Santa Claus, Arizona
A while back, my husband and I took a road trip along Route 66, and this was one of the more bizarre stops we made. Not to be confused with the small town in Indiana (which, by the way, is GORGEOUS during Christmas), this is an abandoned Arizona ghost town.
As you can guess by the name, this entire small town is Christmas-themed.
We found out that it used to be a hopping tourist destination where parents would take their kids for all things “Santa,” including a north pole post office where kiddos could receive mail from Ole’ Saint Nick himself!
But being right along Route 66, its downfall came when people stopped traveling on this famous road. The small town itself pretty much shut down sometime in the 70s, so it’s nothing but a ghost town today.
Again, this wouldn’t be a destination you would plan around. But if you’re ever wandering the area, it’s worth making a stop and checking it out…unless you have a fear of snakes because, unfortunately, the only inhabitants left in the area are rattlesnakes!
