Picking out the best Christmas towns in Arizona might seem a bit like choosing your favorite palm tree at the North Pole. After all, Arizona is known for its saguaro cactuses and retirees, not its reindeer and toymaker elves. But the truth is, this state is home to some of the most magical holiday destinations in the country, many of them every bit as enchanting as your favorite Hallmark movie.

To help with that quest, here are ten of the best Christmas towns in Arizona.

About 100 miles north of Phoenix sits Arizona’s burgeoning wine country, the famous Verde Valley.

And at the heart of Verde Valley lies Cottonwood, a historic village set against a stunning background of mountains and the type of lush green landscape you find only where vineyards rule.

Founded in 1879, this picturesque town takes its name from a circle of (surprise!) cottonwood trees that greeted early settlers to the area.

This town leans into its idyllic setting with gusto during the holiday season, starting with the annual Christmas parade the first Saturday in December.

That long-standing tradition, nearly 70 years strong now, brings together just about everyone in town and hundreds of visitors to revel in floats, lights, old trucks and tractors, and even characters dressed in authentic 19th century garb.

The celebration continues all through the month, with Santa sightings, a lively theatrical production called the Celebration of Christmas, and plenty of yuletide sparkle all through town.

And Cottonwood sports one other Christmas tradition the likes of which you’re not likely to find anywhere else – the Holiday Hoedown at the Blazin’ M Ranch.

If you like your Christmas celebrations with a little Dickensian flair, then Lake Havasu City just may be your cup of cranberry tea.

This town of 50,000, situated along the shore of the man-made Lake Havasu reservoir, began life as a rest camp for the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II before being incorporated in 1963.

Today, the entire area is one of America’s great inland water-based playgrounds, in addition to playing a vital role in the local ecology.

But it’s the east end, across a small channel from the town’s main peninsula, that really makes Lake Havasu City a holiday destination. Because there stands English Village, a strip of buildings modeled after Victorian London, which was Charles Dickens’ old stomping grounds.

And just how do you get from the town’s mainland to English Village?

Why, you cross London Bridge, of course!

Yes, the London Bridge, which Lake Havasu City founder Robert P. McCulloch bought from England in 1968.

Today, English Village and London Bridge take center stage each December at the annual Festival of Lights, one of the most festive and unusual Christmas celebrations in the world.

Running from late November through the first week of January, this festival invites you to peruse the Victorian shops, sing along with the carolers on every street corner, and maybe sip some hot chocolate along the way.

And with the bridge and village setting the night ablaze and reflecting in the water, you’ll never miss a detail.

Every good Christmas movie has an underdog, or a triumphant comeback story.

If you were casting for the part of “Christmas Town” based on those criteria, Clifton would be tough to beat.

Founded along with sister city Morenci back in the 1860s, Clifton was a classic boomtown, fueled by bumper crops of gold, silver, and copper mines. By 1910, Clifton’s population had swelled to 5,000, and a grand train depot was erected three years later.

But in the 1960s, a pit mine swallowed Morenci, leaving Clifton to fend for itself.

Then, in 1983, a months-long copper miners strike that nearly bankrupted the town came to an uneasy end just two months before epic flooding destroyed hundreds of homes and damaged most of the downtown businesses in October.

Christmas was bleak and the future uncertain. But Clifton and its citizens fought back, and they rebuilt.

Today, the annual Festival of Lights is nearing 30 years of yuletide jollies, and the historic downtown twinkles to life each December. It’s one of the most magical Christmas towns in eastern Arizona.

At about 77,000 residents, Flagstaff is one of the larger “towns” on our list, and it stretches the very definition of the word.

But you really can’t talk about Christmas in Arizona without including the City in the Pines. 

For starters, Flagstaff is surrounded by the Coconino National Forest, the largest uninterrupted Ponderosa pine forest in North America.

And sitting at an elevation of 7,000 feet, surrounded by mountains, Flagstaff gets plenty of snow – nearly seven feet per year on average!

Heck, if Santa Claus ever wanted to relocate his winter wonderland, you have to figure Flagstaff would be high on his list.

Come December, the town does its best to beckon the jolly old elf, too, with enough holiday cheer and festive events to keep you hopping all season long.

There’s the standard downtown Christmas buzz, like a holiday parade, breakfast with Santa, decorating contests, and the tree lighting. “Lights at the Station” and the Holiday of Lights at Little America Hotel are particularly stunning displays.

Little America is also home to maybe the most magical Christmas celebration you’ll ever find – the North Pole Experience. Here, kids (and their parents) can spend more than 90 minutes inside Santa’s Workshop. They not only get to meet Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the elves, they also get to help them build Christmas toys!

Located just south of the Utah border, Page was founded in 1957 as not much more than a housing tract for the men working to build the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River.

But from those humble beginnings, this “new kid” on our Arizona Christmas block has grown into a popular tourist attraction. Today, local wonders like Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, and the spectacular Horseshoe Bend draw visitors from all over the world.

And, in late November, the entire area becomes a must-see holiday destination.

The centerpiece of the festivities is Christmas in the Park, a celebration that stretches from the Saturday after Thanksgiving all the way into the New Year. It all begins with the Parade of Lights and the town tree lighting, then continues with Christmas carols, photos with Santa, and even a live nativity.

Throughout December, the lights and cheer spill out into the rest of the town, where shops and houses get decked out for the season and offer up the sort of small town atmosphere usually reserved for Hallmark movies.

