Christmas towns

[jasin1]

Looking for suggestions for snowy little christmas towns within 6-8 hours from Maryland….Would love to take the fifth wheel but don’t really want to have to worry about sliding off a mountain while braking.

I’d like to find a little town with Christmas lights and antique shops and maybe a restaurant or two….guess i could rent a cabin for the weekend also….would definitely like snow in the picture…Maine or Mass maybe?……Tennessee or NC the Biltmore ?…although Michigan and the UP is really interesting to me..just watched a video where a couple had a meet up with other rvs at Lower Falls in the upper peninsula in the snow that looked like fun but again don’t think i want to test my trailer brakes on icy roads…..any ideas appreciated

[sourdough]

I don't have any suggestions for a location but I can say that at this point in my life I do not pull my trailer into snowy locations knowingly. Did a lot of that when I was younger but not these days. Talking to an insurance agent the other day about medicare medigap plans and he kept rambling about this and that plan etc. I told him at this age I am comfortable with; the "known"; predictability; no surprises; things that don't impose on me unexpectedly and.....not ever talking to a sales person. Anyway, if I go to snow I go to a cabin, condo etc. JMO

[notanlines]

Brian, I wholeheartedly recommend Snowshoe Mountain Resort a very short distance from you. RV parks are available and accommodations at the resort are fantastic. Many shops and restaurants at the village and beautiful West Virginia scenery.
https://www.snowshoemtn.com/

[notanlines]

Another thought, you would be but a few miles from the Byrd Green Bank Telescope. Largest in the world, a true site to see.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Brian, I wholeheartedly recommend Snowshoe Mountain Resort a very short distance from you. RV parks are available and accommodations at the resort are fantastic. Many shops and restaurants at the village and beautiful West Virginia scenery.
https://www.snowshoemtn.com/

That looks pretty nice!..I will check it out

[JRTJH]

Brian,

You don't want to "risk" the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the winter with a trailer and it may be just as "risky" in a 4x4 truck. This winter we've only had about 20" of snow in Gaylord (in the lower peninsula) and much of that melted last week. That said, 5 years ago, we had roughly 60" on the ground and Thanksgiving was -16F. Granted, many people snowmobile and ski the UP as well as other "winter recreation"... But, flying in may result in a day or two weather delay and driving in may mean rescheduling for "next week is the earliest opening at a resort". When a cold front moves across Lake Superior, it may just be clear skies and a couple degrees colder or it may dump 40-60 inches overnight with drifts over the houses.

I'm not suggesting that you don't consider the UP, just be aware that if you get snowed in, you may be there for several extra days and you're just as likely to be "snowed out" and not be able to get to your reserved resort room until after someone else has reservations for the following week in the same room.

So far, we've had a mild winter, but it's super cold in northern Canada and if those cold fronts move across the "relatively warm Great Lakes" it will pick up loads of moisture and the lake affect snow will cover much of the UP and likely "bury us in the "upper lower".

[LHaven]

My first thought was that you had described Occoquan VA perfectly... then I remembered you wanted snow, which is possible but unlikely. When I lived out that way, Fairfax County once cancelled school on account of clouds.

Lake Havasu City also fits your bill, though it is out of your range. The Christmas lights on the historic, original London Bridge are quite spectacular. They even have falling snow! It doesn't accumulate much, but you can stand under the snow generator and pretend!

[flybouy]

Havre-De-Grace, MD about 25 miles away checks all the boxes except the snow. Problem is as I see it, you want the snow but don't want to drive in it, that's a paradox unless you're willing to have flexible travel and layover times. Snow Shoe, Greenbank, WV is absolutely gorgeous country but like much of WV can be difficult to access, especially in the winter.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Brian,

You don't want to "risk" the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the winter with a trailer and it may be just as "risky" in a 4x4 truck. This winter we've only had about 20" of snow in Gaylord (in the lower peninsula) and much of that melted last week. That said, 5 years ago, we had roughly 60" on the ground and Thanksgiving was -16F. Granted, many people snowmobile and ski the UP as well as other "winter recreation"... But, flying in may result in a day or two weather delay and driving in may mean rescheduling for "next week is the earliest opening at a resort". When a cold front moves across Lake Superior, it may just be clear skies and a couple degrees colder or it may dump 40-60 inches overnight with drifts over the houses.

