Jersey City Leads Nation in Christmas Activities With More Than 1,400 Events

Jersey City topped the charts as America's premier Christmas destination. The city boasts 69.4 festive activities per square mile. In total? 1,460 seasonal events.

MRI Software, a real estate software and services provider tracking foot traffic across retail destinations, conducted the study that produced these rankings.

Wilmington, Delaware, snagged second place. This city packed 65.2 activities per square mile and offered 1,120 events. Newark claimed the bronze medal with 58 activities per square mile, though it dwarfed competitors with 15,000 total events.

Dover, Delaware, and Frederick, Maryland, filled out the remaining top five positions. New Jersey and Delaware each landed two locations in this elite group.

New Hampshire also performed well, placing two cities in the top 10. Nashua arrived in sixth with 27.7 events per square mile. Manchester took eighth, delivering 24 per square mile.

"Our Christmas Hotspots Index provides some great insight into how different cities are preparing for one of the peak trading periods in the retail calendar," said Cedrick Johnson, Brand and Communications Leader at MRI Software, in a statement, according to The Mirror. "New Jersey and New Hampshire in particular are states that we expect to be popular tourist attractions with high footfall due to having multiple cities in our top 10 Christmas hotspots."

Worcester, Massachusetts; Warwick, Rhode Island; and Buffalo, New York, rounded out the top 10. The study examined holiday markets, festive drive-throughs, and other seasonal attractions.

Holiday offerings span the region. Christmas Con takes over the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison. The Polar Express Train Ride chugs along at Delaware River Railroad Excursions in Phillipsburg.

Drive-Thru Lights at GLOW dazzles visitors with more than 8.8 million animated lights choreographed to holiday music along a one-mile route in Sicklerville. The German Christmas Market of New Jersey appears the first weekend of December at Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta.

This market features rides and performances inside the Entertainment Hall, on the outdoor stage, and in the Conservatory Courtyard.