Christmas In Ohio: 15 Festive Holiday Destinations

Are you looking to celebrate Christmas in Ohio?

There are fantastic ways to celebrate Christmas in Ohio, from light displays to train rides to Christmas markets.

Here I am giving you the 15 best places to celebrate Christmas in Ohio to inspire holiday cheer!

Christmas in Ohio: 15 Festive Holiday Destinations

Places To Visit For Christmas: A Christmas Story House, Cleveland

The most popular way to celebrate Christmas in Cleveland is visiting the house from the famous holiday movie, A Christmas Story.

Released in 1983, A Christmas Story follows the story of nine-year-old Ralphie, who asks for a gun for Christmas.

Since the movie was filmed in Cleveland, Ohio, you can visit the yellow and green house that little Ralphie lives in!

You can check out original props from the movie, buy a souvenir from the gift shop, and even spend a night at this special home.

While the home is open throughout the year, the hours are extended during the holiday season.

Read my article on things to do in Cleveland for other fun things to do.

Christmas in Ohio: WonderLight’s Christmas in Ohio, Hebron

Looking for Christmas lights in Ohio? WonderLight’s Christmas display is among the best.

As the largest light show in central Ohio, WonderLight’s Christmas display draws thousands of visitors.

To experience this 2-mile-long path of Christmas lights you pull up in your car, pay a small fee, and continue driving down the light-filled road.

Turn off your headlights to make the viewing experience even more immersive

Along the drive, you’ll listen to fantastic Christmas hits – both new and old – and see over a million twinkling Christmas lights!

Christmas in Ohio: The Christmas Ranch, Morrow

There are a surprising number of Christmas ranches in Ohio, but the Christmas Ranch in Morrow may be the best.

This Christmas ranch is filled with holiday cheer. Gaze at one million colorful Christmas lights in Ohio, and take a few pictures with Santa.

You can hop aboard a snowy train or wagon, stop by their Christmas shops, and even purchase a treat from Santa’s Bakery and Café.

This Ohio Christmas attraction is so popular that it was featured on HGTV and Good Morning America!

Not hard to understand how it is one of the best Ohio attractions not to miss!

Places To Visit For Holidays: Dickens Victorian Village, Cambridge

Dickens Victorian Village is the perfect way to celebrate Christmas for those who love literature or the work of Charles Dickens.

This Christmas village in Ohio showcases many of the most famous scenes from Dickens’ works, particularly A Christmas Carol, using hand-painted mannequins.

In other words, you’ll see one of your favorite books transformed from words on a page into a scene right in front of your eyes!

In addition to these scenes, Dickens’s Victorian Village is lit with bright, colorful lights that dance in sync with the best holiday music.

This would make a great destination to celebrate Christmas In the Midwest.

Christmas Holiday Vacations: Historic Kirtland Nativity Exhibit, Kirtland

One of the most unique ways to celebrate Christmas in Ohio is by visiting the Historic Kirtland Nativity Exhibit.

It showcases a historic collection of nativity scenes from around the world.

This exhibit features over six hundred different nativity scenes!

These nativity pieces are from thirty countries and a few are over 100 years old.

And they are made from any material you can think of from porcelain to corn husks to shells.

Why not visit the Ohio small town of Kirkland Nativity Exhibit and see what other nativity scene gems you can find?

PNC Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Cincinnati

One of the coolest things to do in Ohio regardless of the time of year is to visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

But it is magical when this animal-filled attraction is decked out in twinkling lights for the holidays.

During the PNC Festival of Lights, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden gets decorated with a whopping three million lights!

In addition to admiring the lights, you can devour a few toasty s’mores, and hop aboard the Toyland Express.

Or enjoy the immersive Northern Lights experience, and watch the amazing Wild Lights show on Swan Lake.

Christmas Holiday Vacations: Christkindlmarkt, Cincinnati

There is only one authentic Christmas market in Ohio, and it’s the Christkindlmarkt in Cincinnati.

While Christmas markets are popular in Europe, only a few have made their way to the United States.

So why not participate in this European-inspired tradition as you celebrate Christmas in Ohio?

This is one of the best places to visit for the holidays!

Try a mug of warm mulled wine, a traditional drink at many German Christmas markets.

Enjoy a lovely carriage ride through the snow.

Shop for holiday-inspired German imports, such as advent calendars, Christmas candy, and even hand-carved cuckoo clocks.

Some of the best Christmas tree farms in Ohio are located in this area!

Where To Go For A Holiday: Woodland Lights, Dayton

One of the most elaborate displays of Christmas lights in Ohio is The Woodland Lights

This half-mile-long path of Ohio Christmas lights features thousands of colorful lights throughout the walk.

See your favorite characters, including Buddy the Elf, Olaf, Mickey Mouse, and the Grinch. Hop on thrilling amusement rides.

Head to the petting zoo filled with cuddly animals. And warm up by a bonfire while eating holiday-themed treats!

The most popular thing to do at the Woodland Lights is to visit Santa.

Santa lives in a lovely log cabin, with a bright green Christmas tree and a limestone fireplace. Remember to visit him!

There are so many resorts in Ohio to discover during the holidays!

