These are the Best Resorts for Christmas Vacation in Texas

Planning a Christmas vacation in Texas this year? We’ve got the ultimate list of family resorts in Texas that go all out for the holiday season. Resorts like the Gaylord Texan and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country host some of the most festive light displays, Santa sightings, and holiday entertainment in the state.

Get ready to be surrounded by the Christmas spirit on your next Christmas getaway in Texas because these resorts bring it right to your doorstep! Updated for 2025!

Celebrate Christmas Vacation in Texas

1. Christmas at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine

In December, the entire Gaylord Texan Resort transforms into a magical land of holiday enchantment! From rotating Christmas trees to two million lights and a life-size gingerbread house, you will be completely immersed in holiday cheer at this resort.

This year ICE! featuring Elf will be at the Gaylord Texan. Guests will enjoy favorite scenes from Elf brought to life in this colorful winter wonderland. More than two million pounds of ice transform into colorful, larger-than-life, story-driven holiday showplaces featuring characters and scenes featuring Buddy the Elf and other characters from the beloved holiday movie.

You also won’t want to miss the resort’s cirque-style live show, Cirque Frost, which features incredible acrobatics and high-flying stunts. The story follows a young hero who discovers the magic of the season through winter-themed spectacle and soaring aerial performances.

Christmas at Gaylord Texan runs November 14 through January 4, 2026. It features ice skating, snow tubing, gingerbread house decorating, a scavenger hunt, photos with Santa, a light show, Holiday Heist Escape Room, Grinch character breakfast, Christmas carousel, Elf Training Academy and so much more!

Book your stay at the Gaylord Texan.

If you can’t make it this year, definitely put this resort on your bucket list for Christmas getaways in Texas!

See what else is going on in Grapevine, Texas this Christmas season.

2. Christmas at the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin

The Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa underwent a multi-million dollar renovation a and features a top-tier pool complex, multiple golf courses, spa facilities, and seven on-site restaurants — a perfect home base any time of year.

For the holiday season, the resort’s Holiday in the Hills (November 30 – January 3) hosts Caroling and Cocktails, Holiday Cinema, gingerbread workshops, breakfast with Santa, and a build your own stuffed animal class.

Don’t miss the Holiday in the Hills Light Trail (November 30 – January 3) which leads guests to Santa’s Magical Toy Shop where you can play glow-in-the-dark mini golf. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, the resort hosts Snowdown — a charming artificial snowfall experience on the resort grounds.

You can check out their full holiday calendar on their website.

3. Spend Christmas Vacation in Texas at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort

This JW Marriott Hill Country Resort gets decked out for the holiday season in exquisite taste! This year they will debut Ice! Featuring Frosty the Snowman More than two million pounds of ice transform into scenes featuring characters and scenes from the classic TV special, colorful ice sculptures, tunnels, and multi-story ice slides that delight kids and adults alike.

Beyond ICE!, the resort offers a full slate of holiday fun: snow-tubing hills, snowball build-and-blast games, gingerbread decorating, cookie workshops, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a Christmas carousel, scintillating light displays all around the property, and cozy fire-pit s’mores nights.

There’s also a holiday scavenger hunt (the “Snowman Scramble”), seasonal treats and drinks, and Build-A-Bear-style custom stuffed-animal workshops — perfect for families looking for keepsakes and kid-friendly fun.

This year’s winter celebration runs November 22, 2025 through January 4, 2026 — giving guests more than a month of festive atmosphere, lights, and holiday cheer.

f you can’t make it this year, consider putting this resort on your bucket list for Christmas getaways in Texas — it’s a rare wintry getaway packed with activities and holiday spirit.

4. Christmas at Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston

Moody Gardens hosts one the biggest Christmas experiences in the state from November 15, 2025 through January 5, 2026. 

There is a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4D Experience, an outdoor ice-skating rink, the Arctic Slide, train rides, S’mores on the plaza, Breakfast with Santa, a four-story-tall dancing tree of light, the holiday stage production Holiday Fantasy: A Live Show Spectacular, evening Christmas boat cruises, and of course, the iconic Festival of Lights. The Festival of Lights is a mile-long walking trail filled with illuminated displays, treats, activities, and holiday music.

