WNY’s Most Charming Town For The Holidays (It’s Not Where You Think!)

We've all heard of the incredible places in Western New York that feel like they're straight out of a Hallmark movie. Some of them have actually already been featured in some. Ellicottville and East Aurora always meet that description. But what if I told you there was one that was just as charming as them, but not quite as well known? It might be one of Western New York's best-kept secrets. This past weekend, we spent a little time there and came up with a list of things you need to do when you visit Medina, New York.

Yes, we said Medina, New York

You've heard of Medina, but have you ever been there? This past weekend, we decided to try out a restaurant in the heart of Medina, and because it was so far away, we gave ourselves plenty of time to not only make our reservation on time, but to discover a little of what Medina had to offer.

We were so glad we did.

Get ready to shop when you visit Medina

We were with another couple when we visited, and one of the things that the ladies liked the most was the quaint little shops that were up and down the street. There were candy shops and book stores, and gift shops that you could spend hours in.

Every single shop owner was so nice too. There wasn't a single store that we stopped in where the person on the register didn't ask us, or someone else, what it was that brought them to Medina. They were genuinely proud of their little town and wanted people to come back.

Every single person mentioned the Christmas parade, too.

Medina throws a huge Old Tyme Christmas Celebration every year

The one thing that almost every single person said was if we liked Medina in November, we should see it on the day that they have their big Christmas celebration. They mentioned that there is a parade, fireworks, and of course, a visit from the big guy in the red suit, too!

If you've never visited Medina, you might want to put it on your list of things to do this holiday season. I made up a list of the top 5 things you can do while you're there, from my own experience, and from the suggestions of the people that we met.