Elizabeth City, North Carolina
To live up to its nickname as the “Hot Cocoa Capital of the World,” Elizabeth City has a wintertime “Hot Cocoa Crawl.” The 30 stops include coffee shops, restaurants, and bars that sell gourmet hot chocolates and decadent cocoa desserts, but there are also boutiques with gourmet marshmallows and mini knit sweaters for mugs. Stores also compete in a holiday storefront decorating contest. Other holiday-centric events include a Lighted Boat Parade, where skiffs, sailboats, and pontoons with twinkling lights circle the waterfront to the soundtrack of Christmas carols. Elizabeth City also holds a “Christmas Around the World” parade
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Sevierville, Tennessee
The Great Smoky Mountains is a gracious holiday host, with Sevierville and its neighboring cities, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, dressed to the nines in Christmas lights. More than 15 million lights illuminate a 25-mile stretch of the Foothills Parkway, plus Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland is a drive-thru attraction with lights that dance in sync with Christmas music that you can tune into on your radio. Of course, it'd be a shame to visit the Smokies without stopping at Dollywood, where kids can see Santa in his workshop. The theme park, outfitted with 6 million lights, also has train rides, fireworks, holiday shows, and festive treats like gingerbread funnel cake.