Connecticut’s quaint towns are drawing Hallmark holiday movie fans in big numbers

Hallmark Holiday fans are putting Connecticut’s small towns on their winter travel lists, treating Main Streets like real-life movie sets. Connecticut’s Christmas Movie Trail is pushing the trend by pointing visitors to more than 100 filming locations tied to over 22 holiday titles shot across 22 towns, including several made for Hallmark.

That packaging turns set-jetting into an easy plan: watch a Hallmark movie, pick a town, then visit the inn, market, carousel, or city hall you recognize from a scene. Some Hallmark Holiday tours have sold out quickly, with travelers watching the matching films between stops.

The map also makes it simple to mix filming stops with events towns already run, like tree lightings and downtown strolls. For local businesses, the draw is clear: fans arrive ready to eat, shop, and stay overnight while chasing the Hallmark Holiday vibe. You can do it in one day or stretch it into a weekend.

Which Connecticut towns are Hallmark holiday movie fans visiting, and the filming spots they’re chasing?

Wethersfield is the most repeated stop on many Hallmark Holiday itineraries because Old Wethersfield already looks like a film set. The trail highlights Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre, a filming location for Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane and Rediscovering Christmas. Nearby, the Silas W. Robbins House is also tied to Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane, so visitors can cover two recognizable sites on foot.

Norwich draws fans to City Hall, a recognizable backdrop from Sugar Plum Twist, especially when it is decorated for the season. Hartford adds a quick scene recreation. Bushnell Park Carousel is listed as a filming spot for Ghosts of Christmas Always.

Mystic has become a base town for Hallmark Holiday weekends because Mystic Christmas is tied directly to the village. The trail points visitors to downtown Mystic and flags Friar Tuck’s Tavern as a featured location connected to the movie. Essex adds a single “do it in real life” stop for Hallmark Holiday planners. The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat is listed as a filming location connected to Next Stop, Christmas.

Why Connecticut became a holiday-movie hotspot, and why the Hallmark formula translates into travel

The holiday movie market is now large enough to support travel around filming locations. In the Associated Press reporting dated December 15, 2025, carried by Fast Company, the genre releases roughly 100 new holiday films each year.

Connecticut fits the template because many towns already match the visual language of a Hallmark Holiday story: walkable downtowns, older architecture, and public greens that can be decorated quickly. As per the AP report, holiday TV author Joanna Wilson said,

“They want to see people coming together. They want to see these romances. It’s a part of the hope of the season....Who doesn’t love love? And it always has a predictable, happy ending”

Film tax credits remain a watch point for future production volume.

How to do the Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail, from self-guided weekends to booked tours

The simplest Hallmark Holiday approach is self-guided. Use the official map to pick a tight cluster, set one base town, then add short drives to two or three nearby stops. Connecticut resident Christina Nieves said,

“I said, listen, let me just milk this Hallmark thing as long as I can, OK?”

Connecticut’s promotion has leaned on the idea that the “magic” is meant to be walked through, not only watched. As per the State of Connecticut press release dated November 13, 2024, producer Andrew Gernhard said,

“Holiday films bring us comfort, nostalgia, and a bit of magic...Having grown up here, I know firsthand the character and warmth that make Connecticut an ideal setting to bring these films to life. We’ve had the joy of filming so many holiday scenes here, and I think fans are going to love experiencing Connecticut through this lens.”

Connecticut tourism brand director Ellen Woolf Rubrich said,

“The Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail showcases the state’s unique role as a holiday destination, not just for movie sets but for real-life memories,”

For many travellers, that is the full pitch: watch a Hallmark movie, follow the map, and leave with a Hallmark Holiday weekend in real places.

Stay tuned for more updates.