Annapolis Named One of America's Best Small Towns for Christmas

ANNAPOLIS, MD — All of the holiday events Annapolis-area residents enjoy – the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, candlelight strolls of the State Capital and the historic Hammond Harwood House, and Midnight Madness Holiday Shopping downtown – have gained national recognition. Again.

Country Living magazine has ranked Annapolis at No. 10 in its list of America's 20 Best Small Towns for Christmas.

Last year, Travel and Leisure magazine ranked America’s Best Towns for the Holidays and Annapolis placed at No. 15 on that list.

»Related story: Lights on the Bay 2016 Opens Nov. 19, Runs Through Jan. 1

The competition was stiff, with the top spots going to a variety of cities, from seaside communities to the old West to alpine villages recreated in the Midwest. The top 5 destinations picked are: Leavenworth, WA; Woodstock, VT; Ashville, NC; Jackson, WY; and Natchitoches, LA.

The magazine’s writers said of the best small towns for Christmas: "These great American towns sure can light up, sing out, and celebrate the Christmas season right. We recommend adding these festive small towns to your holiday travel bucket list, stat!"

Here’s how Country Living describes Annapolis during the Christmas holidays:

Annapolis showcases its impressive 18th-century historic district at the holidays, with candlelit strolls and guided tours of some of the town's grand homes. The town is lavishly trimmed with evergreen garlands and, down on the City Dock, reflections of the holiday tree twinkle in the water of the harbor. The town's nautical traditions are honored with a lighted boat parade in December.

Here are a few Annapolis events to take in over the holidays:

Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade: Every year on the second Saturday in December, Annapolis Harbor is filled with boats illuminated with thousands of colored lights. Families and friends gather at their favorite viewing spots along the waterfront to see the yearly spectacle. This year's parade will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, at Annapolis Harbor and Spa Creek above the Spa Creek Bridge. The Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade has been nominated as one of USA Today's Best Holiday Parades; vote here daily through Dec. 5 to help Eastport win.

Holiday Candlelight Stroll: During this 1 and 1/2 hour walking tour you will learn about the origin of many holiday customs, from the significance of evergreens, yule logs and even Christmas trees to the song "sing a song of sixpence, pocketful of rye...". Walk along the streets of Annapolis, past colonial mansions, Victorian townhouses and quaint shops, enjoy a guided visit inside the Hammond Harwood House, tour the historic State Capital, and take in an interior tour of the historic Hammond Harwood House.

Lights on the Bay: Lights on the Bay runs through the holiday season at Annapolis’s Sandy Point State Park from Nov. 19 through Jan. 1, with a number of family-friendly events at the outdoor light show. Guests can see nearly 70 animated and stationery holiday light displays during the two-mile drive along Chesapeake Bay. For children exploring Lights on the Bay, there will be a nightly scavenger hunt challenging them to find items within the show, answer display-related questions and enter a drawing to win prizes.

>>Photo Credit: Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade, used with permission