Good Holiday Destinations: Steubenville Nutcracker Village, Steubenville.

The Steubenville Nutcracker Village is a one-of-a-kind way to celebrate Christmas in Ohio.

Dozens of locally crafted, life-size Nutcracker carvings line a snowy pathway.

Each of these Nutcracker carvings is hand-painted, so you can see the love and hard work put into each statue.

See famous characters like Clara from The Nutcracker, Scrooge from A Christmas Carol, and jolly old St. Nick.

Many non-holiday-inspired figures, include Mother Teresa, Charlie Brown, and Benjamin Franklin.

If you enjoy the Steubenville Nutcracker Village, you can spend more time in the area and visit the Steubenville Advent Market next door.

There are beautiful Christmas lights in Ohio displayed here.

If you are spending Christmas in Ohio, this is a beautiful place to visit during winter in Ohio.

Places To Visit For Christmas: The Polar Express Train Ride, Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The Polar Express is one of the most popular Christmas movies of all time, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park has brought it to life!

While on board this sleek, modern train, sing along to all of the songs from The Polar Express and listen to a reading of the script.

Your little ones can even wear their Christmas-themed pajamas aboard the train. In other words, this experience will be as cozy as possible.

Consider turning your Cuyahoga Valley National Park trip into an Ohio weekend getaway.

Christmas Vacation Destinations: North Pole Express, Findlay

The Polar Express train ride isn’t the only Christmas train in Ohio. The North Pole Express in Findlay is another fantastic one.

This quarter-scale train takes guests through hundreds of Christmas lights, a railroad gift shop, and a museum filled with Santa pictures!

Run by the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation, this train ride was set up to inspire visitors to keep the magic of train travel alive!

When you head indoors, you’ll see more of this train-inspired enchantment through the many holiday-themed train models.

This is one of the best things to do in winter in Ohio.

Christmas In Ohio: Lights Before Christmas at Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, Toledo

The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium goes all out for the holiday season. With over 200 glowing animal designs and one million lights, this Christmas event in Ohio is filled with holiday cheer.

These are truly some of the best Christmas light displays in Ohio.

Take in the 85-foot-tall Christmas tree, slide down the popular ice slide, and fill your belly with delicious chocolate-filled baked goods.

The best part of Lights Before Christmas is arguably the Santa experience.

While many ways to celebrate Christmas in Ohio include Santa, the Toledo Zoo allows guests to interact with Santa in the Arctic Encounter area.

So not only will you get to meet Father Christmas himself, but you’ll also get to meet him in a place that’s pretty similar to the North Pole.

Read here if you are looking for other things to do in Toledo!

Good Holiday Destinations: Lights at Historic Clifton Mill, Clifton

The historic Clifton Mill is a great stop for history lovers at all times of year. It is one of the biggest water-powered grist mills in the world today.

But during the holidays, this historical building becomes one of the best places to celebrate Christmas in Ohio.

Every winter, this historic mill is covered with four million colorful lights. Lights outline the building, strung throughout the trees, arching over bridges, and even cascading to make a waterfall-like effect!

All four million Christmas lights work together every night in a breathtaking synchronized show.

As a bonus, you can watch Santa in his workshop at Clifton Mill.

This is one of the best Holiday destinations at Christmas and a wonderful Ohio day trip!

Christmas In Ohio: Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience, Cleveland

Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience in Cleveland is an exciting way to celebrate Christmas in Ohio.

When you enter into Kringle’s Inventionasium Experience, there’s a problem. Mr. Kringle has run out of toy ideas for Christmas!

It’s your job to think up, engineer, and make your dream toy a reality!

Elves will be there to help you along your journey. You’ll piece together clues, travel through secret tunnels, and experiment in the Grow Snow Laboratory.

Do you have what it takes to create a new toy for the entire world to enjoy? You’ll have to visit to find out!

Places To Visit For The Holidays: Castle Noel, Medina

Castle Noel in Medina, Ohio is a Christmas attraction open all year round. That said, it becomes special around the holidays.

There are tons of things to do at Castle Noel.

Check out the coolest props from your favorite holiday movies, including The Grinch, Elf, and Santa Claus 1, 2, and 3.

Peruse the extensive gallery of toys that were popular Christmas presents throughout the years.

And ride a snowy slide, just like little Ralphie in A Christmas Story.

Packing List For Celebrating Christmas in Ohio

If you will be traveling, by plane or car to Ohio, here are some tips on how to pack lightly.

This unisex RFID-blocking concealed travel pouch is lightweight comes in several colors, and protects your identity.

These RFID- sleeves offer another solution.

This Anker high-speed phone charging battery is the exact one I carry with me on all of my trips.

My daughter gifted me this FugeTek selfie stick and tripod setup for my birthday. It is made of lightweight aluminum and is easy to use.

I never leave home on a trip without my Bobble filtration bottle. The 18.5-ounce size is perfect for me.

When filled with water, it is not too heavy to carry. And the replaceable carbon filter ensures fresh clean water whenever you fill the Bobble.

This collapsible silicone foldable water bottle would work well for you as well.

This foldable water-resistant backpack would be great for storing snacks and water when out exploring Christmas destinations in Ohio.

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