5 Southern Places to Visit This Holiday Season

Christmas is a magical time of year. If you’re up for a fun weekend road trip, you’ll find many fun holiday events throughout the Southeastern U.S. Before you get wrapped up in the craziness of holiday shopping, here are 5 Southern places to visit this holiday season.

Franklin, Tennessee – 38th Annual Dickens of a Christmas, December 9 & 10th

The highlight of the Christmas season in Franklin is the town’s Dickens on Main event. Located about 15 miles south of Nashville, the towns main street is blocked off and features dozens of vendors and speciality shops selling all types of Christmas items. Local residents dress as Dickens characters and interact with the hundreds of guests milling about.

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When you’re finished visiting all the booths, check out O’ Be Joyful, a fantastic bourbon bar located next door to Gray’s On Main, a popular eatery located in a refurbished drug store.

Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee – Leiper’s Fork Christmas Parade, December 9, 2 p.m.

Just a stone’s throw south of Franklin, TN is the charming village of Leiper’s Fork. Each year a few hundred visitors gather for the community’s annual Christmas parade. It’s as close to a small-town parade that you’ll find anywhere and one of this year’s grand Marshall’s is Wynonna Judd.

However, there’s only a couple of roads leading to Leiper’s Fork and for the 2 p.m. start, I recommend that you arrive no later than 11 a.m. Walk over to Moo Country boutique and hear live music while you shop and drink hot chocolate. Fox & Locke (formally Puckett’s) is a must-stop, along with a dozen or so other boutiques. Who know’s, you may find yourself standing next to one of the many celebrities who call Leiper’s Fork their adopted hometown.

Savannah, Tennessee  – Christmas On Main, Dec. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16

Every year the downtown area comes alive with each building highlighted by white lights. Annual events feature an ice rink, trolley rides, visits with Santa, and lots of great food.

Hagy’s Catfish Hotel, while not an actually lodging establishment, serves some of the finest fried catfish and hushpuppies you’ve ever tasted. If you book early, you can probably find accommodations at the Pickwick Landing State Park Inn, located on the banks of Pickwick Lake.

Oxford, Mississippi – Ballerina’s & Books, Saturday, December 9, 10 a.m.- Noon, Square Books, Jr.

A magical Southern college town, the charming downtown area turns into a paradise during the Christmas season. One of the highlights includes a reading of The Nutcracker at Square Books, Jr., complete with a real live ballerina from nearby Memphis Ballet. They will certainly be a crowd so arrive early.

However, there’s plenty to do in Oxford. James Beard Award-winning Chef John Currence owns several phenomenal eateries, including City Grocery, Snack Bar, and Big Bad Breakfast. Take a stroll through the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) campus, or tour William Faulker’s home a short distance from downtown. There’s also the lovely town of Taylor, Mississippi, just a few miles south.

Beaufort, South Carolina – Annual Beaufort Holiday Weekend, Dec. 7-9

The city’s celebration weekend starts on Friday, December 7, with the 29th Annual “A Night on the Town”. Beginning at 6 p.m. downtown shops are open late, and don’t miss the City of Beaufort’s tree lighting ceremony while you’re sipping a warm cocktail.

On Saturday, December, 8, the much-anticipated “Stars in the Rigging Holiday Boat Parade” gets under way along the river banks in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Scores of lighted boats make three passes by the seawall beginning at 6 p.m.

The next day, the annual Beaufort Christmas Parade kicks off at 3 p.m. along the cities downtown corridor.