Take a Day Trip to Christmas, Florida

If you’re on the hunt for a Christmas adventure this year, you might want to check out Christmas, Florida. While Florida isn’t known for its snow, it does have a town where it’s Christmas all year. Christmas, Florida, is an unincorporated town located about 25 miles east of Orlando in Orange County. Pilots can get there by flying into the Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) and renting a car to drive the 22 miles to Christmas, FL.

How did Christmas, Florida, get its name?

Christmas, Florida, came into existence on December 25, 1837. On that day, 2,000 Army soldiers and a group of volunteers from Alabama entered the area to build a fort for protection during the Second Seminole War from 1835 to 1842. The fort-builders named the town after the holiday, and they also christened the fort Fort Christmas. The town grew for the next 55 years until it had a large enough population to apply for a post office. The application was approved, and Christmas’s first post office was built in 1892. Today, the town has just over 1,000 residents, and they make sure that every day is full of Christmas cheer.

Flying Into Christmas, Florida

If you’re a pilot, you’ll probably want to fly your plane into Orange County and take a rental car to Christmas, FL. The good news is that the Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) is just a 30-minute drive from Christmas. ORL has two runways. Pilots can land on Runway 07/25, which is 6,004 feet long and 150 feet wide, or they can land on Runway 13/31, which is 4,625 feet long and 100 feet wide. ORL is publicly owned by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. Aviators can get 100, 100LL, and Jet-A. Tiedowns and hangars are available, and they offer major airframe and powerplant services as well as bottled oxygen. Pilots can contact the CTAF on 118.7. Unicom is 122.95. Executive Ground can be contacted on 121.4. The tower can be contacted on 118.7, and Orlando Approach and Departure can be contacted on 119.4. Rental cars are provided by 10 different companies, including Enterprise, Payless, Thrifty, Alamo, Budget, and Avis, as well as other companies.

What to Expect When Visiting Christmas, Florida

Christmas, Florida, might be one of the best-kept holiday secrets in the United States. After all, the small town is eclipsed by Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Legoland, and Cirque Del Soleil. However, when you arrive at Christmas, you’ll be greeted by holiday-themed roads, including Comet St., Blitzen Ave., Antler St., and St. Nicholas Avenue. The post office still stands, and visitors can mail all of their holiday cards from the Christmas post office.

Take a Picture of the Christmas Tree

The town of Christmas has a Christmas tree on display all year long. Visitors can find it at the corner of Fort Christmas Road and State Road 50. Along with the festive tree, visitors can enjoy looking at Santa’s sleigh and a nativity scene.

Find an Adventure with Swampy – A Giant Alligator Building

Christmas, FL, is home to Swampy, the world’s largest Alligator building. Swampy houses Jungle Adventures, a wildlife habitat that offers wildlife shows, a replica old Florida village, and a riverboat tour.

Visit Fort Christmas

Fort Christmas was built under the direction of Brigadier General Abraham Eustis. He rode into the area with 2,000 troops, 70 wagons and 1,000 horses. The goal was to build a fort, and they did. The entire structure of Fort Christmas was built in seven days with Cabbage Palm Logs. The original fort is no longer standing. However, a replica has been built and is available to view from 8 AM until 6 PM in the winter and from 8 AM until 8 PM in the summer. It’s important to note that Fort Christmas is closed on December 24 and 25.

Fort Christmas Holiday Events

  • Cracker Christmas on December 7 and 8 – Visitors can enjoy various pioneer demonstrations from 10 AM until 4 PM, including weaving, spinning, syrup making, wood carving, and lace making.
  • Barnyard Banter on December 21 – Guests can enjoy a presentation on Gold Old Butter from 1 PM until 2 PM

Christmas, Florida, makes a great holiday day trip where you can mail all your Christmas cards, visit a historic park and fort, and see some wildlife. You might even decide to take a riverboat tour, and once you’re finished in Christmas, Florida, you might decide to take a trip to Walt Disney World or Universal Studios. You might also decide to visit St. Augustine for the  Christmas lights in St. Augustine or West Palm Beach for the sand tree.

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!