Now I’m a summer girl through and through (I am a Leo afterall), but the holiday season holds a special place in my heart. I don’t know what it is about the lights, decorations, and festivities, but it has always felt like the most magical time of the year. Sure, there are some people will say that Thanksgiving is the official start of the holiday season. But in my opinion it’s really when the holiday markets start opening! While there are probably hundreds across the United States, I live in the Northeast and think our holiday markets are pretty special. Is that because I haven’t been to one anywhere else? Maybe…but that’s not the point. My goal is to eventually hit all the spots on this list, and possibly even add a few more!
Featured Holiday Markets
Christmas Village in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I’m maybe a bit biased about how great this particular Christmas village is, because I live here and go every year. Philly’s Christmas Village is spread between LOVE Park, City Hall, and Dilworth Park. City Hall is where you’ll find activities like ice skating, a double-decker merry-go-round and Ferris wheel, as well as the city’s Christmas tree. It all seems like one continuous event, but the shops in Dilworth Park are technically the separate Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market. The village is open every year from the end of November through Christmas eve (closed Thanksgiving weekend).
ShortGirl Favorites. You can’t go wrong with tastings at New Liberty Distillery, especially my personal favorite the Kinsey Single Hive Honey Whiskey. Another yearly stop is at the jerky stand where he’ll let you try whichever kind you’re interested in! I always grab a pack of the scorpion pepper and sweet teriyaki. I don’t usually have much luck when it comes to raffles, but back in 2022 I actually won a bunch of great items from the Crafts Department Philly! I’ve never seen a mug I didn’t want, so of course I have three of the collectable Christmas Village mugs.
Getting There. In terms of public transit you’ve got a few options. From outside the city, I recommend driving to your nearest SEPTA station and taking regional rail. You’ll get off at Suburban Station, which is right across the street from LOVE Park. If you’re taking the subway, either line will get you there. The BSL stops right at City Hall and the MFL stops at 15th Street, which lets out into Dilworth Park. Traffic in the city is even worse than normal during the holiday season, but if you must drive there are plenty of parking garages to choose from in Center City.
1400 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, PA – Website
Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City, New York
Another holiday market I’ve probably been to a dozen times is the Bryant Park Winter Village. Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, here you’ll find a mix of shops, ice skating, and so many food options. Compared to Philly, Bryant Park’s shops are open significantly longer – starting at the end of October and going through the beginning of the new year. The best time to visit is during the week within an hour or two of opening if you want to avoid the worst of the crowds. Be warned, the weekends and evenings are almost always a madhouse.
ShortGirl Favorites: Davin & Kessler sells a variety of wooden accessories, like jewelry, letter openers, chopsticks, and Christmas ornaments. Book Page Art tempts me every time with artwork consisting of highlighted quotes from popular book pages. When we worked in the city we bought an ornament from this stall every year! No Chewing Allowed chocolate is also pretty popular – the guy handing out samples was ADAMANT that you have to let it melt on your tongue!
Getting There: New York City has such a well connected transit system that there are plenty of options to choose from. Bryant Park has its own subway station at 42nd Street – you can get there via the B, D, F, or M lines. There are a number of bus stops around the outside of the park if you’d rather go that route. If like me you enjoy walking, its only a 20-25 min walk from Penn Station.
41st Street and, 6th Ave, New York, NY – Website
Next On The List
Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
This is considered to be one of the best Christmas markets not just the northeast, but in the entire United States. Which explains why unlike most of the others on this list, there is a ticket and entry fee. The market consists of multiple tents housing nearly 200 food, drink, and gift stands. It’s only open Friday through Sunday, plus the occasional Thursday, from mid-November through just before Christmas. If you’re staying in the area for a few days, make sure to check out the Hot Glass Experience where you make your own ornament or paperweight. It’s very popular so timeslots fill up fast.
Getting There: The Blue and Green bus lines both stop at the Hayes station, which is about a 5 minute walk from the market. Public parking is available across the street at PNC Plaza (645 East First Street) as well as a number of nearby parking garages.
711 E 1st St, Bethlehem, PA – Website
Christmas Village in Baltimore, Maryland
Like Christkindlmarkt, Baltimore’s market is arguably one of the top Christmas markets in the country. It’s located in the West Shore Park, in Baltimore’s famous Inner Harbor district. The market is a bit smaller than some of the others, with 50+ vendors, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (the two days before Christmas excluded). If you like the look of the Philly collectable mugs but can’t make it to the city, the Christmas Village in Baltimore looks to have the same ones!
Getting There: The village is a 10 minute walk from the Charles Center Metro station and multiple buses make stops along Light Street (71, 67, 94, and CityLink Silver). There are plenty of parking garages in the Inner Harbor, most of which are about a 10-ish minute walk from the Christmas Village. Just keep in mind parking can get a little pricey.
501 Light St, Baltimore, MD – Website
DowntownDC Holiday Market in Washington, D.C.
I think the location of this market in the nation’s capital makes it extra special, as it is on F Street right in front of the gorgeous Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Like many of the others, it is open from just before Thanksgiving through right before Christmas. Hosted by the DowntownDC Business Improvement District for the last 20 years, you’ll find over 100 stands including jewelry, decor, candles, art, and food. There is also a similarly named DC Holiday Market in Dupont Circle, which makes things a bit confusing.
Getting There: For the WMATA Metro, you can take the Red, Yellow, or Green lines to the Gallery Place-Chinatown station. I won’t go into too much detail about buses, as there are so many routes/stops to choose from and Google will likely be more useful on that front. I personally hate driving in DC, so I really don’t recommend it.
F Street NW, Between 7th & 9th Streets NW – Website
SoWa Winter Festival in Boston, Massachusetts
While there are many different holiday markets in Boston, SoWa’s is the biggest. SoWa stands for “South of Washington”, an artsy district in Boston’s South End. Like most of the others, it’s open from the end of November through just before Christmas. The event is indoors with over 100 vendors, plus lots of food and drink options. Similar to Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem there is also an entry fee.
Getting There: Parking is available on site for an additional fee ($10 as of 2024, cash only). Alternate parking locations nearby include paid lots at 365 Albany Street, 324 Albany Street, and 274 Albany Street. There are plenty of public transit options, including buses, shuttles, and the subway, most of which drop off at stations/stops within a 5 minute walk of the festival.
550 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA – Website
Is your favorite northeast holiday market on my list? Let me know in the comments!
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