Grapevine Christmas Holiday Fun

The historic and darling town of Grapevine is the Christmas Capital of Texas. Grapevine spreads Christmas holiday fun loud and clear with nearly 1,500 Christmas-themed events over 40 days. Christmas fans will be wowed by this quintessential and wholesome town’s contagious holiday spirit!

Grapevine is located 20 minutes from Dallas, the 9th largest metropolitan city in the United States with the 3rd largest airport. Its small-town charm is quite the opposite of Dallas’ hectic pace of city life, which makes it a hot spot for people wanting a quick getaway for the weekend or holidays.

Without further ado, let me share with you a sampling of what Grapevine, Texas, has to offer during the Christmas season. Parades, painting, wine train rides, ice displays, snow tubing, vintage railroad trains, and a hot chocolate bar are just a bit of the holiday fun in Grapevine that you can have this season.  

Vetro Glass Blowing

Make your own souvenir holiday ornament from Vetro Glass with the help of a skilled professional glass handler at one of the nation’s premier glass studios. This is a rare and fun event for the whole family. Create a work of art that can be proudly displayed for years to come.

Downtown Christmas Shopping 

Even the savviest shoppers can complete their holiday shopping while strolling Grapevine’s historic Main Street. The 80+ locally-owned stores and boutiques here offer unique gifts and stocking stuffers. Shop at One Posh Place for home accent pieces, Bermuda Silver & Gold for exquisite jewelry, and Good Things for All Seasons for all things Christmas, including Christopher Radko and Department 56.

Visit Main Street after sunset to enjoy all of the twinkling Christmas lights and holiday displays the store owners have shared.

Take a Wine Tasting Tour

With the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and sightseeing or working extra hard at your job to finish up the end of the year projects, you have more than likely worked up a thirst.

There is only one cure for thirst in this part of Texas: wine. Grapevine Wine Tours has prepared a lovely itinerary that brings you to local wine tasting rooms via trolley, ending with a fabulous dinner. You’ll stop at three places to try wines from this list: 

• Bull Lion
• Wine Fusion Winery
• Grapevine Springs
• Clink Wine Bar + Bites
• Silver Dollar Winery
• Landon Coppell (The Sound)
• Landon Grapevine
• Windwood Grill
• Cross Timbers Winery
• Bingham Family Vineyards
• Messina Hof
• Farina’s Winery
• Delaney Vineyards

Wine tastings, dinner, and transportation are all included in the price of your tour. What a fun way to sample wines from this Texas region! Lunch tours are $120 and dinner $130. 

Gaylord ICE!®

Slip into a parka and enter the Gaylord Texan’s blustery 9-degree ice extravaganza. The Gaylord’s ICE! depicts 2 million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures with Christmas themes and scenes. The Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town displays are so vivid that you will leave puzzled by how they were created. Would you like to snow tube while in Grapevine? Stop by Santa’s Wild Workshop and do just that. Santa’s Workshop also offers shopping, sweet treats, a Build-A-Bear Workshop, and an Ice Bar (age 21 +).

Pro Tip: Bring a hat and mittens.

A Victorian Christmas Experience

Nash Farms is a living history house and farm depicting life in the 19th century. There are house tours and special events throughout the year, like ice cream socials and dances. Christmas comes alive Victorian style at this gorgeous place, featuring an old-fashioned Christmas that we can all admire and appreciate. Come to Nash Farmhouse on the Grapevine Prairie Merry Christmas and see how Laura Ingalls Wilder would have celebrated the holidays in her day and age. 

Be sure to visit the animals while there and see how our ancestors might have celebrated their holiday season.

Check Out the Gaylord Texan

Everything is bigger and better in Texas; The Gaylord Texas Resort goes all out with their Lone Star Christmas. See larger-than-life trees, hanging crystal ornaments, wine country holiday decor, gingerbread house, and much more at Grapevine’s biggest and best hotel. Paid activities that you will not want to miss include Glacier Glide Ice Skating, Rudolph’s Holly Jolly Breakfast (Zeppole), photos with Santa (near Oil Derrick), and Gingerbread Decorating Corner (Retail corridor).

