Arizona’s Christmas City

Can’t get enough eggnog, candy canes or Christmas Carols?  Then a day trip to Prescott is an idyllic way to celebrate the many traditions of the holidays even after you’ve opened your presents.

With parades, live concerts and light shows, it’s easy to see why Prescott was designated “Arizona’s Christmas City” in the late 1980s by then Governor Rose Mofford. The town simply comes alive and prides itself on welcoming visitors of all ages to enjoy fantastic shopping, arts and the like cowboy style.

For a taste of sweet success, stroll around the World’s Largest Gingerbread Village in the lobby of the Prescott Resort (map) where more than 100 gingerbread structures are on display in a winter wonderland. The exhibit runs until December 29. To shed a little more light on your holiday take the one-mile drive through Fain Park in Prescott Valley.  Open 24 hours through December 30 the Valley of Lights is filled with a huge array of lighted and animated seasonal displays that your kids will love.  And if sparkly trinkets are your style, visit the Smoki Museum (map), an American Indian Art and Culture Center for the Southwest Indian Jewelry:  Past to Present.  The exhibit is open Tuesday through Sunday until December 31^st with pieces from prehistoric times to the present by some reknown artists.

The Hotel St. Michael at the corner of Montezuma and Gurley in downtown Prescott.

What I love most about Prescott is strolling the center of town, aptly named Whiskey Row.  A collection of art galleries, antique shops, cafes and boutiques surround the main Courthouse Square founded in 1864 and still the town’s main courthouse today. Be sure to see the Courthouse at night with it’s own show of holiday lights.

When walking the streets of Gurley, Cortez and Montezuma, check out the fashions at Tickled Pink, have a root beer float at an old fashioned soda shop, find an original art piece at Van Gogh’s Ear and have a sarsaparilla at The Palace (map), a famous cowboy watering hole since 1877.  Taste the local brew at the Prescott Brewing Company (map) or relax on the rooftop patio at the new Raven Café (map) where they feature art, wine and music.

Rich in culture, Prescott boasts nearly 800 buildings in the National Register of Historic Places, including many beautifully restored Victorian-era homes and bungalows throughout the surrounding streets of the Courthouse Square. And to truly appreciate the romance of this mile high town drop into the lobby of the Hassayampa Inn (map). Their doors first opened in 1927 and today it continues to be a great spot for a romantic getaway.

During this time of year, it’s not unusual for the local merchants to offer home made cookies and other treats to enjoy by a roaring fire.  The experience will allow you to treasure a truly old-fashioned and down-home Christmas that Prescott is famous for.