Spotlight: 365 Holidays – Towns with Holiday Names

If you feel like celebrating the holidays year-round, consider a road trip to these towns where, thanks in part to their names, it may seem like every day is a holiday.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (74 miles from Circle M RV Campground)

Appropriately, this little town of Bethlehem was named by Moravian missionaries who founded a mission here on Christmas Eve of 1741, naming the settlement after the biblical town of Bethlehem. From museums to public parks (more than 30) to its crazy schedule of festivals (10 major and 150 minor), Bethlehem is worth a visit. (Circle M RV Campground is open April thru November.)

Christmas Valley, Oregon (95 miles from Bend-Sunriver RV Campground)

Though the town, as well as the nearby lake, was named for an early settler to the area, Peter Christman in the late 1800s, by early 1900, the townsfolk just began calling it Christmas Lake and Christmas Valley. As the town grew, the street names and businesses began to reflect the Christmas theme and took on names like Holly Lane and Snowman Road or Santa’s Hardware. But other than that, the area is really known for its hay production. The big draw here is Crack in the Ground, a volcanic fissure that runs about 2 miles long and is nearly 30 feet deep. However, being a little over an hour’s drive to Bend, Oregon, it’s worth a stop on your way to or from the campground.

Santa Claus, Indiana (2 hours from Diamond Caverns RV Campground)

Of course, in a town named Santa Claus, you will find the Santa Claus Museum and Village. At the museum, you will find decades and decades worth of children’s letters to Santa as well as representations, in all shapes and sizes, of the jolly old man himself. In addition, there are historical documents, photos, and artifacts of the town that include the story behind the town’s famous name. There is even a 22-foot tall statue of Santa Claus that provides the perfect photo op for your very own picture with Santa.

Christmas Cove, Maine (98 miles from Moody Beach RV Campground)

Because of its Maine location, Christmas Cove is probably not an ideal place for a winter getaway but come summer, it’s as picturesque as any quaint harbor town along the Eastern seaboard. Legend has it that the town got its name when English explorer John Smith anchored here in December of 1614. A visit in summer will guarantee some great lobster, plenty of water sports like paddle boarding and kayaking, and some wonderful sunsets. (Moody Beach RV Campground is open April thru October.)