15 Great Midwest Holiday Destinations

Bask in the glow of holiday cheer with the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail! Seek dazzling displays including four million lights on an old-fashioned mill, and even whole zoos lit up for the season. The trail takes you around Ohio to the best light shows in the state, from musically coordinated displays to magically decorated gardens and estates! Download the trail map and go on a road trip with family and friends and give them the gift of an unforgettable holiday experience. Learn more.

Winter in Traverse City…or TC. The one place to Truly Connect with your friends or special someone. Around a bonfire. Over dinner. Or anywhere your heart leads. TC in winter—a Pretty Great Place! Find out more at Traversecity.com. 

Experience monumental and feel right at home this winter in the Black Hills & Badlands of South Dakota. Breathtaking national parks and monuments, roaming herds of bison, more than 300 miles of snowmobile trails and more are waiting for you and your loved ones to enjoy. 

Explore the softer side of the Hocking Hills as the seasons change. Late fall ushers out the spectacular autumn colors and ushers in a winter wonderland.  Cozy cabins and luxury lodges provide the ideal vantage point for taking in all the surrounding beauty.  Revive, relax and refresh in the Hocking Hills. 

If road trips are high on your holiday wish list, look no further than the great places of South Dakota. Discover an epic mix of national parks, monumental stops and small-town surprises. 

In 2019, the Chicago Botanic Garden debuted Lightscape, a coproduction with Sony Music that featured installations like a choir of singing trees and the stunning Cathedral of Light. The event returns November 12, 2021 to January 2, 2022. Tickets sold out last year, so plan ahead! 

More to enjoy in Illinois: Illumination: Tree of Lights at The Morton Arboretum from November 20, 2021 to January 2, 2022; ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, November 19, 2021 to January 2, 2022; and the East Peoria Festival of Lights from November 25, 2021 through January 3, 2022.

The Swedish community of Lindsborg, Kansas, begins its celebrations in mid-November with the Holiday Open House, when downtown shops light up and unveil their themed window displays. Don't miss the delightful Snowflake Parade on December 4 and the season's feature attraction, the St. Lucia Festival, on December 11. Festivities run through the Annandag Jul (another day of Christmas) church service on December 26.

Related: Don't Miss These Holiday Traditions and Events in Lindsborg

At the Missouri Botanical Garden, more than a million lights turn the garden into magical holiday scenes. Visitors can also enjoy s'mores, drinks and entertainment. Tickets required. November 13-January 8, 2022.

More holiday traditions in Missouri include An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City in Branson and Country Club Plaza Lights in Kansas City.

The annual Garden of Lights festival features over 300,000 lights plus horse-drawn carriage rides through the gardens. Wander through the icicle forest and keep an eye out for illuminated butterflies, giant caterpillars and more. Advance ticket purchase required. November 26 through January 1, 2022.

More holiday festivities in Wisconsin include the 20th annual Oshkosh Celebration of Lights November 26 to January 1, 2022. 

During the Bentleyville Tour of Lights, a 12-story-tall animated Christmas tree towers over the drive-through light show (over 4 million lights) at Bayfront Festival Park. Donations of nonperishable foods and new unwrapped toys suggested. November 20 to December 27, 2021.

More holiday activities in Minnesota include the Glow Holiday drive-through on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul, November 18, 2021 to January 2, 2022. 

Yuletide activity awaits at Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village. On Main Street, merrymakers can enjoy warm beverages, caroling and holiday goodies while marveling at its decor. Historic homes are also dressed in their Christmas best, and some offer tours. Each evening is capped off with a fireworks finale.  

From November 26 to December 24 during Saint Charles Christmas Traditions, historic Main Street is a scene of holiday splendor. Visitors can expect Victorian carolers, shopping, dining and storytelling during this annual festival, which has been running for 47 years.

Related: Get Our Guide to Christmas in St. Charles

On weekends during the holiday season, Victorian carolers, live reindeer and a roaming Santa pepper a five-block stretch of cheerfully decorated shops and restaurants. Catch live performances of It's a Wonderful Life at The Zephyr Theatre, running December 10–26.

Related: Escape to Stillwater for a Romantic Winter Weekend