Holiday day trips: Places to celebrate the season within 2 hours of Asheville
‘Tis the season for holiday lights, gingerbread and holiday parades.
There’s plenty of holiday fun to be found in Asheville, but if you want to pile the family in the car and head further afield, the cities surrounding WNC do Christmas the right way, too.
So pull on your winter coat, pack a thermos of coco and make a day (or a weekend) of it.
Parade in Greenville, S.C.
Gather to celebrate the start of the Christmas season in Greenville, South Carolina, during the Greenville Poinsettia Christmas Parade. For more than 75 years, the parade has kicked off the holiday season with themed floats, marching bands, and other Christmas activities.
The parade starts at 6 p.m. Dec. 1 on Main Street. Afterward, stroll downtown Greenville’s holiday lights display or try your hand at ice-skating on Greenville’s open-air ice rink, also on Main Street.
Peppermint Trail in Knoxville
It wouldn’t feel like the holidays without the sweet treats that come around only once a year. Luckily, Knoxville, Tennessee, takes that truth to a whole new level.
From Nov. 23 to Jan. 6, businesses in downtown Knoxville feature peppermint specials — from peppermint cocktails and cookies to kids camps and glass blowing, everything has a peppermint theme. The windows, doors, trees and patios of downtown Knoxville are also decked in over 100,000 lights and decorated in, what else? Peppermint.
It's free.
Lights in Bristol
Have a racing fan in your family? Then zip on over to Bristol, Tennessee, and take in the spectacular Speedway in Lights, the largest holiday light show in the South. A route of 4 miles and 2 million lights provides wide-eyed entertainment for the young and old alike.
After your drive, drop by the on-site Christmas Village full of crafts, holiday treats and Santa. The lights at Bristol Motor Speedway glitter and glow through Jan. 5. It's $15 per car Sunday through Thursday and $20 per car Fridays and Saturdays.
ChristmasVille in Rock Hill
Just an hour south of Charlotte, the town of Rock Hill, South Carolina, transform into ChristmasVille, a picturesque holiday village and outdoor arts festival from Nov 29-Dec 2.
Step into a Christmas storybook and enjoy over 70 Christmas events like horse drawn carriage rides, Dickens carolers, ice skating, a gingerbread house contest and multiple Santa activities.
Carowinds Winterfest
It’s hard to deny the fun of combining the action of an amusement park with the holiday cheer of a Christmas festival. At Carowinds Winterfest, visitors enjoy a winter wonderland of live shows, strolling performers, hands-on holiday crafts, special holiday treats and over 5 million shimmering lights.
More than 20 of Carowinds' favorite rides will be running, so you can get your Christmas cheer with a side of adrenaline. The fun runs through Dec. 31.
Prices start at $26 per person.
Trolley through Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg isn’t the kind of town that turns down the volume when it comes to kitsch and whimsy and the holidays are no different. Take it all in from the warmth and comfort of one of Gatlinburg’s trolleys with a 45-minute guided tour of the city. Guests will glide past custom holiday light displays, holiday decor and an abundance of holiday warmth and cheer. Trolleys depart 3 times nightly through Jan. 26.
Ride the Trolley and Take in the Sights- $5 per person.
Ride to the North Pole
Bring one of the most beloved Christmas tales to life on Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Polar Express. Guests ride through the quiet wilderness to the North Pole while enjoying hot cocoa and reading along with the popular "Polar Express" story.
When Santa boards the train, kids are presented with their own special gift and then the train heads back to the station amongst a choir of Christmas carols. The 80-minute trip runs through Dec. 31.
Prices start at $28 per child and $42 per adult