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7 Hallmark-Ready Christmas Towns Near Rochester MN

by Amber Freeman

Do you know what always puts me in the holiday spirit? Watching a Hallmark Christmas movie. There’s just something about the dreamy snow-covered scenes, with their trees glittering with twinkle lights and icicles and postcard-perfect streets lined with decoration-bedecked homes and shops (not to mention the often-improbable, usually cheesy love stories). I can’t help but watch one and feel downright jolly. If you’ve ever wished you could step into a romantic Hallmark movie like me, you’ll definitely want to add one of the charming Christmas towns in the Rochester, MN, area to your holiday to-do list this year.

From Twin Cities suburbs to a village in Western Wisconsin called America’s Coziest Town by Travel + Leisure magazine, these picturesque communities pull out all the stops when Santa comes to town. (And he is a busy guy because he goes to all of them.) A few places are so enchanting, in fact, that they have even had starring roles in made-for-television Christmas movies. From spirited festivals with carolers and sleigh rides to dazzling light displays, seasonal theatrical productions and holiday markets brimming with gift options for your nearest and dearest, these adorable Christmas towns near Rochester, MN, have everything you need to feel merry and bright. Best of all, each one is around only a two-hour drive or less away, making them perfect for a yuletide day trip with family, friends or your special someone.

 

People in a horse-drawn wagon during the Christmas season in downtown Lanesboro, MN
Courtesy of the Lanesboro Area Chamber of Commerce

 

Less Than an Hour From Rochester

Lanesboro, MN

Known for its delightful downtown, a thriving arts scene and outdoor activities like fly fishing, biking and tubing down the Root River in the warmer months, the quaint hamlet of Lanesboro, MN, oozes cozy charm during the holiday season. Snow-kissed bluffs turn the town into a winter wonderland, while spirited events offer plenty of things to do and see. The festive fun kicks off on Thanksgiving with Lanesboro Legion Lights, the community-built display that returns for its third season to light up the night in Sylvan Park through New Year’s Day.

Just two days later, visitors can Experience the Magic of Lanesboro on Small Business Saturday, November 28, with family-friendly activities like cookie decorating, wagon rides, bonfires, games and a visit from Santa (plus tons of gift shopping opportunities, too). Other seasonal events include a Holiday Dinner Dance, the Winter Farmers’ and Makers’ Market, and showings of The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, a yuletide sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, at Commonweal Theatre Company. As the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Minnesota, turn a day trip to Lanesboro into a merry getaway with a stay at one of the town’s inviting inns.

Can’t-Miss Holiday Happenings:

Northfield, MN

As the dreamy backdrop for Hallmark’s festive 2016 film Love Always, Santa, Northfield, MN, was pretty much a shoo-in for the Rochester, MN, area’s must-visit Christmas towns. The highlight of the holiday season in Northfield is, without a doubt, the Winter Walk. Celebrating its 28th season in 2026, the annual Winter Walk is jam-packed with jolly activities like carolers, horse-drawn wagon rides, appearances by Santa Claus, reindeer and the Grinch, contests for decorating gingerbread houses, Christmas trees and windows, and even a festive flash mob.

While strolling the luminary-lit streets, visitors can also admire extravagantly decorated storefronts while doing some holiday shopping and indulging in yuletide treats and other seasonal flavors. Make sure to stick around until 8:30 PM for the night’s fireworks show over the river. Other joyful events to check out include the Winter Walk Ornament Hunt, which kicks off with its first clue a few days before the big night, and the St. Olaf Christmas Festival, a more than century-old holiday music celebration. Heads up for 2026: the festival moves to Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis this year and returns to the St. Olaf campus in 2027.

Can’t-Miss Holiday Happenings:

 

Women standing next to Jultomte the Christmas gnome and his pet goat during God Jul Holiday Celebration in Stockholm, WI
Courtesy of Travel Stockholm WI

 

Less Than 90 Minutes From Rochester

Stockholm, WI

The holidays are about all things cozy, whether mulled wine and tasty treats seasoned with warming spices or cuddling up in the glow of a crackling fire or a Christmas tree wrapped in twinkle lights, and there is no place cozier than Stockholm, WI. Seriously! Coined the Coziest Place in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure magazine, thanks to comfy spaces like coffeeshops, bakeries and craft stores, the coziness quotient is off the charts in this idyllic village on the shores of Lake Pepin. In short, Stockholm is the perfect place to celebrate the cozy season.

Although this small town normally tops out at a population of less than 100, it picks up quite a bit during the holidays as one of the five river villages along the West Coast of Wisconsin, which fill their weekends with food, fun and gift shopping all season long. Stockholm pays tribute to its Scandinavian heritage with God Jul, a village-wide affair that runs for three Saturdays in December and gets all the shops and restaurants involved with seasonal eats, yuletide crafts, merry decorations and more.

In true Swedish fashion, visitors can keep an eye out for St. Lucia, as well as Jultomte, a Santa-like Christmas gnome, and his pet goat, the Julbock. Horse-drawn wagon rides and a holiday market are also part of the fun. Visit on the final Saturday, December 19, to experience the Fire of Stockholm, a nod to a centuries-old Norse tradition meant to ward off evil spirits and hasten spring’s return. When celebrating God Jul, don’t miss a visit to Stockholm Pie and General Store, crowned the country’s best pie shop by USA Today.