They also bring back Ice Land: Pole to Pole, where master carvers transform two million pounds of ice into towering scenes featuring wildlife from the North and South Poles — penguins, polar bears, reindeer, and more — all kept at a frosty 9 degrees.

Stay at the Moody Gardens Hotel for a front seat pass to ALL of the action.

5. Christmas at the La Cantera Resort in San Antonio

The La Cantera Resort’s Hill Country Holiday kicks off with a family friendlytree lighting event on November 21st at 5:30pm. The lighting will include festive cocktails and snacks, kid’s activities, and a nationally acclaimed jazz musician.

This season the fun continues with a brand-new twist on holiday entertainment: instead of a traditional snow-and-ice experience, the resort debut’s “Jingle Bell Roll” — a festive roller-skating rink built atop the Topaz pool, complete with twinkle lights, carols, and holiday cabanas.

The fun continues with the Holiday Brunch with Santa at the SweetFire Kitchen on select dates in December.

6. Christmas Vacation in Texas at the Great Wold Lodge in Grapevine

It’s snowing…indoors at Snowland from November 24, 2025 through January 6, 2026! At Great Wolf Lodge, you can play in the indoor water park AND the snow in the lobby!

Great Wolf Lodge will impress you the moment you see the enormous wolf statues at the front door, but its grandeur doesn’t end there. The lobby is a giant forest complete with a tree house and picture windows looking onto the water park.

During Snowland, kids and families can enjoy a wide variety of holiday-themed activities included with your stay: a lodge-wide holiday scavenger hunt, Snowfall Celebration sing-alongs, Frosty Fest dance parties, trivia, bingo, arts & crafts, and more. Some weekends include visits with Santa.

Be sure to read our full article on Great Wolf Lodge’s Christmas offerings and check out our Great Wolf Lodge tips before you go!

7. The Hilton Anatole in Dallas

The Hilton Anatole grounds transform into North Pole Texas, one of Dallas’s largest and most immersive holiday experiences. This magical event turns the resort into a glittering winter playground filled with themed zones, festive décor, and hands-on activities that make for unforgettable family memories.

On weekends, families can enjoy a walk-through holiday trail, rotating activity zones, an outdoor train ride, cookie decorating, arts & crafts, animated seasonal displays, holiday games, and photo ops throughout the beautifully decorated resort. The experience is open to both hotel guests and day visitors, though advance reservations are required.

Kids can write letters to Santa, visit the Santa’s Workshop craft area, watch storytime performances, and dance along at festive children’s activities held throughout the day.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be on-site spreading cheer, offering plenty of photo ops, and hosting their beloved Breakfast with Santa, taking place on weekends November 22 through December 22, 2025, plus December 23 & 24.

8. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop

The Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort does not hold back when it comes to holiday magic. The décor is festive yet refined, blending Hill Country charm with sparkling seasonal displays throughout the expansive property.

The Holiday Light Stroll, returning for 2025, runs November 28, 2025 through the New Year. The trail features thousands of twinkling lights, 50+ decorated live trees, an animated holiday tree, and illuminated displays scattered across the resort. Guests can explore on foot or enjoy a cozy horse-drawn hayride with hot chocolate in hand as they tour the grounds.

Kids will have plenty of holiday-themed activities to enjoy, including writing letters to Santa, cookie decorating, ornament crafts, and family movie nights featuring classic Christmas films.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit the lobby every weekend in December for photos and holiday greetings. On Sunday mornings throughout December, families can join Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Firewheel Café for a festive Breakfast with Santa, a perennial favorite for guests.

If you’d like to venture beyond the resort, the nearby town of Bastrop celebrates with charming small-town festivities. Highlights typically include the Bastrop Christmas Tree Lighting on November 29, 2025, performances at the Bastrop Opera House, and the annual Christmas Lighted Parade and Holiday Homes Tour in early December.

Find more Christmas events near you! Trekaroo has guides for dozens of cities across the country.

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Tarlie Harris

Tarlie Harris is one of Trekaroo's Travel Experts. She is always planning her family's next trip and writing about the last one. She currently lives in Austin, TX where she enjoys hiking the greenbelt, swimming in Barton Springs, and catching shows at The Mohawk. She was raised in the deep south, spending many summers on the Florida Panhandle. While she is very accustomed to wide open green space and swimming pools these days, the memories from her decade in New York City are never far from her heart.

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