Best for: Live music shows

Judy Garland might have sung "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in the classic holiday flick Meet Me in St. Louis (side note: Judy's original version definitely belongs on your holiday playlist), but that city may be outdone by another Missouri town at Christmastime. The tourist hot spot of Branson, "America's Christmas Tree City," celebrates all season long with the live music shows the town is known for, plus light displays, parades and Branson Scenic Railway's Polar Express Train Ride through the Ozark Mountains, departing from the town's 1905 train depot. The 1880s-theme park Silver Dollar City also gets the holiday treatment for An Old Time Christmas festival.

The comfortable Lodge of the Ozarks is in a prime location on Branson's "76 Strip," near many of the live entertainment, music and theater venues the town has to offer. Rustic-themed decor, an indoor pool and a great breakfast add to the hotel's appeal.

The Best Christmas Towns in America You Should Visit at Least Once (msn.com)