What would you imagine if you were asked to picture a quintessential Christmas getaway?
We’re guessing it’s the usual suspects: Giant Christmas trees gilded with joyful twinkling lights, a snow-hushed landscape on Christmas morning, the buttery spicy goodness of gingerbread baking in the oven, and Santa Claus himself. However, Christmas celebrations look different throughout the United States, with the weather, culture, history, and environment impacting how people celebrate.
BetMGM Casino produced a study evaluating the coziest cities for a Christmas getaway in the United States in anticipation of the upcoming festive season. Do you agree with the ‘cozy-meter’ results?
Key Findings
- North Pole, Alaska, is the coziest city for a Christmas getaway in the United States.
- North Pole also has the highest average snowfall, the lowest temperature, and the best accommodation options to induce the ultimate Christmas cozy fest.
- Park City, Utah, ranks in second place, followed by Denver, Colorado, in third; Kennebunkport, Maine, in fourth, and Asheville, North Carolina, in fifth.
- Las Vegas, Nevada, is the least coziest city in the United States for a Christmas getaway.
1. North Pole, Alaska
North Pole, Alaska, took the top spot with an overall cozy Christmas score of 93.34. It also features:
- The highest average snowfall in December with 15 inches.
- The most quaint cabins available over Christmas.
- The lowest average temperature at -7.5°F.
- The fewest shopping malls.
2. Park City, Utah
With an overall cozy Christmas score of 71.15, Park City in Utah features:
- The second-highest number of Christmas cabins and total cozy accommodation options.
- The third-highest average snowfall in December with 8.3 inches.
- The second-lowest average temperature at 25°F.
3. Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado, has an overall cozy Christmas score of 61.8. It also features:
- The most major Christmas markets (tied with Asheville and Washington).
- The most cozy Christmas venues per capita.
- The third most ice skating rinks.
4. Kennebunkport, Maine
In fourth place with an overall cozy Christmas score of 53.38, Kennebunkport, Maine, also features:
- The second-highest average December snowfall at 10.5 inches.
- The third-lowest average temperature at 29.5°F.
- The fewest theatre events in December.
5. Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina, comes in fifth with a 50.96 overall cozy Christmas score. The city also has the most major Christmas markets (tied with Denver and Washington).
6. New York City, New York
Next up, New York City has an impressive overall cozy Christmas score of 46.22. It also features:
- The most ice skating rinks.
- The highest number of December theatre events.
- The most B&Bs available in December.
7. Branson, Missouri
A respectable overall cozy Christmas score of 42.3 sees Branson, Missouri, into seventh spot. The city also has:
- The least ice skating rinks (tied with New Orleans, Bowling Green, and Charleston).
- The fewest major Christmas markets, alongside seven other cities.
8. Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington has an overall score of 35.2. The city also tied with seven others for the fewest number of major Christmas markets.
9. Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California, finished in ninth with a total score of 28.89 for a cozy Christmas getaway. It also scored the lowest points for:
- Average snowfall in December.
- Cold temperatures.
10. Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee, isn’t known for its Christmas coziness but finished with an overall score of 28.21, beating nine other cities. The city’s low snowfall and high average temperatures let it down.
11. Alexandria, Viriginia
In eleventh, we have Alexandria, Virginia, with an overall score of 24.14. It had one of the lowest scores for total cozy accommodation options and was one of the cities that only had one major Christmas market.
12. Charleston, South Carolina
In twelfth, Charleston, South Carolina, is an ideal summer destination but scored only 22.54 for its cozy Christmas atmosphere. The city features:
- The tied lowest number of ice skating rinks.
- The lowest average snowfall in December, tied with New Orleans and Dallas.
13. Washington, D.C
Washington, D.C. might be cozy in fall but isn’t the perfect Christmas destination, with an overall score of just 20.23. However, the city did feature the most major Christmas markets, alongside Denver and Asheville.
14. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois, has an overall Christmas coziness score of 18.42, but the city does feature:
- The most coffee shops.
- The most parks.
15. St Louis, Missouri
St Louis, Missouri, shouldn’t be the first place to choose for a traditional Christmas holiday. The city’s overall score was 17.84.
