Seeing this neighborhood lit up for Christmas was absolutely beautiful. I've never experienced an entire town so fully decorated for the holidays, and it's easy to see why McAdenville is known as Christmas Town. The lights go on and on, and you truly could walk for hours without seeing the same thing twice. There isn't a set route or strict structure--you can walk as much as you want and in any order. We ended up logging about 13,000 steps and 5.5 miles, which really says a lot. Because it was extremely cold, it wasn't very busy at all. We chatted with a few people who mentioned that it's usually packed, so the cold definitely kept some visitors home. A really nice touch was the fire department handing out free hot chocolate, just asking for donations. Having something warm to sip on made a huge difference on such a cold night. I was fully bundled up--leggings with pants over them, socks plus fuzzy socks, UGG boots, a turtleneck, heavy sweater, jacket, hat covering my ears, and gloves--and I'd strongly recommend dressing just as warm if you plan to walk it. We did a mix of walking and a little driving, but driving is limited to certain areas. If you want to see the most lights, walking is the way to go. Overall, it's absolutely worth visiting--this is a true holiday experience. Just keep in mind that McAdenville is very small, and aside from the Christmas lights, there isn't much else to do in town. Still, for the festive atmosphere alone, it's well worth the trip. read more

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If you are traveling... call and research ahead of time. You will need to know the entrance that is allowing guests in. If you wait at another entrance police will make you turn around and wait again. This is a huge event. Wait total for us this trip bumper to bumper 2 hrs. I recommend to arrive at 4 PM early on (not the week of Christmas or before) and grab a bite to eat beforehand. After head in for the light show. Extravagant decoration on all of the houses. It is HUGE! Absolutely a Christmas town in USA. Many of the little shops are open for you to look in and get warm for a second. Churches open their doors for bathrooms. One offered a craft. All the fire stations gave away hot chocolate while walking. You can drive through or walk. It was such a magical evening. I recommend going. So worth it. You can take pictures on most porches :) read more

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We must have lucked out because there was very little traffic during our visit last night. There were a ton of people! Many people were walking which I understood once we got into the town. Most of the area is blocked off to nonresidential traffic so you have to walk if you want see more than the short downtown strip and the main road through the neighborhood. What we could see was very well done, quite picturesque. In addition to decor they had places offering hot chocolate, tea and cotton candy. It has a lovely hometown feel. read more

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Like most of you, we had heard about Christmas Town U.S.A.® - Mc Adenville, NC but were hesitant to visit because we were told of the horrendous line of cars vying to get into town. My wife had some vacation time that she had to use before year end so we decided to make the trek down. We left Winston Salem at 1:30 pm, yesterday, got there around 3:00 pm. We walked the the retail area of town, which is not very large but has a great gift shop, friendly bar and excellent restaurant. We bought some great and unique gifts at Mona's on Main Street. We then had spiced cider @ 115 Pub which was friendly and inviting and finally had dinner at Terra Mia, a wonderful Italian restaurant. While we were waiting for our table the lights in the town came on. Terra Mia is packed during December. It does not take reservations and while the menu is excellent because of the crowds it is a subset of their normal extensive menu. We were seated after a short wait, I had rigatoni alla vodka and my wife had chicken Marsala with spaghetti. Our waiter was friendly and professional and made a great recommendation for wine. After dinner we were amazed at how beautiful the town lights and displays were. I cannot fully describe how fabulous it is. We walked the length of town, around the lake and up the hill into the residential area. Everywhere we looked there were spectacular displays. The line of cars was extensive but kept moving. We took 80 plus pictures since every place was decorated. Kids were sticking their heads out of sun roofs and windows. Everyone was in a festive mood and Merry Christmas was echoing throughout town. We walked back to our car, pulled out into traffic, followed the line through a part of town we hadn't seen and drove home. It was a glorious day. If you decide to go, our plan worked well. read more

Beautiful displays. But no clear directions on how to visit (where to enter or where to park). Took 4-5 tries to even enter.

