Coolest Places in the United States for Christmas in July

by Noreen Kompanik
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Sat July 11, 2026

Christmas in July can offer some holiday cheer in the middle of a sweltering summer. Though this informal summer tradition is not an official holiday, it has become quite popular with Christmas-themed activities around late July, and this year’s date falls on Friday, July 25.

The popular seasonal event for retailers, camps, restaurants, venues, travel providers and communities was originally formed during a girls’ summer camp in Brevard, Florida in 1933, complete with decorations, a tree, gifts and caroling. The phrase gained wider recognition after the 1940 movie Christmas in July released.

Today, Americans celebrate with unique decorations, gift giving, building sand snowmen on the beach, hosting parties and barbeques and watching holiday movies in the middle of the summer season.

Let’s look at some “cool” places in the U.S. for spending Christmas in July.

North Pole, Alaska

It’s a fun stop for those visiting Alaska during the summer. The town celebrates Christmas year-round and in July, you’ll still find streets like Santa Claus Lane, the famous Santa Claus House, where you can meet Santa even in the summer, and Christmas themed gift shops. And though July represents Alaska’s summer season, it’s the best times of the year to visit, with average high daytime temperatures ranging from a comfortable 68 to 74°F.

Frankenmuth, Michigan

Known as ‘Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” Frankenmuth was founded in 1845 by German immigrants from Bavaria and the town has preserved its European-inspired architecture, traditions and festivals, making it a popular year-round destination — especially for those who love Christmas.

Situated along the Cass River, the town’s biggest attraction is Bronner’s, widely renowned as the world’s largest Christmas store. While Frankenmuth is festive every day of the year, summer offers holiday shopping without the winter crowds, pleasant weather and plenty of Christmas-themed events, outdoor dining and river activities.

Helen, Georgia

This charming Bavarian-style town situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains features a myriad of Christmas-themed shops with personalized ornaments, German-made nutcrackers and candle-lit pyramids and holiday gifts and collectibles. Helen’s alpine architecture complements the Christmas theme with its cobblestone-like streets, German restaurants and bakeries, beer gardens and horse-drawn carriages. In July, Helen also offers outdoor recreation such as tubing on the Chattahoochee River, hiking to picturesque Anna Ruby Falls, scenic drives through the Blue Ridge Mountains and exploring Unicoi State Park.

Leavenworth, Washington

Located in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Range, Leavenworth is one of the most popular places in the U.S. for a Christmas in July getaway. In the 1960s, the town reinvented itself with Bavarian-style architecture, and today, nearly every downtown building sports an alpine theme with painted wall murals, colorful flower boxes and decorative balconies often found in European villages.

Christmas lovers delight in Kris Kringl, a year-round Christmas store that features Christmas villages, German nutcrackers, hand-blown glass ornaments and holiday décor from around the globe. Visitors will find warm sunny days (typically in the 80s°F) and cool evenings for outdoor dining with spectacular mountain views.

Santa Claus, Indiana

A town with this name knows how to celebrate Christmas. Santa Claus one of the few places in America where Christmas isn’t just a season — it's part of the town's identity every single day of the year. If you're planning a Christmas in July trip, it's one of the best destinations because the entire town is built around the holiday theme, not just a single attraction.

While there isn’t one town-wide festival, July includes several holiday- themed activities that include the Santa Claus Museum & Village featuring a Christmas in July Vendor and Craft Fair and Sun Outdoors Lake Rudolph’s, a multi-day celebration with cookie decorating, golf cart parades, visits from Rudolph of course, family movies and other holiday-themed campground activities.

If you need to cool off, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari amusement park is divided into four different themed holiday sections, and in the middle of July, guests can ride roller coasters and enjoy one of the country’s top-rated water parks.

Key West, Florida

If you’re looking for a beachy, sultry Christmas vibe, look no further than Key West, the closest thing to a “tropical Christmas town.” This southernmost U.S. city doesn’t need more reasons to celebrate, but always stepping up to the plate, the town sports Christmas-themed bar events, “Ugly Christmas in July” parties, holiday lights strung in tall palm trees and a “Very Santa meets tiki bar energy.” Holiday-themed cocktails, live music, pool parties and costume contests add to the fun and festive spirit.

Though summer in Key West can bring higher temps and humidity, the ocean water and region is ideal for swimming, snorkeling, diving, boat trips, sailing, sunsets, fishing, paddleboarding and jet skiing.

Hawaiian Islands

A visit to Hawaii during Christmas in July is well-suited as it naturally blends warm weather, solid holiday traditions and a culture that’s already festive and fun year-round. The best islands for celebrating Christmas in July feel are Oahu, Maui and Kailua-Kona (the Big Island).

Visitors will see Santa hanging out in aloha shirts and board shorts, holiday décor sold in resorts, beach gatherings, Christmas-themed luaus, live music and tropical cocktails. Daily temps range from 80–88°F with cooling trade winds, making outdoor dining in the evenings romantic and comfortable. Long summer days mean more beach activities and the islands are one of the few places where a “Santa on the beach” idea doesn’t feel like a gimmick —rather, it feels like a perfect fit.

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