Can’t-Miss Holiday Happenings:

  • God Jul – Saturdays, December 5, 12 & 19, 2026

 

A woman and baby visiting Santa Claus and his reindeer during Christmas in Mankato, MN
Courtesy of Old Town Mankato

 

Mankato, MN

Whether it’s oohing and ahhing at glittering light displays, listening to the yuletide tunes of carolers, rubbing elbows with Santa Claus and his reindeer or dashing along on a horse-drawn carriage ride, Mankato has all the makings of a merry Christmas day trip. The main event of Mankato’s festive season is Kiwanis Holiday Lights, a massive, dazzling display you can either walk or drive through. (Personally, I suggest walking so you can avoid the lines and take advantage of for-purchase bites and beverages like miniature donuts, candy canes, apple cider and hot cocoa, as well as reindeer encounters and visits with Santa Claus on Fridays to Sundays leading up to Christmas.) Stop by on the event’s opening night for a lighting ceremony and parade.

If gift shopping, carolers, trolley rides and crafts are more your speed, check out Bells on Belgrade in North Mankato, then stay for the Winter Wonderland Parade along Belgrade Avenue that evening. Later in the month, make time for Merely Players Community Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol, the Dickens classic the whole family will love.

Can’t-Miss Holiday Happenings:

Children looking at a model train during Afton Village Holiday in Afton, MN
Courtesy of the Afton Area Business Association

 

Afton, MN

For many, winter near the Twin Cities means skiing or snowboarding at Afton Alps, the largest resort of its kind in the area. However, for those more interested in jolly vibes and Christmas spirit than fresh powder and lift tickets, Afton Village Holiday is for you. Running for three weekends, from Saturday, November 28, through December 13, this old-fashioned holiday celebration is sure to put you in a merry mood. Each weekend has a different theme with activities and entertainment to match (like appearances by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, strolling carolers, and horse-drawn wagon rides), starting with the shopping deals of the Shop Small Candy Cane Trail.

Celebrate Merry & Bright brings enough festive fun to fill Santa’s magical bag, including crafts and workshops at local storefronts, a holiday market at Afton’s historic schoolhouse, the village’s tree lighting ceremony in Town Square Park, cookie decorating at Selma’s (Minnesota’s oldest ice cream parlor) and much more. Wrap It Up Festive Giving closes out the celebration with gift wrapping courtesy of area businesses, bonfires throughout the village and a s’more tour.

Can’t-Miss Holiday Happenings:

People at a holiday light display in Hudson, WI
Courtesy of the Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau

 

Hudson, WI

Another Rochester, MN, area holiday town to have a star turn on the Hallmark Channel is Hudson, WI, which graced the small screen in 2021’s A Christmas Wish in Hudson. That’s right, the town has a whole Hallmark movie named after it! The holidays in Hudson are a true gift, with plenty of activities and events waiting to be unwrapped. First, to help folks feel the festive spirit, area homes open their elaborately decorated doors to guests as part of the Hudson Christmas Tour of Homes, now in its 40th year. Then, a few days later, the town’s official festivities start with a bang with Light Up Hudson, a lighting ceremony led by Santa himself, on the day after Thanksgiving. Glittering on the banks of the St. Croix River, this seasonal explosion of more than 50,000 twinkle lights can be seen at Lakefront Park through February 14, 2027.

The Candlelight Stroll on December 4 keeps the magic and merriment going with candlelit luminaries throughout the park, horse-drawn carriage rides, jolly decorations, seasonal dining and local dancers posing as live mannequins in storefronts downtown. And although Santa Claus will also be stopping by for photos later in the month on December 13, I recommend visiting Lakefront Park to see old St. Nick on December 5 for Santa & His Critters, complete with a petting zoo, sled dogs and more. Round off your day trip with a visit to the Phipps Center for the Arts and a showing of A Christmas Carol.

Can’t-Miss Holiday Happenings:

 

Carolers in Victorian apparel during Hometown for the Holidays in Stillwater, MN
Courtesy of Discover Stillwater

 

Stillwater, MN

Hailed by USA Today as not only one of the most picturesque small towns in America but also one of the country’s top ten small-town food scenes, Stillwater, MN, is well worth a visit any time of year. However, this riverside suburb of St. Paul turns into a true winter wonderland during Christmastime. Its Hometown for the Holidays event runs for a full month, transforming Historic Main Street Stillwater and the St. Croix Riverfront with yuletide trimmings and trappings and carolers decked out in Victorian costumes.

There is something for everyone during the holiday season in Stillwater, with many local businesses getting in on the festive fun. Local inns and eateries play host to meals with Santa, holiday teas, gingerbread house-making contests and markets, while storefronts participate in spirited scavenger hunts and the historic courthouse holds its annual Holiday Bazaar. On Luminary Thursdays in December, glowing luminaries line Main Street as shops stay open into the evening.

The bulk of the excitement kicks off with Twinkle Weekend, featuring a Twinkle Party with free twinkle lights for kids, Santa’s arrival on a fire truck, the city tree lighting at Chestnut Plaza and fireworks over the river. The next weekend takes visitors to Candy Town with the Great Gingerbread Man Hunt and a gingerbread house contest. Finally, Paws & Claus Weekend goes to the dogs with a pet parade and costume contest that follows Santa down Main Street.

Can’t-Miss Holiday Happenings:

 

 

Which Christmas towns in the Rochester, MN, area do you like to visit? Leave a comment below!

Have a holiday event near Rochester, MN, to add to our calendar? Submit your event here!

CHECK OUT THE HOLIDAY GUIDE FOR MORE FESTIVE FUN!

rochester holiday events
Amber Freeman
Amber is a relatively new Rochester transplant, following stints in Florida, China and, most recently, Washington, DC. She is a travel professional with more than 12 years in the tourism and hospitality industries, a passion for adventure and a knack for discovering new restaurants, fun events and unique activities. A Western Wisconsin native, Amber has spent many days exploring the best that this beautiful corner of the Midwest has to offer, whether must-dos like the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Renaissance Festival, cozy cafes and antique stores or dog-friendly spots with her Boston terrier, Charlie.

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