Will not ever do this again! The past two times we have been, we have waited in a line backed up well down the exit ramp onto I-85. After a 3+ hour wait to get in, by the time we got into the town, over half the lights were already turned off. SMFH! And this was on a week night, so if its this bad on a week night, I would hate to even think how bad it would be on a week-end night. Especially now that we have discovered the Villages Of Denver, which puts on a fantastic light show each year with almost the entire neighborhood participating! You will see all types of light displays from mild to extreme, plus there is no 3+ hour wait to get in! So if you live in or near Denver, visit the visit the Villages of Denver. You will have a much nicer, stress free experience and see much better light displays than the nightmare you will experience trying to get in to this so called Christmas Town USA! read more

Yikes.... It's not worth your time. The signage is terrible. We were stopped by police escort and told to turn left and follow the signs. Well, there were no other signs after that. The town definitely looks like a Hallmark movie town with the town hall, fire station, church, homes and shops all next to each other. Other than that, it's very much overhyped as far as the lights. I think walking would be a better experience than driving. I guess I was expecting extravagant light shows lol. It was none of that. Just cute homes with a few lights. My toddler ohh and ahh a few times so I guess that was worth it :) read more

While visiting NC, we found the most magical Christmas Town! A picturesque winter wonderland illuminated by so many lights it's worthy of a Hallmark movie. It really got us in the Christmas spirit. A half million lights, 1,000 residents, 250 evergreens, 100 decorated homes and an historic bell tower that chimes Christmas music throughout the town. Make sure you get there early!!! **I think the town could use some better event traffic direction and signage during this event and on their website. Is parking available? There should be more availability of public tours through town which may alleviate some of the traffic. read more

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An old fashioned Christmas feel. This place has been decorating its entire town for 50+ years. It's free and you can park and walk if you want an up close experience. Kids and the elderly will enjoy the night at Christmas town USA. read more

We are in the Christmas Spirit and I can't rate this lower than 4 due to the fact that it was a nice experience going through the town but getting there is a real pain in the neck and for that reason I take one star. The line of cars is about 1.5 miles long according to my GPS and it took us two hours to move because it is one lane on the right but the Johnny Come Lately's driving on the middle lane cut in our lane when they get close to the entrance and there are no cops enforcing so dumb me and 250 other cars have to pay the price. State troopers are only at the entrance to make sure there are no fights but they can care less what happens a mile and a half away. Lack of organization in this banana republic chaotic town and for that I should take another star but I can't in the Spirit of Christmas so 3.5 is correct as a whole. Now to the good part, the lights are fabulous and if it wasn't for the rain I would have gone back a second night on foot so as to not putting up with the abuse of pretty boys. Christmas Town and rightfully so because I have never seen so many lights in one place, I love the place and all the work that they do and on top of that having to put up with traffic. Santa put the cops to work and the elfs to direct traffic read more

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We drove 4 hours (not traffic hours) literally 4 nonstop no holdup hours to come see the lights, have dinner, and spend the night. We came early on 12/26 at 4:15 so we could dine at the Italian restaurant knowing there would be a long wait plus time to dine. Came out to the dark and lights on. It was glorious! We walked and I 100% suggest walking though it is up and downhill. Handicap or mobility impaired need an electric wheelchair or someone with some muscles and stamina for a spot or two. There are streets closed off to thru traffic so the only way to see all the lights is by foot. Everyone was in such a great spirit. Many beautiful lights. This is not a light show but is a very pretty small town with many participants decorating. If you do the drive through you will not see everything but if your local that may be fine. read more

This has the fewest lights I've ever seen. Everyone in our car was disappointed. We waited until Christmas Eve to go. What was lit was nice but there wasn't much. read more

If you were fortunate enough to be around 30 years ago with far more traffic, you were able to see the magnificence of this town. Today their traffic direction is horrible, sat in line 1 hour coming off exit 22 and never made it halfway to the stop light. On top of that there was a train. It was far better when I was 18, nearly 40 years ago, and there were cars coming in from different entrance points. Even then it was not near as bad as what I experienced this year. Forest City, NC is a better destination especially if you have kids. read more

Beautiful display ...They really do try to help you with directions on their website. They are RIGHT DO NOT RELY ON GPS..... Be patient & blessed. Merry Christmas! read more

Seriously, what even is this? Waited in a massive line of traffic for an hour and a half on a Saturday night. Website says that the lights are on until 11:00, but there were very few lights, nothing more than a normal Charlotte neighborhood anyway, and we could tell that the lights by the pond that were supposed to be on were, in fact, not on. My tiny hometown of 3500 people in rural Minnesota has a better display than this. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!!! read more

