Looking for a Christmas-themed getaway? Try one of these five destinations
Erie at Christmas time is a festive sight to see, but it's also a good location for some short drives for ideal holiday road trips.
Erie is only a couple of hours away from the "A Christmas Story" house in Cleveland, the "It’s a Wonderful Life" Festival in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and the famous Kraynak’s Christmas display in Hermitage.
If you are seeking a holiday-themed adventure, we put together a list of some popular destinations within a few hours to help put you in the Christmas spirit.
The house from ‘A Christmas Story’
If you want to see the major award (leg lamp) glowing in the front window, visit the house from “A Christmas Story” located at 31379 Lorain Road in Cleveland, Ohio. The trip should take around two hours by car from Erie.
The iconic residence immortalizes the holiday film while presenting fans an opportunity to be in the world of Ralphie Parker and his family.
Although the house is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the holiday season is the most popular timeframe for the house.
General admission for tours is $20 per person with select showing times throughout the day.
UPMC Rink at PPG Place
Every year from mid-November to early March in downtown Pittsburgh, the downtown plaza between Third and Fourth Avenue transforms into the UPMC Rink at PPG Place.
The rink has been in Pittsburgh since 2001 and was replaced with a larger ice rink in 2015-2016. The $1 million rink measures 116 feet by 116 feet and is 67% larger than the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink in New York City.
At the center of the rink stands a 60-foot tall Christmas tree with LED lights and various light shows.
Visitors can book a slot at the skating rink by visiting therinkatppgplace.com or calling 412-394-3641. Admission price varies based on date and time of the reservation.
Kraynak’s Santa’s Christmasland
From early September to the end of December, Kraynak’s Flower Boutique and Greenhouses at 180 N. Kerrwood Drive in Hermitage transforms into Santa’s Christmasland, a world of make-believe filled with lights, trees and life-like characters.
Santa’s Christmasland is a 300-foot indoor avenue decorated with artificial trees, each with a specific theme complemented by scenery of animated characters.
The store is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
'It’s a Wonderful Life' Festival
In Indiana, Pennsylvania, the birthplace of actor Jimmy Stewart, star of "It's a Wonderful Life," is the It's a Wonderful Life Festival.
Downtown Indiana is transformed with Christmas tree decorations, lights on buildings and vintage Christmas light displays. The festival kicked off on Nov. 21 with the tree lighting ceremony and holiday parade. In the month of December, the festival will continue with Sounds of the Season, Cookies & Cheer and the Holiday Scramble.
While in Indiana, visit the Jimmy Stewart Museum at 835 Philadelphia St. The museum highlights the Hollywood career of Stewart in movies, theater, radio and military life.
The museum has three large galleries, two small galleries, two rotating exhibit hallways, a vintage 50-seat theater and more memorabilia.
American actors James Stewart (1908 - 1997) and Donna Reed (1921 - 1986) star in the film 'It's a Wonderful Life', 1946. The children are Jimmy Hawkins (Tommy Bailey), Karolyn Grimes (Zuzu Bailey), Larry Simms (Peter Bailey) and Carol Coombs (Janie Bailey).
The Buffalo Holiday Market
The Buffalo Holiday Market aims to bring the joy and enhancement of a European Christmas to the Buffalo, New York, area on Richardson Olmsted campus at 44 Forest Avenue in Buffalo.
The free admission market is filled with vendors, food and drink, live music and activities. Visitors can sign up to dine in heated igloos alongside the market area.
The Buffalo Market will also include a visit from Santa Claus.