I'm not suggesting that you don't consider the UP, just be aware that if you get snowed in, you may be there for several extra days and you're just as likely to be "snowed out" and not be able to get to your reserved resort room until after someone else has reservations for the following week in the same room.

So far, we've had a mild winter, but it's super cold in northern Canada and if those cold fronts move across the "relatively warm Great Lakes" it will pick up loads of moisture and the lake affect snow will cover much of the UP and likely "bury us in the "upper lower".

Thanks for the heads up on the unpredictable snowfall up there…may just cross that one off for now

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Havre-De-Grace, MD about 25 miles away checks all the boxes except the snow. Problem is as I see it, you want the snow but don't want to drive in it, that's a paradox unless you're willing to have flexible travel and layover times. Snow Shoe, Greenbank, WV is absolutely gorgeous country but like much of WV can be difficult to access, especially in the winter.

yes i go to Havre DE Grace every now and then…nice little town and only an hour away…i don’t mind driving in the snow i just don’t want to pull my fifth wheel in the snow lol

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by LHaven

My first thought was that you had described Occoquan VA perfectly... then I remembered you wanted snow, which is possible but unlikely. When I lived out that way, Fairfax County once cancelled school on account of clouds.

Lake Havasu City also fits your bill, though it is out of your range. The Christmas lights on the historic, original London Bridge are quite spectacular. They even have falling snow! It doesn't accumulate much, but you can stand under the snow generator and pretend!

That’s funny you say that about the clouds…lol …i once drove thru Roanoke VA in the winter and they had a whole crew of guys and flaggers with a front end loader and a lane shut down because of a large snowball in the road….looked like part of a snowman but they acted like they were clearing roads on Donner pass

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by jasin1

Thanks for the heads up on the unpredictable snowfall up there…may just cross that one off for now

We live 50 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge on I-75. That's about a 1 hour trip most days. On "really nice winter days" we have left the house, headed to St Ignace to have a pastie for lunch, only to find that by the time we get to t he bridge, it's closed due to changes in the weather, visibility or high winds and had to turn around and go back home.

The UP is a "true winter wonderland" and everyone ought to experience the recreational opportunities which are not like any other place in North America. that said, the winter weather is not always cooperative with tourist plans. I've seen M-28 which runs east/west from Sault St Marie to Marquette closed because of drifting snow and blizzard conditions, sometimes 3 or 4 days at a time.

We have relatives in Marquette, but won't plan a visit during the winter. They don't come south to visit us because they might not get back home on time and we don't visit them because we might get stranded in the UP, sometimes for up to a week before all the roads are clear so we can travel home. It does no good to have a clear road from Marquette to St Ignace, only to find the bridge closed and no motel rooms vacant. We've spent the night in McDonalds waiting for clear weather. It's no fun in the winter !!!

Some will say, "Aw, where's your sense of adventure".... Miss a curve and wind up in a snowbank and it may be a day or more before anyone finds you... That's an "adventure to avoid" !!!!!

[flybouy]

Miss a curve and wind up in a snowbank and it may be a day or more before anyone finds you... That's an "adventure to avoid" !!

"Back in the day" , before weather radar, I spent more than one night in a car during a blizzard while hunting in WV. Back then, I never traveled without a large thermos of coffee, a couple of sandwiches, and some fruit. Blankets of course and 2 six packs of soda and a full tank of gas. I could last a few days rationing my resources.

Now days, I get "real time" radar weather reports on my GPS and my phone with road and traffic conditions. Amazing times we live in these days!

[PolarisCobra]

Southbridge Mass is on the list of top Christmas towns. In western Mass, near the NY border. There is a Norman Rockwell museum there that is pretty cool.

By definition, you are looking for cold places, going to be hard to find a campground that is open this time of year in that area. Might be best to be looking for a hotel or Bed and Breakfast, there are plenty in the area.

https://stockbridgechamber.org/