You'll see thousands and thousands of lights... taillights to be exact. I read another review that summed this experience up perfectly - "car ride to hell." Huge mistake not looking this up on Yelp beforehand. We tried to go on a Saturday night. I knew there would be a good bit of traffic, but it was just us, no kids, and we had nothing else to do. We waited 2+ hours. Then, came to a stop light with no signage or directions. You can't follow the GPS due to road closures. We decided to follow the cars in front of us. Well, they clearly didn't know where they were going either. Next thing I know we were back on the highway. We both looked at each other and said, "what just happened?" We decided to go another night... on a Tuesday. It'll be better than our experience on Saturday right? Wrong! We waited the same amount of time. Didn't even get close to seeing the lights and ended up turning around. Clearly the popularity has exceeded the town's capacity. I still can't get over the lack of signage. The whole time you're thinking to yourself, well.. I hope we're going the right way. Until this is improved, stay away. You're more likely to get into a family argument over the stressful commute than you are to build lasting Christmas memories. I don't know how people even enjoy the lights after the hell they put you through to see them. read more

I love going to visit Christmas town USA. It's a great experience for the whole family to enjoy, so much to do and see and the best part about it is, it's free.!!!! Who says you can't put a price tag on happiness? read more

I have lived in Charlotte most of my life so let me give you a quick review. I absolutely LOVE Christmas, and McAdenville is definitely the place to go if you want to see lights, but you will sit in traffic for HOURS no matter which route you take. I sat from 6:30-9:30 once and just as we got in, they shut off all the lights. I also think that the lights were better when I was a kid, but they're still great. My advice? Go as early as possible and if you're up for it, park and walk instead of driving through. read more

It really doesn't live up to the title of "Christmas town". If you come from hours away, you'll be better off going to your local Christmas lights instead of wasting your time waiting in line for 3+ hours for some average lights. I think the city should do better in regards to bringing more Christmas life into the town. read more

I visit every year I get back home! Miss Christmastown! Nothing like it here on the West Coast. So beautiful! Tat traffic is worth the wait, enjoy your surroundings! Those hay-riding Santa's on NC 74 stopped beside us, sure were happy! MERRY Christmas! read more

A-OK. I think that's an accurate way to describe "Christmas Town USA". My dad had heard about it, so we decided to visit on Friday, December 9, 2016, driving over from Charlotte. We reviewed the (hideous though informative) website beforehand and arrived at 5:30 on the dot--when it was scheduled to start. There is good signage as you come into town about where the lights are (though you make a left turn at one point, and we weren't sure which way to go until after asking some police officers standing nearby, so that was sort of weird). Anyway, the lights are very pretty. I don't think any were gaudy like you see on current TV shows (so if you expect a jumbo Santa to jump out of a roof and a full size carousel in the front yard, you might want to go elsewhere). The homes were nice too, and there's a little pond/lake with decorations as well. The huge trees covered in lights were crazy to me. (Note: I hate putting up Christmas lights, so it was all crazy to me.) The route itself is really pretty short and it's pretty, but I think one time was enough for me as an adult. If you have kids (or are a kid on Yelp reading this), you would probably enjoy it once a year. Otherwise, it was nice and all... but I don't really see a need to go back or suggest it to anyone. It was one of those things that was cool to say we did it, but that's about it. Note: They also have an app, but I didn't find it to be very good. read more