16. New Orleans, Louisiana
It looks like Mardi Gras is the best time to visit New Orleans, as the southern city only scored 15.91 on the coziness scale for a Christmas getaway. It has:
- The lowest average snowfall in December (tied with Charleston and Newport Beach).
- The least ice skating rinks, along with four other cities.
17. Bowling Green, Kentucky
With a score of just 15.84, Bowling Green, Kentucky, isn’t the best spot for a cozy Christmas. The city tied for the fewest:
- Ice skating rinks.
- Major Christmas markets.
18. Dallas, Texas
Unsurprisingly, Dallas, Texas, is rated pretty low for Christmas coziness, with a score of just 10.35. It features:
- The lowest average snowfall in December (tied with Charleston and Newport Beach).
- The fewest major Christmas markets, along with seven other cities.
- The most shopping malls.
19. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada, is renowned for its exciting nightlife and exceptional casinos. It is not the place for a cozy Christmas getaway, though, with an overall score of just 7.71. It features:
- The lowest total cozy accommodation score.
- The second-lowest snowfall average.
- The third-highest average temperature on the list.
Methodology
To identify the coziest cities for a Christmas getaway, BetMGM Casino started with 19 cities known for their Christmas appeal, as identified by CN Traveller’s “The Best Places to Spend Christmas in the U.S.”
Variable Selection
Six key factors associated with a cozy Christmas atmosphere were analyzed:
- Snowfall: Average December snowfall, sourced from WeatherSpark, to enhance the magical, wintery feel.
- Accommodation Availability: The estimated number of cabins and bed & breakfasts available for booking in December, according to Airbnb, as an indicator of the city’s hosting capacity.
- Festive Events: The number of theater shows and Christmas markets happening in December, sourced from Tripadvisor and local news sites.
- Venues: The number of ice skating rinks, cozy coffee shops, and shopping centers (ideal for warming up or gift hunting), gathered from Google Maps.
- Nature: The number of parks, sourced from Tripadvisor, perfect for snowy winter strolls.
- Temperature: Average December temperature data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCDC), where colder temperatures contribute to the cozy Christmas feel.
Data Collection
Data collection was conducted between October 21 and 26, 2024.
- Snowfall: Data points for 3-4 dates in December were averaged and normalized to provide an accurate monthly figure.
- Accommodation: Available cabins and bed & breakfast options were counted on Airbnb as of October 21, 2024, then normalized to create a comparable score.
- Festive Events: Christmas markets were estimated from various local sources, as no single comprehensive list was available. Theater shows running December 1–30 were pulled from Tripadvisor. These event types contributed to the overall “festive venue” score.
- Venues: Ice skating rinks, coffee shops, and shopping centers were manually counted on Google Maps to estimate venue numbers for each city.
- Nature: The count of parks per city, as indicated by Tripadvisor, also contributed to the overall “festive venue” score.
- Temperature: Normalized December temperature data was inverted to favor colder cities with higher scores.
Composite “Total Venue” Score
Festive events, venues, and nature components were combined into a “total venue” score, adjusted per capita to prevent city size from skewing results. This was positive log-transformed to balance the comparison between larger and smaller cities, ensuring places like New York City didn’t receive disproportionately low scores due to their large populations.
Scoring and Weighting
Each variable was assigned a weight to calculate an overall score. Min-Max normalization was applied to all data points, with per capita adjustments for the “total venue” score to neutralize the effect of city population size. An exception was made for temperature, where normalization was reversed to reward colder climates.
- Weighting
- Venues: 30%
- Accommodation: 30%
- Snowfall: 30%
- Temperature: 10%
Final Calculation and Ranking
Each city’s total score was calculated using the formula:
30 X Positive log transformed venues per capita score + 30 X Accommodation normalized score + 30 X Snowfall normalized score + 10 X Temperature normalized score = Total city score.
Enjoy the Festive Season Wherever You Are
The festive season looks different to everyone, and one person’s cozy Christmas may not be another’s. At BetMGM Casino, we celebrate everyone’s version of festivity, whether that’s a log cabin in a snowy landscape, a Christmas market in a bustling city, a beach BBQ, playing online poker at home or in Las Vegas, and everything in between. Our themed slot machine page changes to match the seasons, keeping you entertained throughout the year.
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