There is something so special about getting away during the Christmas season. The lights, decorated trees, holiday music and festive activities make an already fun trip feel even more memorable. You do not have to fly across the country or plan an entire week away to experience a magical Christmas destination either. There are several incredible Christmas getaways within an easy road trip from Memphis.
Whether you want a full resort experience, millions of twinkling lights, visits with Santa or a cozy mountain weekend, these destinations truly go all out for the holidays. Most are within about seven hours of Memphis, making them perfect for a long weekend with the family, a couples’ getaway or a festive girls’ trip.
Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee
Approximate drive from Memphis: 3 hours
A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland is one of the most impressive holiday experiences near Memphis. The resort is filled with acres of lights and decorations, and you do not even have to leave the property to fill an entire weekend with Christmas activities.
For 2026, ICE! features scenes from Home Alone carved from more than two million pounds of ice. The resort also offers ice tubing, holiday shows, seasonal dining experiences and plenty of family-friendly activities. Even simply walking through the decorated indoor gardens is worth the trip. Stay at the resort if you want the full experience or make it one part of a Nashville Christmas weekend.
While you are in Nashville, add Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood to your itinerary. The gardens feature a mile-long illuminated trail, a decorated historic mansion, s’mores and a holiday marketplace.
Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missouri
Approximate drive from Memphis: 4.5 hours
Big Cedar Lodge is already one of the prettiest resorts in the region, but it becomes even more special at Christmas. Its Home for the Holidays celebration includes millions of lights, a real ice-skating rink, snow tubing, Santa visits, holiday light tours and seasonal activities for both children and adults.
The wooded Ozark setting, log cabins and views of Table Rock Lake make it feel like a true Christmas retreat. You can spend the entire weekend on the property without running out of things to do. This is a great option for families, but it would also make a beautiful couples’ trip.
Branson and Silver Dollar City in Missouri
Approximate drive from Memphis: 4.5 hours
Branson is one of the best Christmas towns within driving distance of Memphis. The city fills the season with holiday shows, drive-through light displays, decorated attractions and plenty of family entertainment.
The main reason to plan a Christmas trip here is An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City. The award-winning festival features more than 6.5 million lights, Broadway-style Christmas shows, holiday food, handcrafted gifts and a nighttime parade. The entire park glows, and every section has its own festive details.
Big Cedar Lodge is only a short drive from Branson, so you could combine both destinations into one longer holiday trip if you want the full Ozarks Christmas experience.
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Approximate drive from Memphis: 3 hours
Hot Springs is one of the easiest Christmas weekend trips from Memphis. The centerpiece of a holiday visit is Holiday Lights at Garvan Woodland Gardens. The botanical garden transforms into a glowing wonderland with millions of lights spread throughout its wooded landscape.
Make a full weekend of it by staying at a historic hotel, visiting Bathhouse Row, shopping downtown and enjoying a cozy dinner after walking through the lights. Hot Springs works especially well when you want a festive getaway without spending most of the weekend in the car.
Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa in Birmingham, Alabama
Approximate drive from Memphis: 3.5 hours
We have loved Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa for years, but there is something especially beautiful about visiting at Christmas. The castle-like resort is decorated throughout for the season, and the rolling hills, grand lobby and cozy fireplaces make it feel like a true holiday escape without traveling far from Memphis.
The resort’s Christmas programming has included a huge tree, fireside holiday readings, breakfast with Santa, caroling, s’mores, crafts and family movie nights. Matt loves the Robert Trent Jones golf course, while I love that there is also a spa, great dining and plenty of space to slow down and enjoy the property. Holiday activities can change each year, so check the resort’s current calendar before booking your stay.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Approximate drive from Memphis: 5 hours
Chattanooga is already one of our favorite family-friendly weekend destinations, and Christmas gives you another reason to visit. Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights transforms Lookout Mountain into a nighttime winter wonderland with millions of lights throughout the gardens and rock formations.
The mountaintop setting makes this display different from a traditional drive-through light show. Spend the rest of the weekend exploring downtown Chattanooga, visiting the Tennessee Aquarium or staying near the river. It is easy to build a complete two- or three-day itinerary around the holiday event.
Dollywood and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Approximate drive from Memphis: 6.5 hours
Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas is one of the most celebrated Christmas events in the country. The park is covered in more than six million lights and dozens of towering Christmas trees. Each area has its own color palette and holiday theme, and there are Christmas shows, seasonal food, Santa visits and rides beneath the lights.
Pigeon Forge and nearby Gatlinburg add even more Christmas displays, shopping and family activities, so this destination is worth a longer weekend. Stay at one of Dollywood’s resorts for an immersive holiday trip or choose a cozy cabin in the Smoky Mountains.
Callaway Resort & Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia
Approximate drive from Memphis: 6.5 hours
Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens is one of the largest and most impressive Christmas light experiences in the region. The seven-mile route winds through 18 themed scenes across the resort’s 2,500 wooded acres and features more than 10 million lights.
Before or after the drive, explore the Callaway Christmas Village for seasonal shopping, hot chocolate, festive food and visits with Santa. You can stay at The Lodge and Spa, a cottage or one of the resort’s villas and turn the light display into a complete Christmas weekend. This is a wonderful choice for families who want plenty of holiday magic without having to leave the property.
Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina
Approximate drive from Memphis: 7 hours
Asheville is the one destination on this list that may take a little longer than seven hours depending on traffic and where you begin in the Memphis area, but The Omni Grove Park Inn is too iconic at Christmas to leave out.
The historic resort hosts the National Gingerbread House Competition and displays the elaborate entries throughout the property. The massive stone fireplaces, mountain views, garlands and more than 80 illuminated trees make the entire inn feel like a Christmas movie.
Turn it into a complete Asheville holiday weekend by adding the Biltmore Estate, downtown shopping and one of the area’s Christmas markets or light displays. This is the best choice on the list when you want a cozy mountain escape with a more elevated atmosphere.
Planning Your Christmas Road Trip From Memphis
Christmas events often require timed tickets, and resort rooms can book months in advance. Once you decide where you want to go, reserve your accommodations and must-do experiences early. Always check the official event calendar before leaving because dates, ticket requirements and activities can change from year to year.
For a quick weekend, Nashville, Hot Springs and Huntsville are the easiest drives. Choose Big Cedar Lodge, Branson or French Lick when you want the resort or destination itself to be the centerpiece of the trip. Chattanooga and Pigeon Forge are ideal for families who want to combine Christmas events with other attractions. And if you are willing to drive a little farther, Asheville delivers one of the prettiest Christmas getaways in the South.
You do not have to wait for the perfect time or plan a huge vacation to make Christmas memories together. Pick a weekend, pack the car and experience a little of the magic before the season passes by.
Which Christmas getaway would you choose for a holiday road trip from Memphis?