While I appreciate the spirit of Christmas festivities, I've just never been too into it. Still, I've heard so much hoopla about this place, I decided to go check it out about 2 years ago...and surprisingly, I enjoyed it! In retrospect, I think I enjoyed the Hot Cocoa more than anything lol. Anyway, I thought my husband and son should at least check it out...especially now that our Christmas festivities have somewhat dimmed (after my parents' passing). So...I decided to go again last night, dragging my husband for the first time. On this super-cold night, we also decided to walk through this small Christmas town (instead of driving through)...which wasn't that much (maybe 2 miles total at most?). As expected, we witnessed the full Christmas extravaganza...from cute to all-out garish lights and decorations on display! The best part, for me at least, was the decorated lake...quite scenic. And OH...the free Hot Cocoa (offered inside one of the houses)! In all, I do appreciate the fact that this festive town exists right here, well within driving distance...and kudos to all the folks that decided to amuse the visitors with all of their festive displays. Must be a huge nuisance to half the folks that live there...ones that aren't great, big Christmas Cheerleaders like myself? Anyway, it does help to know that this place is here to help lift the spirits of those that need it. It's also a good place for a holiday photo op...perfect for creating some festive pics. However, I must be critical (since that is why I'm here!). Although some of the displays were good, some were just boring, cheap and/or tacky. In other words, there is much room for improvement in terms of quality and creativity. Most of the trees, for instance, looked quite standard (and cheap?)...with just green and red lights. There wasn't too much that jumped out at me in terms of being spectacular ...aside from those that jumped out in terms of being super-tacky lol. Then, here's my biggest gripe from this whole tour. Road blocks and the lack of directions! As with last time we attempted to drive through (and ended up returning home because of this very reason!), there were road blocks set up at the entranceway of this town...with no detour signs! If if wasn't for me asking one of the police officers how to get inside this town, we would probably not have found our way in. Could I have missed the pointed detour signs? My husband didn't see it either...just as with last time (last year) we attempted to tour this town with our son. Unbelievable that this place manages to get a crowd going when it's so hard to find a way in?!? So my advice for newbies is to ASK for directions on how to make your detour into this town...or else, you may end up driving right out of this town before actually seeing a damn thing! For this last bit of aggravation/frustration, I can't give this tour more than 2 stars. No matter, it's still worth checking out...if only once. Merry Christmas!! read more

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We have been in a very slow traffic line for well over an hour and are about to turn around. Very poorly coordinated and disappointing...Not again. And we drove from St Augustine Fl for this experience. Very sad.... read more

Honestly I have little to say about "Christmas-town USA." I had heard a lot about this community truly being a show stopper and a must see being from the Charlotte area. I can't speak for years past but there was minimal participation and absolutely zero coordination. It was almost depressing. When you rep the name Christmas Town USA it seems you would have no choice but to constantly improve to live up to the name. I would rather them just cancel than to give us that half ass effort. Luckily I-85 was on the same road so it allowed us to leave very quickly! read more

Never again. If they can't figure out how to keep the cars moving through, it's not worth it. AT ALL!!!! Don't waste your night unless they announce they have fixed the drive through. HORRIBLE experience read more

This event has nothing to do with Christmas. It's simply a bunch of colored lights. There is no religious aspect to it at all. 3 hours of my life I'll never get back. read more

Impossible to enjoy. Take an extra gas can. Not for the faint of heart. You will lose your Religion. Save your time and find something else to pass the the time that is enjoyable A good option would be turning around and saying screw it this sucks. Everyone with you will agree. Santa will not visit there. Good luck! read more

The drive is horrible, the line of cars is epic and it only takes 5 minutes to drive thru? Not worth it in my book. Oh, did I mention no parking unless you wish to walk minimum 1 mile. read more

Not worth the stress and aggravation. Visited on a weekday as recommended from various sources. Contradictory and confusing signs along interstate and town streets. Arrived in area around 5:45 pm. After 3 hours of waiting, made a U turn and headed home. Perhaps we can view it on a you tube video. read more

3.5hrs in line. 7pm to 1030pm. Cars passing and merging the whole way with no traffic control. Finally get to the lights at 10:05pm and 80% of lights are off. To the ones that left theirs on thank you for not being Grinches. 5min and it was over. If your going to go get there at 3pm and park somewhere and walk it if you want to see anything. Never will we go back. Two very disappointed 13yr olds who have never been. 20 years ago was so much better. read more

It is great to drive or walk through at this time of year. It has been years since we have gone at Christmas time and I was super impressed with how much renovation had been done to the shops and buildings around the main strip! The lights are awesome and the decorations get you into the Christmas spirit. My only complaint is the drive through is to short and more cool stuff could be done around the pond. read more

I feel like an evil Disney villain but bah-freaking-humbug. Those commuting from work in Charlotte to Gastonia live a nightmare every December all because people want to look at some lights on a house... lights on a tree... lights in a bush... tail lights for miles in every direction. Thanks, everyone, for making my commute as miserable as possible for 30 days out of the year, and thank you McAddenville for making some little kids sleepy at the expense of everyone else. How about moving Christmas Town USA to some place well off of the only two roads leading you to your destination. read more

