Essex makes Country Living’s list of ‘Most Magical Christmas Towns in the U.S.’
The riverside town of Essex has made Country Living’s 2023 list of the “The 30 Most Magical Christmas Towns in the U.S.”
The North Pole Express at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, Holiday Train Show at the Connecticut River Museum, Ivoryton Illuminations and Griswold Inn were named by Country Living as some of the attractions that make Essex a destination to visit during the holiday season.
The town of Essex, complete with its Christmas charm, has also been the filming location for recent Hallmark movies. The 2018 Hallmark movie, “Christmas at Pemberley Manor,” heavily featured the aforementioned Griswold Inn while 2021’s “Next Stop, Christmas” used the Essex Steam Train for its time travel plot. Portions of Essex could also be seen in last year’s Netflix holiday movie, “The Noel Diary.”
“I think the neighborhoods and the feeling of family really worked for this movie,” “The Noel Diary” director Charles Shyer told Hearst Connecticut last year. “I thought the experience was lovely. The people were great. The food was great.”