An Underrated Missouri City Undergoes A Christmas Transformation Into A Glistening Holiday Paradise

Despite being ideal for laidback vacations, Missouri is an often overlooked state. There's a lot of focus on its major cities, such as St. Louis, or luxurious spots like this premier wilderness resort on a serene lake in the Ozark Mountains. However, St. Charles, a city and a suburb of St. Louis, is especially left out — usually in favor of much larger and glitzier tourist destinations.

With its storybook brick streets and buildings, St. Charles has plenty to offer to make itself stand out as a prime holiday destination, especially from the weekend after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve, when the St. Charles Christmas Traditions are in full swing. It's hard to name a city that has more of a holiday-like feel to it. Once all the mistletoes, lights, and bows are sprinkled around the city, you'll struggle to believe St. Charles wasn't made just for the season.

If you live north or south of Missouri, you can make your trip even more memorable if you drive one of America's most underrated highway routes. It runs through St. Louis, so it won't take you too far out of your way when traveling to St. Charles. This city has been hosting Christmas festivities for 50 years as of 2024. St. Charles' Christmas Traditions event is truly spectacular — over 130,000 people visit every year just to experience the holiday celebrations.

The Ozarks might be a scenic hot spot for Midwesterners craving a fall vacation, according to Samantha Brown, but St. Charles is a magical place in the winter and a treat for every age. Take photos with Santa, see pictures of his favorite reindeer at the Hall of Fame, and even watch some of his incredibly busy workers in the mailroom every weekend, running for a few hours after 12:45 at Santa's Cottage. Interestingly, this isn't the only classic Santa you'll see.

Part of the Christmas traditions in St. Charles includes an international celebration with gift-bringers and winter creatures from all over the world, like the Mouse King, Ebenezer Scrooge, Master of Revels, Jacob Marley, and Jack Frost. There is so much to do here during the holiday season; it's almost unbelievable. The whole area gets into the Christmas spirit, and you'll find another treat waiting for you everywhere you turn. 

The first night St. Charles opens up for this Christmas event is one of the most exciting times to visit. It usually happens on the Friday after Thanksgiving, running approximately from noon to 8 p.m. However, timing is subject to changes, so it's a good idea to check the schedules before planning your trip. The day starts with a parade at noon and is followed by the opening day ceremony, which includes the cutting of the ribbon, greeting of Santa, and a glimpse of all the other characters to be found around the city. Later that evening, the official St. Charles Christmas tree is lit at around 5 p.m. at Berthold Square.

The above just scratches the surface of why you must visit St. Charles during the holiday season — perhaps even over some other holiday destinations, like one of California's best Christmas towns that offers festivities and acres of themed gardens. Even if you can't make the opening day, the following days are equally jam-packed with fun adventures. Learn more about the history of the Christmas tree, play games alongside Krampus on Fridays after 6 p.m., go shopping at a Victorian marketplace, learn about the history of caroling, fun facts about your favorite holiday snacks, and much more. 

There are fun adventures specifically for children, as well. For example, Battle for the Land of the Sweets is open every weekend and starts at 1:30 p.m. During this event, the characters of the Land of the Sweets fight to save themselves from the Mouse King and request the help of visitors to St. Charles, who are sent through a quick boot camp. When the kids are tired after all of their fun, take the time to explore some of the gift shops and markets (you might be able to knock out all of your Christmas shopping in one go). 

The Christmas Carol Stroll is another fun adventure, usually hosted on Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. This walk takes you through some of the historic districts of St. Charles while recreating the classic story by Charles Dickens. The stroll is broken into six chapters that people can join whenever they want, along with a few bonus scenes and events. All of St. Charles' Main Street is full of the Christmas spirit, but the heart of the event is at the KATY Depot in Frontier Park. 

If you want to maximize your time, starting your day around 1 p.m. and going through the evening is the best way to experience everything. This lets you meet with Santa and get to do all of the afternoon and evening events while not exhausting yourself or your kids by staying out all day. Plus, as the light dims, you get a chance to see all the Christmas decorations in their most festive glory. Along the way, you can stop and get some drinks and snacks to give you a boost of energy. 

For something delicious to drink, visit the 8 Maids Wassail Tavern. There, you'll have a chance to try a traditional spiced cider, wassail. You've likely heard the classic line about roasting chestnuts over an open fire — if you've ever wanted to try this fun holiday tradition, you can do so in St. Charles. Not only do you get the chance to try freshly roasted chestnuts, but the roasters will even walk you through the process. The wassail and chestnut booths run most days the event is open, though the times vary.

If you need a little pick-me-up after a long day of walking around — and a quick break from the Christmas season — Picasso's Coffee is a great place to get some coffee, hot chocolate, or a specialty Aztec spiced cocoa to make sure you feel warm and toasty. For an adults-only break, the Bella Vino Wine Bar welcomes you to sit outside and still enjoy the sights of Main Street with a delicious glass of wine in hand. For a pint, Two Plumbers Brewery and Arcade is the perfect place to have a drink and enjoy your favorite classic video games.