It was my first time in Christmas town and I absolutely loved it. But I'm a sucker for Christmas lights so I was bound to have a good time. I would definitely recommend walking vs driving for two main reasons: 1. Obviously to avoid the long waits. 2. You get a totally different experience when you're outside walking through the neighborhood. You get to see all the little details in each house, you can wave and yell "Merry Christmas" to all the kids (and adults) who shout from their car windows and there may or may not be a few photo ops with Santa! What are you waiting for? It's free, beautiful and lots of fun! read more

Christmas Town USA - Local Flavor Near Me - McAdenville, North Carolina

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I came here on a Thursday night in December last year. Even though the ratings on here wasn't that good, I still expected more since it's called Christmas Town USA. Don't get me wrong, it's far from bad but not exactly great and it's mainly because everyone in the area do not participate and if they do, it's only minimal. This leads to also seeing a lot of houses without lights, leaving you to wonder that people live there for other reasons besides Christmas lol. But putting my selfish ways aside lol, it's perfect for kids. They loved the lights and love sticking their heads out the car windows saying Merry Christmas to the people on the side walks or in other cars. The lines move at a constant flow and there's a few nicely decorated houses that's sure to grab your attention. As a tip, don't forget to pack some snacks and legal beverages ;) All in all, if you're a big adult kid like me, it's not that impressive but you should go at least once just to say you've been there. And for the kids, it's a perfect inexpensive trip they would definitely like. read more

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This is a very nice town with very pretty lights. I would suggest going early around 4 pm and park after the bridge to the left, there is a big lot with nothing at all and it leads to the small downtown and the nice lights. You can walk around downtown, there is a restaurant and a playground for kids. It's better to walk than be sitting in the car. They do close off the bridge at a certain time probably when it gets busy and people park on the side of the road which is a pain because it's a far walk. read more

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Car ride to hell...drive around your own neighborhood...don't come here . This is three hours wasted in traffic I will never get back

Someone is a PR genius, because there is NO way this place should be called ChristmasTown. Yes, there are lights. Yes, it's pretty but most are the classic white ( you can see in most neighborhoods) and some are even kind of sparse. I grew up in a neighborhood where a clown (yes red nose, big shoes, and all) lived and she really decked out the place...not to be outdone several neighbors did the same, which rendered me unimpressed when it was time to see what this "ChristmasTown" was all about. Sadly, I found it to be a bunch of hype though if you want to wait in ridiculous traffic to see some boring light displays be my guest. When we drove through last year both my boyfriend and I wondered if we were missing something because we were shocked that so many people would gather for something so mundane. To address Brian F, I didn't expect a" tech lights show"...but I guess I expected a little more Christmas magic in Christmatown. Bedford falls didn't have seriously stress-inducing traffic to boot! Skip it and head to Daniel Stowe botanical gardens or heck even your neighborhoods around Charlotte. read more

Should have stuck to just one year, little did I know it's decorated the exact same every year. laaaame. But, this year we were prepared, after sitting in a long line last year we packed our dinner picnic for the car, cranked up the christmas tunes, and drove on out. Unexpectedly, the line was about half as long as previously endured (both times on a Tuesday evening), getting in the spirit was a lot easier than anticipated. However, as we drove through the town (with half the cars forgetting to turn their lights off, boooo) I was a little saddened by how identical it was. The lake is probably my favorite part, as well as some of the gorgeously lit trees along the road. Some stretches hardly have anything, so for "Christmas Town USA", I feel like they could do a little bit better. Yes, it's free, so I guess that's a big plus. But with less than entertained children in a possible two hour line I'd rethink the situation, be prepared!! read more

This is not worth the 2 hour wait. I was also expecting more lights and not just ordinary Christmas lights. If they are gonna call themselves Christmas town I would expect more. It was nice to walk and see the beautiful houses and lights but I would never wait again. I went on a Sunday so I'm sure that contributed to the traffic but I wouldn't go back again. read more

This place is not worth any time . I mean the town is cute and nice but the whole CHRISTMAS TOWN is a scam! The whole town is like not even 5 miles long no decorations it's just a mid to lower class town. Broken windows and broken down cars no Christmas . I beg of you to not waste your time. TLDR: super bad no lights just bad read more