Drive-by Lights

Grapevine’s residents embrace living in the Christmas capital of Texas and contribute by decorating their homes. Drive through downtown and see all of their fabulous displays. Grapevine’s locals play a part in their town’s holiday festivities.

When you find your favorite decorated home, please send an email to the Grapevine CVB and share your thoughts with them.

Grapevine Visitor Center

You’ll be in awe of the beautifully decorated tree that is the focal point in the Grapevine Visitor’s Center. Then, walk around to see the other creative displays that feature some over-the-top talent. While you are there, pick up some Grapevine Christmas Capitol of Texas souvenirs, as well as brochures to guide you around the Lone Star State.

Stroll Main Street

Downtown Grapevine’ Main Street is in its holiday best, and the decorations are far and wide. Take a walk to enjoy the sites, with many selfie opportunities along the way. The giant reindeer in front of the Grapevine Observation Tower was incredible. Another favorite was the enormous Santa on a bench that you could get a picture made with. He was so cute.

Fun Fact: The Grapevine Observation Tower offers 360-degree views of the town and surrounding area from a 150′ tall platform. Guided tours are available and last around 20 minutes. Admission is $3 per person. 

Painting a Holiday Masterpiece

A fun outing at downtown Grapevine’s Painting with a Twist involves creating a holiday-themed painting with step-by-step instructions from a friendly guide. You are sure to make many fun memories and have lots of laughs as you put your artistic skills to the test by drawing freehand and painting your own canvas masterpiece.

Wander Through Snowland 

Great Wolf Lodge is the epitome of family fun and has unique offerings during the Christmas season. Check out Great Wolf’s incredible holiday decorations, a life-size gingerbread house that you can dine in, the Great Clock Tower Holiday Show starring the classic Great Wolf Lodge characters, and witness a snowfall inside of this massive hotel. Be part of the fun as families gather to participate in caroling sing-alongs and make wonderful memories.

Everybody Loves a Parade 

This annual downtown Grapevine Christmas Parade takes place on the first Thursday of December. Crowds start forming the morning of the parade to guarantee the best seats on the street for this hour-long festivity. The parade includes a collection of bands, recognized community members, and 100+ Christmas-themed floats. Both visitors and locals gather to ring in the holiday Grapevine style with plenty of fun and flashing lights. Pets available for adoption even walk in the parade!

Ride a Holiday Wine Train

Board the Grapevine Vintage Railroad for a ride full of Christmas cheer and lots of wine pairings. Book this popular event early, as only a few dates are available. Your tour includes:

• A train ride.
• Two glasses of wine from Messina Hof Grapevine Winery (winery switches annually).
• Souvenir glasses.
• A fabulous meal.

Guests must be 21 to participate.

Visit The North Pole

Children will adore taking the beautiful holiday-decorated vintage rail coaches to the North Pole with Mrs. Claus on route to meet and greet Santa and his elves. Enjoy the North Pole Express, a fun train ride with an exceptional performance, souvenir Silver jingle bell, and a memory mug of his Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk as you make family memories that will last a lifetime. Wear your pajamas! Anything goes at this event that sells out as early as July. Great Wolf Lodge sponsors this event.

Enjoy a Show at the Palace Arts Center

Grapevine’s gorgeous and stately Palace Arts Center comes alive with the magic of Christmas through classic films that may include A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life, live performances such as An Elvis Hometown Christmas, and the Texas Tenors, and more.

Drink Decadent Hot Chocolate Bar 

Dr. Sue’s Chocolate is so popular that it has been featured on TV and in magazines due to her healthy approach (all-natural dark chocolate) to consuming everyone’s favorite sweetness…chocolate. Sue incorporates hand-crafted hot chocolate tastings at Christmas with favorites such as Peppermint and Mexican Hot Chocolate. Be sure to pick up stocking stuffer size boxes of Dr. Sue’s chocolate fruit barks while you are there.

Visiting Grapevine, Texas is a Holiday Must

This is only a taste of the wonderful holiday fun in Grapevine, Texas, that you can experience throughout the Christmas season. Visit Grapevine’s website for an updated list of all available seasonal offerings. 

Merry Christmas!

Special thanks to the Grapevine CVB for the hospitality, meals, and for allowing me to visit my first time there. As with all posts on this site, all opinions are 100% my own and unbiased.

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