This beautiful Texas city turns into a winter wonderland

When you fly to Dallas, you don’t land in Dallas; you’ll land in one of the many sprawling suburbs that make up the DFW Metroplex.

As much as we love exploring concrete jungles here at Travel Off Path, there’s something elusive about small towns that makes us feel right at home.

Sandwiched between the rootin’ tootin’ Yosemite Sam The vibe of Fort Worth and the glitz and glamor of Dallas lie in a storybook city with surprising luxury, an underrated wine scene, and a beautiful downtown that transforms into a festive winter wonderland.

Lined with humble eateries and boutique shops where it’s anything but a crime not to greet you with a “howdy, ya’ll!”, you’ll recently feel the pull of Southern hospitality in the charming town of Grapevine hyped by Southern Living as one of the destinations you must visit in the South to end 2025.

Welcome to the ‘Christmas Capital of Texas’‘

Here’s a question you probably never thought you’d ask:

“Should I fly to the European Christmas markets, or settle for an easy flight to Dallas?”.

Well, the choice is yours, but Grapevine is undoubtedly the easier option, and one that will definitely blow your mind.

If you’ve flown to DFW before, you’ve already been to Grapevine, whether you know it or not.

But as most visitors do, it’s likely you passed through the airport toll booth and down one of the many freeway overpasses into Dallas or Fort Worth’s Stockyards.

If there was ever a time to plan a trip to Grapevine as a main stop, it’s winter.

It has been called, as reported by Southern Living, the “Christmas Capitol of Texas,” and there are no fewer than them 1,400 festive events spread over 40 days during the holidays.

The only thing missing here are timeless, graceful squares with architectural wonders to gaze at while sipping endless cups of mulled wine.

Otherwise, Grapevine is one of the cheeriest Christmas getaways you can imagine – and downtown is at the heart of that.

A real, characteristic film

Winter in Grapevine is classic. I mean, guess what the main street is called…

Main Street – just like in the movies.

Be prepared for hot chocolate gracing your lips, or even mulled wine in certain spots. After all, the town is called Grapevine, known for its Urban wine route.

Unfortunately you missed the September one Grape festivalbut there’s always next year!

I’ve been visiting Grapevine for years as an alternative to the fairytale Christmas markets of Europe when I don’t feel like the long-haul flight.

Although Grapevine’s festivities don’t rival those of Munich or Vienna, it couldn’t be more storybook by Southern standards.

Historic Main Street lights up with millions of lights, festive facades, and even a Grinch sighting to keep the kids off the naughty list!

Rustic shops with an old-world shopping atmosphere are open, selling Christmas trinkets and souvenirs, and the whole town is spreading Christmas cheer.

Downtown is very walkable, but one of Grapevine’s year-round draws are the vintage trains, which become even more attractive during the Christmas season with the North Pole Express departing from Historic Cotton Belt Depot, just steps from the action.

Surprisingly luxurious accommodation – and even more festive outside the city center

Across from the aforementioned train depot, you’ll find a crowd heading in because, well, North Texas is going to be a frigid winter haunt.

A typical “white Christmas” may be lacking most years as postcard blankets of snow are rare, but don’t wear shorts like the ones pictured above like me (what was I thinking?!).

This is how I know the crowd is gathering Hotel Vin to warm up and experience even more festivities with the Sinatra soundtrack and other catchy Christmas hits.

They are currently advertising their own Winter wonderland takes place from December 3 – February 14, as the “WineYard” transforms into a ski lodge-style escape.

Away from the center, the Gaylord Texan is a powerhouse of Christmas spectacle. The best part is, you can start getting into the Christmas spirit before you’ve even taken a bite of Gam Gam’s bland turkey.

The Gaylord starts Christmas early with dazzling Christmas decorations from November 14 to January 4.

Sam Sears

Sam, our lead writer and San Diego-based journalist, has visited 36 countries and written more than 1,000 articles with an emphasis on sharing his own travel experiences and highlighting lesser-known gems.