Homes.com evaluated cities to find the best “winter wonderlands,” municipalities known for their holiday observances and winter festivities.

The following locales landed at the top of the list:

Atlanta: It features Macy’s Great Tree at Lenox Square along with the store’s “Pink Pig” train and an annual Children’s Christmas Parade. Saranac Lake, N.Y.: It hosts an annual winter carnival that dates back to 1897 with a massive Ice Palace (made from ice bricks that lights up the town every night). Chicago: Among twinkling lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo and gift shopping on Michigan Avenue, it also features a German holiday celebration at the Christkindlmarket with German foods and entertainment. Lava Hot Springs, Idaho: The city boasts a tradition with its annual Fire & Ice Festival on Main Street, where residents run down snowy streets in bikinis and boots. Boston: The city features university choral concerts, and Frog Pond on Boston Common becomes a place for ice skating and sledding down the snowy banks. Nashville: The city’s southern belle homes get decked out in holiday lights with “authentic holiday antiques” that “showcase everything from trees trimmed antebellum style to historic holiday dress.” Baltimore: The city’s Hampden neighborhood features a light display that garners national recognition and residents each year light up their homes for a big holiday display on 34th street (which shares its name with the New York street in the holiday film “Miracle on 34th Street”). Grapevine, Texas: Branded the “Christmas Capital of Texas,” the city offers up more than 1,400 holiday events over 40 days, such as performances at the Grapevine Opry and gift shopping at the International Christmas Market. Denver: The historic lower downtown area, nicknamed LoDo, features an “artistic flair” to the holidays as art students compete in the LoDo Aglow Window design contest, decorating store windows for the holiday season. Park City, Utah: The Park District offers a gingerbread house competition and a winter sports event known as the Deer Valley Celebrity Ski Fest, which brings celebrities and Olympic athletes together to raise funds for charity.

Learn more about what makes each city a “winter wonderland” at Homes.com.

Source: “Homes.com Reveals America’s Top 10 Winter Wonderlands,” Homes.com (Dec. 10, 2013)

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