You don't have to travel long distances to enjoy your vacation. Grapevine is the official Christmas capital of Texas (no, really), and it offers visitors the greatest holiday joy you can find on this side of the North Pole.
With 40 days of festivities and enough holiday decorations and Christmas lights to cause massive power outages, it’s no wonder that Grapevine has won the title of the Christmas Capital of Texas. This is not just a colloquial language; in 2009, the Texas Senate declared the city the city and praised Grapevine for creating a variety of magical holiday experiences over the past decade.
Grapevine holds an annual parade every year, such as the Light Parade (December 2) and the Flashing Light Ship Parade (December 4), as well as the daily Christmas activities in December, which continue to amaze tourists and locals alike. Sneak away for a weekend and use this guide to plan a vacation in Grapevine, the Christmas capital of Texas.
First, take a walk along the main street to let your endorphins flow. Comprehensive store decorations, delicious dining options, shopping therapy, and (of course) wine tastings at first-class wineries are enough to inspire a festive atmosphere for anyone.
While walking, visit the city square pavilion, admire the 40-foot-high singing Christmas tree, and serenade passers-by every day. If you wander into the evening, you can warm up with a cup of hot cocoa at Sue's Chocolate (available daily from 4 to 6 pm), and then head to the City Hall to watch the carefully choreographed light show, which is held every night.
After watching the lights up close, proceed to the Visitor Information Center at Grapevine Terminus. This is the place for tips on what to experience during your stay in Grapevine. It is also the starting point for the daily tour of the tower ($3)-this experience will take you to a 150-foot aerial view of the Dallas-Fort Worth skyline Christmas lights with vines. After immersing in the beautiful scenery from above, head to Harvest Hall (Grapevine's new food hall) for various dinners.
A visit to the Christmas Capital of Texas would be incomplete without going to the Vine Christmas Village in the historic district of the Cotton Belt Railroad along Main Street. Go to the North Pole General Store and Main Street Santa to take a professional photo (available for pre-order on mainstreetsanta.com) or walk through the snowy Christmas forest with a 100% chance of snowfall (rare in this latitude area).
In the Christmas Village, children can make souvenirs with Herman the Elf during the Grapevine Christmas Passport-Elf Adventure ($8), an experience that brings in the historic Grapevine through activities such as putting brass gift tags at Millican’s smithy Life. Meanwhile, teenagers and adults can stroll next door to Vetro Glassblowing Studio and learn how to make Christmas decorations from hot melt glass in a unique classroom ($65).
The Arctic Express and Christmas Wine Train may be booked this season, but visitors can still enjoy the beautifully decorated trains at the station before heading to the livestock farm. Anyone who wants to keep the holiday cheers going at full speed can reserve a seat at After Christmas Trains (which runs from December 26th to 30th).
After experiencing the Christmas Village of Grapevine, head to Nash Farm, where you can go back in time and see the historic farmhouse from 1869. The farm will host special events on December 3, 4, 11 and 17, as well as daily Victorian card printing, Christmas decoration making and cookie baking.
Finally, end the day with one of the many live performances in December. Texas Dinner Theatre’s holiday show "A Cold-Hearted Christmas" provides interactive entertainment, and a variety of talents can be seen in the historic Palace Theater, including "Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin Christmas Tribute" (December 16-17 Day)) and "This is a good life radio drama" (December 10-11). Fans of the Christmas classic "Elves" will not want to miss the "Elves: Musical" at OhLook Performing Arts Center (December 10-12 and 17-19).
Before the end of the weekend, relieve some of the stress by solving Christmas shopping problems at Grapevine Mills Shopping Center. If you need to take a break between buying gifts, check out the two unique Christmas attractions in the shopping center: Holiday Bricktacular at Legoland Discovery Center and Scuba Diving Santa at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium.
Still struggling to find the perfect gift? When the Vine Christmas Market opens in the town square gazebo from 2pm to 9pm (Saturday and Sunday), return from the main street.
If you are not ready to go home, you can visit Gaylord Texan Hotel and slide down the Snow Tube Mountain ($22) or enjoy the indoor ice rink ($18). After the sun sets, walk through Merry & Light, an outdoor attraction with more than 400,000 Christmas lights ($12 for children and $18 for adults). This is a great way to immerse yourself in the magic of this season before going home.
Start your day with sweet waffles and espresso at Brew & Batter, or enjoy a delicious brunch at Main Street Bistro & Bakery, a cozy and beautifully decorated local restaurant. When your lunch stomach begins to growl, head to Tolbert's to enjoy the extraordinary chili in an unpretentious environment, or head to Mason & Dixie to enjoy the charm and comfort of the South. At the end of the day, you can have dinner at the Piaf Kitchen and Wine Bar to satisfy your taste buds, where you can watch the Grapevine lights flicker on the terrace. Can't just decide one thing? Harvest Hall is a restaurant managed by a chef that offers a variety of choices: burgers, noodles, shawarma, etc.
Hotel Vin — Grapevine's newest boutique hotel is within walking distance of the main street and all festival celebrations. It has 120 luxurious rooms with elegant decoration and comfortable beds, and easy access to The Junction, where you can often experience live music at night. The Vin Hotel also has the Bacchus Kitchen Bar, where you can taste Mediterranean cuisine while watching the train drive into the historic Grapevine terminal next door.
Rioja Rooftop Terrace is part of the Bacchus Kitchen Bar. It is open on weekends and offers beautiful views of the vines, delicious snacks and drinks. Even better, Harvest Hall is connected to Hotel Vin, so there are many choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Anyone who likes to try different delicacies in a new luxurious location will love staying in this superior hotel.
Vineyard campgrounds and cottages-These quaint cottages are located on the shore of Lake Grapevine, just a 5-minute drive from the historic city center. Staying here, please rest assured that you will enjoy the view of Twinkle Light Boat Parade on December 4th, which is also a comfortable place to go home on the weekend. There are many RV sites, but there are only 14 cabins, so please book as soon as possible.
This little paradise is very well maintained, it even has a private beach on Grapevine Lake, where you can swim if it’s not too cold outside. (Yes, it’s December, but it’s also Texas.) Every cottage has a lake view from the terrace deck and is a more affordable option than other high-end hotels in the area, with an average of about 150 per night The cabin price in US dollars. If you long for solitude and tranquility in the joy of holiday, please book your accommodation here and enjoy beautiful sunrise and sunset weekends on Lake Grapevine.
Gaylord Texan Hotel — For a comprehensive Christmas experience, there is no better place to stay than Gaylord. The rooms at this luxury resort provide a comfortable place to relax while overlooking the atrium, which is decorated with flashing lights and ornaments hanging above a huge Christmas tree. Although Gaylord Hotel is often praised for its Texas hospitality and first-class facilities, the holidays here are all about activities.
In the spacious hotel, you will find a snow tube mountain, an ice skating rink, an area where you can make snowmen, a gingerbread corner, and (for adults) the "Polaris Bar" with holiday decorations. This year, there is a brand new mission: to save Christmas, featuring elves. This is a multi-sensory, immersive experience where visitors can play games and explore the world of Elf Buddy.
These ticket sales events are open to the public, but guests staying overnight in Gaylord will have the opportunity to save a lot of money with discount packages such as Lone Star Christmas Package, including Elf experience tickets, Snow Tubing, Merry & Bright Lights and one to two nights at the hotel .
Want to know what happened in the Christmas Capital of Texas this year? Visit gravevinetexasusa.com/christmas-capital-of-texas for key dates and details.
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