next to the famous Bean, browse the many shops and markets and much more.
Other movies: Office Christmas Party, A Bad Moms Christmas, Christmas with the Kranks, The Holidate. The Princess Switch.
For more on travelling to Chicago check out: https://www.choosechicago.com/
New York City, New York
The Movie: Elf
A visit to The Big Apple can make anyone feel like Buddy The Elf did when he first saw the towering Empire State Building. Most of Elf was filmed in New York City, and tracking down the locations is a fun Christmas idea on its own. See the interior of the Empire State Building and visit the observation deck for incredible views. Go on your own ice skating date at Rockefeller Centre Plaza, underneath the beautiful Rockefeller Christmas tree. Visit Gimbel’s shopping mall, and recreate the iconic scene of Buddy doing the splits on the escalator. Take a stroll through Central Park and, if you’re lucky, experience a magical snowfall.
There are no shortages of holiday activities in New York. The city embraces the festivities in everything, including their decorations, markets, restaurants, and even live performances such as The Nutcracker.
Other movies: Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, Miracle on 34th Street, The Night Before, Scrooged.
For more on travelling to New York check out: https://www.nycgo.com/
Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota
The Movie: Jingle All The Way
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s hilarious leap into the world of Christmas movies, Jingle All The Way is a warning sign to all parents who leave the shopping to the last minute. The Mall of America, where Howard, Myron, and other parents fought it out over a Turbo-Man, is actually a real mall in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St.Paul, in Minnesota. The MOA is the largest mall in the USA, and 11th largest in the world. It is home to over 520 stores, and even has a theme park, aquarium, FlyOver America flight simulator, and huge M&M’s store.
The snow-covered state of Minnesota goes all out during the holidays, including incredible lights displays and festivals, European Christmas markets, and pop-up holiday bars.The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is a must, with lights displayed across all the carriages, the train stops at over two dozen Minnesota towns, and features carolers, holiday stories, Christmas treats and even Santa onboard.
For more on travelling to Minneapolis check out: https://www.minneapolis.org/
Seneca Falls, New York
The Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life
Considered one of the greatest films of all time and one of the very best Christmas movies, It’s a Wonderful Life is a rollercoaster of emotions that features on many family’s annual Christmas watch lists. While the town of Bedford Falls is fictional, there is a lot of evidence that Seneca Falls in New York is the inspiration. The bridge George Bailey stood atop in a pivotal scene of the movie, is inspired by the Bridge Street Bridge in Seneca Falls, and Director Frank Capra visited the town while writing the screenplay.
The small town has embraced its movie stardom, with a “It’s a Wonderful Life” museum open year round which features original screenplays, drawings from the art director, quotes from Frank Capra, and props. The annual It’s a Wonderful Life Festivals held in the second week of December, provides autograph opportunities from original cast members who visit each year.
For more on travelling to New York check out: https://www.iloveny.com/
Phoenix, Arizona
The Movie: Noelle
This 2019 film starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader, took the Christmas story away from just the usual snowy scenery, to the deserts of Phoenix Arizona. Noelle must bring her brother back to the North Pole after he runs away to Phoenix, which is where audiences see many Phoenix hot spots, such as the Desert Ridge Marketplace, Desert Botanical Garden, Downtown, and even the Grand Canyon which is just an hour’s drive from the city.
Phoenix offers plenty of holiday activities for a desert Christmas. There are more than 12 different light spectaculars around the city, from the Mesa Tempe Christmas Lights to the Sea of Lights at the Sea Life Arizona aquarium. There are plenty of musicals to see and
holiday themed cocktails to try at the many pop-up bars. Winter is also a great time for festivals in Phoenix, where the weather is more suitable than its hot summer days.
For more on travelling to Phoenix check out: https://www.visitphoenix.com/
Los Angeles, California
The Movie: Die Hard
Whether you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not, it’s staying on this list. It’s a tradition for some to gather with their friends and family around a television, and watch John McClane and Hans Grubber battle it out at Christmas time.The setting of Nakatomi Plaza is actually the real life Fox Plaza in Los Angeles. Unfortunately you can’t enter the building, but don a christmas hat, hold up some finger guns and you’ve got yourself the best Christmas picture yet.
Los Angeles may lack the snow, but Christmas amongst the palm trees and sand is just as magical in the City of Angels. Enjoy the annual Christmas spectacles at the surrounding theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios. Watch a Home Alone concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Watch outdoor movie screenings of classic Christmas movies with a hot chocolate or mulled wine in hand.
Other movies: Gremlins, Bad Santa, The Holiday.
For more on travelling to Los Angeles check out: https://www.discoverlosangeles.com/
For more information, visit https://www.visittheusa.com.au/
