A German Christmas market filled with wooden shopping huts. Historic homes decorated for candlelight tours. A town actually named Santa Claus that celebrates the season all December long.
Indiana offers plenty of ways to turn a holiday outing into a day trip or weekend getaway. Whether you’re looking for unique shopping, sparkling drive-through lights, or an old-fashioned celebration, these eight destinations offer something different. We’ve focused on places with activities across multiple dates to give you flexibility, but always check individual attraction schedules before hitting the road.
1. Fishers: A Merry Prairie Holiday at Conner Prairie
Conner Prairie gives a Christmas outing a historical twist. Its outdoor grounds transform into a setting for holiday lights, seasonal activities, and 19th-century Christmas traditions in historic Prairietown. The festival combines illuminated displays with a holiday projection show and family activities. Fishers and nearby Carmel are both in Hamilton County, making it easy to combine them into one weekend getaway.
- Why visit: Immersive historical holiday traditions mixed with modern light shows.
- 2026 Dates: Nov 27–28; Dec 4–6, 11–13, 18–20, 21–23, and 26–28 (5:30–9:30 p.m.).
- Before you go: This is a ticketed, mostly outdoor event. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~1 hour 45 minutes (115 miles).
- Details found at A Merry Prairie Holiday
2. Carmel: A German Christmas Market and Ice Skating
Carmel’s Christkindlmarkt brings authentic German Christmas traditions to Carter Green where more than 60 wooden huts offer ornaments, gifts, food, and drinks. Browse nutcrackers and wooden toys, pick up a pretzel or raclette, and warm up with hot chocolate or Glühwein. The market also offers live entertainment, with ice skating available separately at The Ice at Carter Green.
- Why visit: German Christmas traditions, food and gifts in an outdoor market setting.
- 2026 Dates: November 21 – December 24 (Closed Thanksgiving; shorter hours on Christmas Eve). Regular market days are Wednesday through Sunday. Additional opening days are December 21–22, with special hours during Christmas week.
- Before you go: Market admission is free; food, purchases, and skating cost extra.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~1 hour 50 minutes (120 miles).
- Details found at Carmel, Indiana Christkindlmarkt
3. Metamora: An Old-Fashioned Christmas Walk
For a small-town holiday outing, Metamora’s Old Fashioned Christmas Walk brings shopping, carolers, and Santa to this historic canal town. This is a destination to explore on foot, browsing antique and craft shops while taking in the rustic Christmas atmosphere along the Whitewater Canal.
- Why visit: A highly walkable, nostalgia-filled evening in a historic 1838 canal town.
- 2026 Dates: Nov 27–29; Dec 4–6, 11–13, and 18–20.
- Before you go: Check the community calendar for specific shop hours; they vary throughout the weekend.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~1 hour (55 miles).
- Details found at Metamora’s Event Calendar
4. Madison: Candlelight Home Tours and a Historic Downtown
Madison’s Christmas season combines holiday shopping and community celebrations with a rare chance to step inside beautifully decorated historic properties. The “Nights Before Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes” is a self-guided walking tour featuring private homes, historic sites, and a church.
- Why visit: Exceptional architecture and access to stunning private historic homes.
- 2026 Dates: Candlelight tours run Nov 27–28 and Dec 4–5 (Fridays 5–9 p.m.; Saturdays 3–9 p.m.). Other events include Light Up Madison (Nov 27) and the Christmas parade (Dec 5).
- Before you go: Tour tickets are $35 (children 5–12 are $5). Ticket holders must collect their tour booklet at the Madison Visitors Center before entering sites.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~1 hour 20 minutes (70 miles).
- Details found at Visit Madison Events
5. Charlestown: Christmas Lights Across Town
Charlestown’s holiday celebration spreads across several locations, giving visitors multiple distinct areas to explore. At City Square, an animated light show runs on a repeating loop each evening. Greenway Park offers a scenic walk through illuminated displays, while the Family Activities Park adds train rides and holiday miniature golf on selected nights.
- Why visit: Multiple holiday light displays with train rides and miniature golf on selected nights.
- 2026 Dates: The light show runs Nov 27 – Jan 1 (6–10 p.m. nightly).
- Before you go: The nightly light show is free. Train rides and miniature golf have additional charges and follow separate operating schedules.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~1 hour 40 minutes (100 miles).
- Details found at Christmas in Charlestown
6. French Lick and West Baden Springs: Decorated Hotels and Holiday Lights
French Lick Resort’s Season of Lights spans both the French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel. Expect elaborate interior decorations, a half-million holiday lights, and incredible architectural backdrops. Visitors can watch nightly holiday projections on the front of the French Lick Springs Hotel and explore a massive Christmas Village display inside the Event Center.
- Why visit: Luxury accommodations paired with breathtaking, grand-scale holiday decor.
- 2026 Dates: Nov 14 – Jan 3, 2027. (West Baden tree lighting is Nov 14; French Lick tree lighting is Nov 21). Holiday projections run 6–9 p.m. nightly starting Nov 21.
- Before you go: General viewing is open, but specific activities may require advance tickets or hotel reservations.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~3 hours.
- Details found at Season of Lights, French Lick Resort
7. Santa Claus: Christmas Traditions in a Town With the Perfect Name
Santa Claus, Indiana, offers several stops to build a Christmas getaway around, including Santa’s Candy Castle, the Santa Claus Museum & Village, and the massive Santa Claus Christmas Store. Look for Santa statues around town, browse endless decorations, and don’t forget to stop by the town’s post office to get their famous special holiday picture postmark on your Christmas cards.
- Why visit: It is the ultimate themed Christmas town, complete with a dedicated postmark.
- 2026 Dates: The first three weekends of December. The town Christmas parade is Dec 12.
- Before you go: Build your itinerary carefully—shopping, special events, and the Santa Claus Land of Lights drive-through do not share the exact same operating days.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~3 hours (180 miles).
- Details found at Santa Claus, Indiana Christmas
8. Shipshewana: Christmas Shopping, Shows, and a Drive-Through Light Display
Shipshewana offers a unique combination of Amish country hospitality, holiday shopping, and major light displays in northern Indiana. The town’s holiday lineup includes a gingerbread village at E&S Sales (through Dec 5) and elaborate Christmas shows at the Blue Gate Theatre. For an evening outing, Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy offers a massive drive-through Christmas light experience.
- Why visit: Drive-through lights, holiday shopping and Christmas shows.
- 2026 Dates: Lights of Joy runs Nov 13 – Jan 3 (Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day). Sun–Thu 6–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat 6–10 p.m.
- Before you go: Lights of Joy admission is $30 per vehicle. Book Blue Gate theater tickets well in advance.
- Drive from Cincinnati: ~4.5 hours (245 miles).
- Details found at Visit Indiana, Shipshewana Christmas
Tips for Planning Your Indiana Christmas Getaway
- Pick your main attraction first: Start with the market, home tour, or festival you most want to visit, then build the rest of your trip around its schedule.
- Check dates before booking an overnight stay: While many destinations offer activities across multiple weeks, specific attractions (like home tours or train rides) often operate only on selected days.
- Reserve ticketed experiences ahead of time: Reserve ticketed experiences ahead of time: Buy tickets ahead for the date and time you want.
- Mind the time zone: Indiana uses both Eastern and Central time. For example, Santa Claus is on Central Time (one hour behind Cincinnati).
- Double-check before you drive: Outdoor events frequently adjust hours or close due to winter weather. Always review the organizer’s latest social media updates before hitting the highway.