There are destinations throughout Pennsylvania that just make the Christmas season extra special. Towns, big and small, decorated for the holidays, Christmas lights, shows and parties designed to make the season merry and bright.

Note: many of these attractions are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Always check their websites to confirm days/hours of operation.

MERRY

It’s a Wonderful Life Festival Crowd photo courtesy of Downtown Indiana

It’s A Wonderful Life Festival. Weekends, Nov 23 – Dec 15

Dickens of a Christmas. Downtown Ebensburg Dec 6-8

Gettysburg Christmas Festival photo courtesy of Destination Gettysburg

Gettysburg Christmas Festival. Downtown Gettysburg Dec 6-8

Horse-drawn wagon rides at Bellefonte Victorian Christmas

Bellefonte Victorian Christmas. Bellefonte Dec 13-14

Christmas on Main Street, photo by Penn Wells Hotel, Wellsboro

Christmas on Main Street. Wellsboro Dec 7-9

Christmas in Our Hometown photo by Rick Hiduk

Christmas in Our Hometown. Tunkhannock Dec 6-7

TreeFest photo by the Caldwell Consistory

Treefest. Caldwell Consistory, Bloomsburg Nov 29 – Dec 1, Dec 6-8

Winter Wonderland Express, The Stourbridge Line, Hawley Station, Hawley

Fezziwigs Christmas Dinner

Fezziwig’s Christmas Dinner, Baldwin-Reynolds House, Meadville Dec 13-14

Woodford Mansion By Lauren Schwarz / Fairmount Park Conservancy

A Very Philly Christmas at the Historic Houses of Fairmount Park, Dec 5-22 Wed-Fri

A Longwood Christmas courtesy of Chester County’s Brandywine Valley

A Longwood Christmas. Longwood Gardens Kennett Square, Nov 22- Jan 5

AMTs Christmas Show, Joy to the World photo by American Music Theatre

American Music Theatre’s 2019 Christmas Show, Joy to the World. Lancaster Nov 1 – Dec 30.

The Nutcracker by the Brandywine Ballet

The Nutcracker. Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, West Chester Dec 13-15, 19, 21-22

Old Fashioned Christmas in Bradford, Downtown Bradford – Dec 14

BRIGHT

Koziar’s Christmas Village Drone footage by the 717 Drone Guys

Koziar’s Christmas Village Bernville Nov 2 – Jan 1

Holiday Lights on the Lake courtesy of Explore Altoona

Holiday Lights on the Lake. Lakemont Park, Altoona, Nov 15-Jan 5

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland. Big Butler Fairgrounds, Prospect Nov 15 – Jan 5

Winter Wonderland at Asbury Woods Nature Center by GoErie

Winter Wonderland. Asbury Woods Nature Center, Erie Dec 13-5, 20-22, 27-29

Winter Light Spectacular by Lehigh Valley Zoo

Winter Light Spectacular. Lehigh Valley Zoo, Schnecksville Nov 15-29

Holiday Light Spectacular at Nay Aug Park

Holiday Light Spectacular. Nay Aug Park, Scranton, Nov 22- Jan 6

Photo of Gring’s Mill by Phil Magistro

Holiday Lights. Gring’s Mill Recreation Area, Wyomissing Dec 5-29

Christmas Magic photo by Explore York

Christmas Magic, A Festival of Lights. Rocky Ridge County Park, York, Dec 1-31 (closed Dec 24-25)

Overly’s Country Christmas

Overly’s Country Christmas. Westmoreland Fairgrounds, Greensburg, Nov 22 – Dec 30

Kennywood Holiday Lights

Kennywood Holiday Lights. Pittsburgh, Nov 23-Dec 23, Dec 26-30

Christmas CandyLane photo courtesy Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company

Christmas CandyLane. Hersheypark, Hershey, Nov 16-Jan 1