INDIANA — Hoosiers can buckle up and buckle down this winter after making the list of “110 Coziest Winter Towns in America.”
The list by New York Travel Guides featured three separate Indiana cities for a magical getaway during the colder months.
While some Hoosiers prefer the warm, summer months, others prefer the chilly temps that allow them to get cozy by the fire and a blanket. Ice skating on a rink with Christmas lights is another favorite for some.
Another, according to the travel guide may be having a delicious cup of hot chocolate by a bonfire or Christmas shopping at “quaint shops.”
To determine the list of America’s ‘coziest winter towns’ for a magical getaway, they gathered data to compare 575 small towns across three categories:
- (1) popularity during winter with the general public and photographers
- (2) cozy weather
- (3) cozy activities and atmosphere
For Indiana cities, #22 on the list was (by no surprise) Santa Claus, #67 came in as Madison and #89 as Angola. All three cities were spread apart based on the three categorical scores:
Santa Claus (#22)
Santa Claus is a southern Indiana city that is named after the Christmas “legendary figure”, but as previous reports explained, was named by mistake.
The town, originally called Santa Fee applied for a post office in the 19th century but due to a town with a similar name, Santa Fee was denied. On Christmas Eve during a town meeting, children were heard saying, “Santa Claus! Santa Claus!”
The naming decision was made, according to the city’s official website.
With the slogan, “America’s Christmas Hometown,” it is one of the only places in the world where you really can enjoy Christmas all year.
The main attraction there for visitors is Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari which features roller coasters, water rides, and games galore all in a themed setting.
According to the study results, Santa Claus had a 100 score for winter popularity, 66.5 for cozy weather score and 84.7 for cozy activities and atmosphere score.
Madison (#67)
On their city’s official website, Madison holds some of the nation’s “finest landmarks.” Those include the Lanier Mansion, Shrewsburry-Windle Home and Eleutherian College.
Officials said these sites continue to be popular attractions in Jefferson County.
The Hoosier city even gives a list of 10 Reasons to Visit Madison. Attractions and riverside festivals are surely fun during the warmer months, but during winter some may like to try the over 25 locally-owned eateries and cafes or enjoy a home away from home.
The website said from charming cottages in the downtown historic district to secluded cabins, Madison offers a wide variety of accommodations. Many of those are sure to be great for a romantic interlude or a girlfriend’s getaway during the cold season.
The final area of uniqueness is the numerous shops, galleries and antique malls in Madison may interest visitors as well.
In the travel guide results, the winter popularity score for Madison was 78.8, the cozy weather score 69.3 and the cozy activities and atmosphere score was 81.1.
Angola (#89)
It’s a city in Steuben County and home to local shops, coffee, art, movie theaters and antiques just two miles east of I-69.
According to their official website, two other big attractions for the city are their “Indiana Rail Experience” and Trine University.
If shopping is your cup of tea, the town of Fremont has you covered with specialty shops available for your choosing.
There’s also a quilt cottage with name brands like Riley Blake, RJR, Liberty, Marcus Andover Laundry Basket Patterns, Notions and more.
Downtown Angola features an interactive e-book to explore the town’s history and attractions for guests to visit. Many of which are great for the cozy winter season.
The study listed Angola as having and 80-point winter popularity score, 75-point cozy weather score and 74.7-point cozy activities and atmosphere score.
For a look at the non-Indiana top 10 ‘coziest winter towns’:
- #1: Leavenworth, Washington
- #2: Breckenridge, Colorado
- #3: Stowe, Vermont
- #4 Vail, Colorado
- #5 Aspen, Colorado
- #6 Lake Placid, New York
- #7: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- #8: Frankenmuth, Michigan
- #9: Petoskey, Michigan
- #10: Stillwater, Minnesota
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