If Christmas is your favourite time of year, why not celebrate it somewhere that looks like it’s been plucked straight out of a made-for-TV holiday movie?
From snow-covered streets and twinkling Christmas lights to cozy little shops serving hot chocolate, Canada has plenty of charming small towns that perfectly capture the classic festive vibes.
To find the places where travellers can get closest to living out their own Christmas movie, travel company and tour operator Journeyscape analyzed small towns across North America with festive reputations or connections to Christmas films.
The company compared each destination’s average December snowfall, likelihood of a white Christmas, population, and walkability before combining the results to give each town an overall score out of 10.
While Breckenridge, Colorado, was crowned North America’s best real-life Christmas movie town with an impressive score of 8.86, Canada has its fair share of festive spots worth checking out.
In fact, five Canadian destinations made the top 10, making the country a pretty strong bet for anyone dreaming of a winter wonderland.
Almonte, Ont., took the crown as Canada’s best Christmas movie town after earning an impressive 8.15 out of 10.
And if you’ve ever watched a Hallmark Christmas movie and wished you could step right into the screen, this picturesque community might be just the place. Loads of Christmas movies have been filmed in the town, including The Christmas Setup, Christmas By Design, and Christmas Around the Corner.
Home to around 6,000 people, Almonte receives an average of 17 inches of snow in December and, according to Journeyscape, has a 75.9 per cent chance of a white Christmas this year.
Another thing that makes Almonte stand out is its walk score of 86 out of 100, the highest among the five Canadian destinations on the list. That means you can leave the car at home as you wander its charming streets, browse local shops, and grab a hot chocolate.
Coming in a very close second is Wolfville, N.S., with a score of 8.05 out of 10.
Nova Scotia Tourism
This charming east coast town of about 5,000 residents is a great spot for Canadians looking to escape the overcrowded holiday spots.
For those who really want to wake up to a blanket of snow on Christmas morning, Banff, Alberta, might be the place to book a trip.
Scoring 7.05 out of 10, Banff, Alta. was the only Canadian destination in Journeyscape’s top-five ranking to achieve a 100 per cent white Christmas probability. With its dramatic Rocky Mountain backdrop, snow-covered streets and postcard-worthy scenery, this popular tourist destination practically screams Christmas once winter rolls around.
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Banff also goes all out with plenty of activities to get visitors into the holiday spirit, including the Banff Christmas Market, the Hot Chocolate Trail, the immersive “In Search of Christmas Spirit” outdoor lights experience and Mountaintop Christmas at the Banff Gondola.
Carleton Place, just outside Ottawa, has also earned a spot on Journeyscape’s list of Canada’s most magical Christmas destinations, ranking fourth overall. While it received a relatively low walk score of 41 out of 100, its impressive 75.9 per cent chance of a white Christmas helped secure its high ranking.
Rounding out the top five is Charlottetown, P.E.I., with an overall score of 6.71 out of 10.
Interestingly, Charlottetown receives an average of 24.6 inches of snow every December, making it one of the snowiest destinations on the list. But more December snowfall doesn’t necessarily mean a white Christmas is guaranteed. Journeyscape’s data puts the town’s probability of having snow on the ground on December 25 at 55.6 per cent.
Do you have a favourite Christmas-themed town in Canada that didn’t make the list? Let us know in the comments below.