And, of course, the physical beauty and natural attractions of the area make for a Christmas like no other, from the powerful dam to local fauna like bobcats and bighorn sheep.

If your holiday luck holds out, you may even get a frosty white Christmas to top it all off.

Nestled about halfway between the Navajo Nation and the Fort Apache Reservation, Payson is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest.

It’s also pretty much smack-dab in the middle of the state, earning it the unofficial title of “The Heart of Arizona.” 

Famed western author Zane Grey loved the area so much that he bought several parcels of land in and around Payson, and featured the locale in many of his books and movies. So, yes, Payson is also known as “Zane Grey country.”

But for all that character and history, the best nickname for Payson in the late fall and early winter just might be “Christmas Town.”

The magic begins with the annual Electric Light Parade down Main Street, winding up in the parking lot of the local high school. From there, the celebration spills over into Santa’s Workshop.

The rest of the month is an endless run of yuletide cheer, marked by special events like the Light Up the Rim contest that encourages households in “Rim Country” to join in the festivities (and maybe win prizes).

And, if you’re in the mood for a Christmas event that really celebrates the local heritage, head down the road to the Besh-ba-Gowah Archeological Park. There, the annual Festival of Lights features thousands of luminarias splashing off the walls of the Salado ruins, which are undergoing an extensive restoration.

Wedged into the southeastern corner of Navajo County, Show Low owes its unusual name to the flip of a card hand between two ranchers trying to settle a land dispute without bloodshed.

Or so the legend goes.

But, while that tall tale may be open for interpretation, one thing is certain about Show Low: the town absolutely explodes with holiday spirit in December. 

Show Low Shines twinkles to life the day after Thanksgiving when downtown light displays power up to greet Black Friday shoppers. Then, the annual Christmas parade fills the streets with floats, lights, and music on the first Saturday in December.

That holiday caravan winds up in front of the Show Low City Library, where the entire town joins in the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.

The rest of the month is an avalanche of flashing lights synchronized to music, visits with Santa, and general merry-making.

Then, on December 31, Show Low celebrates the New Year by dropping the Deuce of Clubs from the top of the town tree. Yep, you guessed it – that was the winning hand that sealed the town’s fate back in the 1870s.

No town epitomizes the Old West quite like Tombstone.

With its wide dirt streets, wooden-plank sidewalks, and blocks of interconnected shops, even today Tombstone looks like a good place to find a stiff drink, some fresh duds, and some shelter from the harsh desert.

Or a shootout, like the famed Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

But, come the holidays, Tombstone is also the place to find a Christmas celebration unlike any other.

It all gets off to a rollicking start the first full week of December, when shop owners deck out their stores in traditional decorations from the 1800s – wreaths, bells, candles, and the like.

Then, on the second Saturday of the month, the town night explodes to life with the annual Christmas Light Parade. Holiday floats and vehicles from horse-drawn carriages to Santa’s sleigh pulled by a golf cart delight onlookers who come from far and wide.

Many of the parade-goers dress in vintage clothing, giving the whole affair a festive and authentic feel. Maybe somebody struck silver again!

Once the parade is done, the night continues with the annual Tombstone Christmas Ball in historic Schieffelin Hall (named after town founder, prospector Ed Schieffelin). Petticoats, cowboy hats, waltzes, and Christmas lights transport you back to a yuletide long, long ago.

And you can always head up the road to Tucson if you’re in search of a more uptown holiday adventure. The “big city” offers up an array of Christmas sights and sounds, from ZooLights to theatrical performances to ice skating.

Founded in 1881 during the boom years of the Wild West, Williams soon became a focal point for travelers setting out to take in the splendors of Arizona.

Visitors to Flagstaff who had a hankering for a bit of adventure could head west 40 miles to Williams, where they could wet their whistle before heading into more untamed territory… or turning back.

Then, in 1901, Grand Canyon Railway made its maiden voyage, shuttling passengers from Williams to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Williams was also a favorite stop for cross-country travelers in the 20th century – it was the last town on old Route 66 to be bypassed by Interstate 40.

All of that heritage comes roaring to life during the holidays, beginning with the Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The downtown sparkles all through December, as kids revel in visits with Santa while their parents take in the lights, smells, and deals of the season.

But maybe the centerpiece of Christmas in Williams is the old train depot itself, where the Grand Canyon Railway transforms into The Polar Express. It just might come for you… if you believe!

Did you know that fresh, healthy lettuce is a sure sign that Christmas is on the way to Yuma?

Well, it’s true!

See, Yuma County (where Yuma is located) produces about 90% of all the lettuce consumed in the United States from November through March each year.

But yuletide Yuma offers up plenty of other treasures beyond leafy greens. 

For starters, the Old Town Christmas Festival lights up Historic Old Yuma on the first Saturday in December. Nestled in the heart of the original city that can trace its beginnings to the 1500s, this celebration lets you witness firsthand the moment Christmas arrives at the “Gateway of the Great Southwest.”

You’ll find all the usual sights and sounds of the season, from old-fashioned streetlights to twinkling wreaths to carolers on the corners. But watch closely, and you might even see Santa himself being rescued from the roof of the Art Center.

The festivities continue all month long, with musical performances, theatrical productions at nearby Arizona Western College, and, of course, plenty of cozy shops to peruse.

It all makes Yuma a Christmas oasis just a cranberry’s throw away from the California and Mexico borders.

So, next time your lettuce comes with a “Grown in Yuma” sticker, it just might be time for a holiday road trip!

International Christmas Towns

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