World's Most Popular Christmas Destination Is Located in New York

The holidays are almost here, and one of the most popular places to visit on Christmas is located in the Empire State.

Where do people want to visit most during the most festive time of year? Turns out people across the globe have the Empire State on their destination vision boards.

Not only was New York a top destination in the United States - it is one of the most popular destinations in the entire world.

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Cloudwars released a study helping to pinpoint where people want to spend the holidays most.

Using search data from 69 countries, it was able to determine their most preferred Christmas destinations.

While Europe was a heavy favorite worldwide due to its sprawling Christmas markets and warmer temperatures - only one American destination made the top 10.

That just so happened to be New York City, which was ranked the 5th most popular global destination overall. Pretty fitting for the official birthplace of America's modern day Christmas tree lot.

The study also highlighted the countries that put NYC at the top of their list. The majority happened to be from South America, such as Chile and Uruguay.

For those bummed that nowhere in Upstate New York got a nod, chances are it's because New York City tends to have milder temperatures and less snow around this time of year.

New York City also offers several picture perfect family attractions, such as a festive walk through Central Park, ice skating at Rockefeller Center, and seeing the massive Christmas tree that towers above it.

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Plus, there are several world-renowned restaurants and Broadway shows that also will help keep visitors entertained. Also, those will small children have the opportunity to visit some ultra-famous toy stores like FAO Schwarz or the American Girl Store.

Which may be a good thing for those of us Upstate, since New York City can be a madhouse around this time of year with the sheer amount of tourists who cram into the Big Apple for holiday cheer.

As it turns out, New York is home to one of the best places for Americans to visit around this time of year - and it isn't NYC.

Read More: Tiny NY Town Named One of the 35 Best Christmas Destinations

Another study also crowned Saratoga Springs as the #1 most festive Christmas town in the entire country.

Here in Central New York, we have the breathtakingly beautiful Santa's Village, where Canterbury Hill Road in Rome transforms into a twinkling Christmas wonderland.

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While we would love to see more tourists give Upstate a chance during the holidays, locals also tend to have an issue when a family favorite attraction becomes so overcrowded it's impossible to enjoy the same amount of fun as previous years.

Upstate New York only has so many attractions that can accommodate the waves of visitors that traipse through NYC every day, right?

For those curious, here are the top 10 places the world wants to visit for Christmas this year. They are as follows:

London
Vienna
Prague
Tokyo
New York City
Budapest
Brussels
Edinburgh
Paris
Copenhagen

Shanghai and Madrid respectively finished in 11th and 12th place.

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Which destination is your #1 pick? Let us know using the station app's chat feature.

"Four Towns Forward" Brings A Treasure of Central New York Dining Options For Us!

For many generations there have been four very small towns in Central New York, each independent of the other, each struggling to keep up with the times, whether it was the 1920s or the 2020s. Now, in a unique collaboration, these four small rural towns have linked forces in a show of togetherness and cooperation to unite the four as they head into the future.

The towns, Afton (Chenango County), Bainbridge (Chenango County), Sidney, (Delaware County), and Unadilla (Otsego County) are each separated by only five miles, and all sit along the same rural country highway. But now the villages are joining hands under an umbrella of a newly formed organization called "4TownsForward." They are sharing their community events, their businesses, and their residents in fulfilling the legacy that "one for all and all for one" is alive and well in Central New York!

And now, looking at the big picture, these four villages really have something to offer travelers who come through the region. More than two dozen amazing places to stop and eat! Maybe a donut and a cup of coffee, maybe a tavern for some wings and good conversations, or maybe for an award-winning chef's latest creation. These places, big and small, are all excellent and worthy of a stop by you!

For more information on the groundbreaking collaboration of several communities with a common goal for the future, check out 4TownsFoward here.

And now (from Afton on up to Unadilla) it is time to eat!

(Note: although there are many, we did not include any large franchise restaurants, of which there are several along this route)

Gallery Credit: Chuck DImperio