Solvang and Carmel-by-the-Sea are both vying for America’s top holiday town honor.
The two California destinations landed nominations in the Zoe Report’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards for “Best Christmas Town,” joining 14 other contenders from across the country. Public voting kicked off Oct. 14 and continues through Nov. 11, with the winner set for announcement on November 19.
Solvang, the “Danish Capital of America,” enters the race as the reigning champion after capturing the same award in 2025. The Santa Barbara County city has already stacked additional hardware this season, taking top honors for both Best Christmas Town and Best Christmas Market in the 2026 the outlet Readers’ Choice Awards.
“We are always honored when Solvang is nominated as a ‘best Christmas town.’ It’s a reminder of why we do what we do, as a community, for our locals and visitors each holiday season,” Solvang City Manager Randy Murphy told KSBY News.
Colorado leads all states with three nominated towns: Aspen, Telluride, and Vail. The mountain trio faces stiff competition from a geographically diverse field that stretches from the Northeast to the Florida coast.
Bethlehem, Penn., carries its own Christmas bona fides into the contest, while Park City, Utah, brings Olympic heritage and ski-town atmosphere to the ballot. St. Augustine, Fla., represents the Southeast as the nation’s oldest city vies for seasonal recognition.
Carmel-by-the-Sea marks the second California entry, pairing its fairy-tale cottage architecture and oceanfront setting against Solvang’s European village aesthetic. The Monterey County enclave has built a reputation for storybook charm that draws visitors year-round, with the holiday season amplifying its appeal through decorated courtyards and seasonal events.
The Zoe Report’s 16-town lineup reflects the expanding definition of what constitutes an ideal Christmas destination, spanning ski resorts, historic settlements, coastal retreats, and recreated Old World villages. No single region dominates the field, with contenders drawn from at least eight states.
Murphy’s comments to KSBY News framed the repeated nominations as validation of collective municipal effort rather than mere tourism marketing. The city manager emphasized community investment in sustaining the seasonal experience that has now drawn multiple years of national recognition.
Solvang’s back-to-back prominence in both the Zoe Report and the outlet competitions suggests the 2025 winner has maintained momentum heading into this year’s voting period. The city leveraged its Danish heritage into a distinctive holiday identity, with windmills, half-timbered architecture, and traditional Christmas markets differentiating it from more conventional American seasonal destinations.
The compressed voting window, running just under four weeks from mid-October to early November, puts pressure on nominated communities to mobilize supporters before ballots close. The November 19 winner announcement will fall well ahead of the actual holiday season, giving the victor maximum runway to promote the designation.
The 2026 award cycle marks the second consecutive year that Solvang has contended for or captured the Zoe Report honor, establishing the Central Coast city as a recurring force in holiday destination rankings. Whether Carmel-by-the-Sea can unseat its in-state rival or a challenger from Colorado, Utah, Pennsylvania, or Florida will break through remains to be determined by the public vote.