5 Hallmark-worthy Christmas towns to visit in Ontario
Published November 28, 2025 at 2:39 pm
Christmas is nearly here, and those looking to get into the spirit could take a trip to one of Ontario’s festive towns.
Many people know Almonte, a small town west of Ottawa, known as mini Hollywood north for the many Hallmark Christmas movies filmed along its romantic streets. Even if your not a fan of Christmas flicks, this town is worth a trip for its historic buildings, riverwalk and shopping.
But beyond this holiday hotspot, Ontario boasts an array of quaint towns for a pre-Christmas visit.
Here are five holiday-decked-out towns in Ontario:
Bracebridge
Located just over two hours north of Toronto, this town is in the heart of Muskoka, surrounded by evergreen forests. The historic downtown, full of quaint shops, is lit up for holidays, giving it a magical feel. There are over 25 holiday events happening in the area.
Bracebridge is also home to Santa’s summer place—Santa’s Village, which is open with special holiday events in November and December.
View this post on Instagram
Unionville
Main Street Unionville in Markham gets decked out for the holidays. This charming downtown features boutiques and restaurants. Unionville’s Main Street set the stage for the recent Netflix holiday romance Merry Little Ex-Mas.
Events this year include a Christmas Celebration on Dec. 6 and Candy Cane Carolers on Dec. 13.
Unionville is situated in Markham, just a half-hour drive from Toronto. While there is ongoing construction due to the Main Street restoration project, the street is still accessible to pedestrians.
Main Street Unionville is festive for Christmas.
Elora
Hailed as one of Ontario’s most beautiful villages, Elora is illuminated with 88,000 energy-efficient twinkling lights. The Christmas market includes cedar huts offering artisan goods, comfort eats and hot drinks. There are fire tables to gather round, live music performances and weekend Christmas matinee movies at Ontario’s oldest historical cinema.
View this post on Instagram
Port Perry and Uxbridge
A little closer to Toronto, Port Perry and Uxbridge are in north Durham Region.
Port Perry gets into the holiday spirit with twinkle lights, decorated storefronts and visits from Santa. This cute downtown served as the backdrop for the movie, The Enchanted Christmas Cake.
In Uxbridge, the Holiday Trail on Brock and Toronto Streets features festive lights, Christmas decorations and free trolley rides.
View this post on Instagram
Coldwater
Victorian homes in this small Simcoe County community give it a classic Christmas feel. Historic sights include the Coldwater Mill, built in 1833. This cute town has shops for holiday gifts and even has a year-round Christmas shop — The Christmas Villager and Country Gifts.
It’s also not far from Blue Mountain Village, which transforms into a magical wonderland, glowing with warm, festive lights and decorated with bright bows and garlands during the annual Holiday Magic event.
Coldwater is about two hours north of Toronto. Blue Mountain Village is about an hour’s drive west of Coldwater.
Find more romanic holiday communities to visit on Ontario’s tourism page here.
Lead photo: Elora Christmas Market