Texans can find plenty of ways to celebrate the holiday season this year in the Lone Star State. Trips To Discover, a travel discovery platform, compiled a list of the Top 10 Christmas Towns in Texas, which included the North Texas cities of Grand Prairie and Grapevine.
Below is just a sampling of what these two cities have to offer:
In Grand Prairie, visitors can enjoy driving through the Prairie Lights display until New Year’s Eve, according to Visit Grand Prairie.
“Prairie Lights is the premier holiday light park in Texas located at Lynn Creek Park on Joe Pool Lake. Upon arriving at the entrance of Prairie Lights, you will be dazzled with 4 million lights set along 2 miles of path,” the website shares.
“Hundreds of ALL-NEW displays in shapes of all kinds line and arch over the roads. Prairie Lights is a total in-car experience this year,” it continues. “The second half of the drive ends with the very animated light tunnel — the perfect finale to a night you will never forget.”
General admission for a car is $50, and limos, shuttles, or vans cost $150. A pass for an entire bus is $200. The light display opens each day at 6 p.m.
The price of admission includes the drive-through light experience, Holiday Village Carnival Rides, and the Magical Walk-Through Forest. Photos with Santa are available for purchase at the Holiday Village.
Other Christmas activities that can be enjoyed in Grand Prairie include holiday shopping, live music, theater performances, and more.
Grand Prairie’s last Farmers Market of the season, located at Market Square on Main Street, will be a special Holiday Gift Market. The market will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on December 10.
Traders Village, located at 2602 Mayfield Rd., features more than 3,000 vendors and offers rides. The market is open each weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be offering $5 photos with Santa from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until December 18.
Holiday shows to attend in Grand Prairie include Brett Eldredge Christmas, Twas the Night Before…, Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas, A Christmas Story: the Musical, and more.
Throughout the month of December, Grand Prairie offers skating for free at the downtown ice rink. Or, for something a little out of character for the season, the indoor waterpark Epic H2Olidays offers special holiday-themed activities, including Breakfast with Santa. Tickets are $64, or $29 for anyone under 3.
The city of Grapevine, which claims to be the Christmas Capital of Texas, is mentioned first on Trips to Discover’s list. As always during the holiday season, the city will be dressed to the nines in twinkling lights, colorful decorations, and Christmas spirit. The City’s website lists 66 holiday-themed activities and events taking place this month.
Among them, Grapevine Vintage Railroad is offering a Christmas Wine Train excursion, which includes savory bites, a delicious dessert, and two glasses of locally-produced wine. The evening train will run on December 15 and begins boarding at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person.
Grapevine Escape is presenting a “Family-Friendly Holiday Escape Adventure” called “Rudolph’s Gift,” now through December 31. Tickets are $32.99 per person.
Each year, the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center presents its ICE! exhibit, with ice sculptures and slides open until January 1. This year’s theme is The Polar Express. Tickets range from $17 to $26 a person. Guests at the resort can also enjoy a number of activities, such as snow tubing, ice skating, live performances, holiday dinners, and more.
New this season, the City of Grapevine is premiering the 4,500-square-foot Peace Plaza Ice Rink on Historic Main Street. The nearby Doctor Sue’s Chocolate at 417 S. Main St. is offering a hot chocolate bar and happy hour each day until December 23.
Skaters can practice their triple-lutz each day until January 8. Tickets are $20 per person, which includes skate rental.
The other top Texas Christmas towns featured on Trips to Discover’s list were Fredericksburg, Wimberley, San Antonio, Richmond, Jefferson, College Station, Galveston, and Marshall.