Hallmark Christmas movies always look magical. The cozy streets, bright lights, snowy mountains, and warm small towns make every story feel sweet and full of holiday charm. Many fans wonder if these places are real or just built on a film set. The truth is simple. Some sets are made on soundstages, but many Hallmark Christmas movies are filmed in real towns, real hotels, and real tourist spots that you can actually visit.
As holiday season returns and new movies arrive, here are 20 real filming locations from Hallmark Christmas movies. These beautiful places gave the films their Christmas magic and now attract fans from around the world.
| Movie Title | Main Stars (2) | Release Year |
|---|---|---|
| The Mistletoe Secret | Kellie Pickler, Tyler Hynes | 2019 |
| Christmas at Graceland | Kellie Pickler, Wes Brown | 2018 |
| Christmas at the Plaza | Elizabeth Henstridge, Ryan Paevey | 2019 |
| Christmas in Evergreen | Ashley Williams, Teddy Sears | 2017 |
| Christmas in Rome | Lacey Chabert, Sam Page | 2019 |
| Christmas at Dollywood | Danica McKellar, Niall Matter | 2019 |
| One Royal Holiday | Laura Osnes, Aaron Tveit | 2020 |
| Christmas in Conway | Mary-Louise Parker, Andy Garcia | 2013 |
| Christmas in Homestead | Taylor Cole, Michael Rady | 2016 |
| Christmas Cookies | Jill Wagner, Wes Brown | 2016 |
| A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado | Rochelle Aytes, Mark Taylor | 2020 |
| Chateau Christmas | Merritt Patterson, Luke Macfarlane | 2020 |
| Christmas in Vienna | Sarah Drew, Brennan Elliott | 2020 |
| Christmas Sail | Katee Sackhoff, Patrick Sabongui | 2021 |
| Christmas in My Heart | Heather Hemmens, Luke Macfarlane | 2021 |
| Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses | Jill Wagner, Matthew Davis | 2019 |
| A Very Merry Mix-Up | Alicia Witt, Mark Wiebe | 2013 |
| Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas | Megan Park, Josh Henderson | 2018 |
| Christmas Under Wraps | Candace Cameron Bure, David O’Donnell | 2014 |
| A Glenbrooke Christmas | Autumn Reeser, Antonio Cupo | 2020 |
Aldergrove, British Columbia – The Mistletoe Secret
The town of Aldergrove was changed into a cute Christmas town for The Mistletoe Secret. A real restaurant, Bob’s Bar n’ Grill, was turned into the Mistletoe Diner. The whole downtown was decorated with lights and fake snow. Even though the movie is set in Utah, the entire feel of the small town was created here.
Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee – Christmas at Graceland
This movie was filmed at the real Graceland, the famous home of Elvis Presley. Hallmark was allowed to shoot inside the estate, making it one of the rare films to show real inside views. The sequel Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays also returned to the same location because fans loved its charm.
The Plaza Hotel, New York City – Christmas at the Plaza
The Plaza Hotel is one of the most popular holiday film locations ever. It appears in many Christmas movies, and Hallmark also used the real hotel for Christmas at the Plaza. The movie shows real parts of the hotel as a decorator and a historian work on the holiday display.
Burnaby Village Museum, British Columbia – Christmas in Evergreen
The Burnaby Village Museum creates the perfect old-fashioned Christmas vibe. This heritage village played the role of Evergreen, the fictional Vermont town. The bakery, church, log cabin, blacksmith shop, and general store all helped build the cozy Christmas feel.
Rome, Italy – Christmas in Rome
Hallmark sent the cast to real Rome for this movie. Instead of building sets, they shot scenes at famous landmarks. Since the story follows a tour guide, filming in real Rome added beauty and true holiday cheer to every shot.
Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – Christmas at Dollywood
This movie could only be filmed at the real Dollywood, owned by Dolly Parton. Some indoor scenes were shot in Vancouver, but all the exterior shots were taken inside the actual theme park during its Christmas season.
Mansion at Bald Hill, Connecticut – One Royal Holiday
This elegant mansion worked perfectly for a royal-themed Christmas movie. One Royal Holiday filmed many scenes inside the Mansion at Bald Hill, which is now a charming bed-and-breakfast. The cozy rooms and snowy gardens made the story look magical.
Wilmington, North Carolina – Christmas in Conway
This movie used several real spots around Wilmington, a city already known for famous TV shows. The warm neighborhoods and old-style homes added a soft Christmas atmosphere to the story.
Dahlonega, Georgia – Christmas in Homestead
The small town of Dahlonega became the movie’s holiday town. Dahlonega is known for its beautiful Christmas decorations in real life, so it matched the film perfectly. The town square, shops, and light displays made every scene shine.
Squamish, British Columbia – Christmas Cookies
The movie was shot in Squamish, a snowy and peaceful place north of Vancouver. Even though the filming happened during springtime, Squamish still had snow that made the town look perfect for a Christmas story.
Hope, British Columbia – A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado
This movie is set in Colorado but filmed completely in Hope, a lovely Canadian town. Local shops, the downtown streets, and even summer areas were fully transformed with fake snow and Christmas decorations.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia – Chateau Christmas
The luxury Fairmont Chateau Whistler resort served as the main setting for Chateau Christmas. It sits right at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. The hotel’s grand halls, fireplaces, and snowy views gave the movie a rich and warm holiday mood.
Vienna, Austria – Christmas in Vienna
For this movie, Hallmark filmed at real holiday markets in Vienna. Iconic spots like St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Riesenrad Ferris Wheel appear in the film. Shooting during the real Christmas season made every frame glow with authentic holiday style.
Gibsons, British Columbia – Christmas Sail
The movie used the real marina in Gibsons, a coastal town in British Columbia. The boats, docks, and waterfront lights helped create the emotional and warm scenes in the film.
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec – Christmas in My Heart
Although the story is set in North Carolina, the movie filmed in Saint-Hyacinthe, where local streets were turned into a holiday market. They even used fake snow in summer to get the perfect Christmas look.
Marietta, Georgia – Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses
The town of Marietta hosted the shoot for this movie. Even though the filming happened in spring, the town square and surrounding areas were decorated to look like a real holiday celebration.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario – A Very Merry Mix-Up
This romantic Christmas movie filmed many scenes in Niagara-on-the-Lake, a historic town known for its pretty streets and old shops. The natural charm of the town made it perfect for a gentle holiday story.
Langley, British Columbia – Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas
The cozy neighborhoods and snowy parks of Langley were used to bring this Blake Shelton–produced movie to life. Many Hallmark crews choose Langley because it easily transforms into a winter wonderland.
Salt Lake City, Utah – Christmas Under Wraps
This popular Hallmark movie starring Candace Cameron Bure filmed parts in Salt Lake City and nearby areas. The snowy mountains and wooden cabins helped show real holiday beauty.
Vancouver, British Columbia – A Glenbrooke Christmas
Most of the movie was filmed in and around Vancouver, using real bookstores, small cafés, and decorated streets. Vancouver is one of Hallmark’s top filming hubs because it has many charming neighborhoods and long winter seasons.
FAQs
1. Are Hallmark Christmas movies filmed in real towns?
Yes. Many Hallmark Christmas movies are filmed in real small towns, real hotels, and real tourist spots in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Some sets are created on soundstages, but a large number of movies use real locations you can visit.
2. Why does Hallmark film so many movies in Canada?
Hallmark films often choose British Columbia and Quebec because these places have beautiful snowy towns, long winter seasons, and filmmaker-friendly rules. These cities also offer locations that easily transform into cozy Christmas villages.
3. Can fans visit the filming locations shown in the movies?
Yes. Most of the towns, hotels, and streets used in Hallmark movies are open to the public. Popular places like The Plaza Hotel, Graceland, Burnaby Village Museum, Vienna Christmas markets, and Dollywood are real locations where visitors are welcome.
4. Do the locations look the same in real life as in the movie?
Many locations do look very similar. However, some Christmas decorations, lights, and fake snow are added by the production team. Still, the overall vibe of the real location usually matches what you see on screen.
5. Which Hallmark Christmas movie has the most famous filming location?
Christmas at the Plaza and Christmas at Graceland are two of the most famous ones. The movies feature the real Plaza Hotel in New York City and the legendary Graceland estate in Memphis, making them very popular with fans.
Final Words
Hallmark Christmas movies feel magical because of their sweet stories and warm locations. Many of these places are real towns, hotels, and parks that welcome visitors all year. From the bright lights of New York City to the snowy villages of British Columbia, Hallmark fans can explore real-life spots where movie magic was made. These locations prove that Christmas charm is not only on screen. It is also out there waiting for you to visit.
All Movies are Distributed by Hallmark Channel.