Carmel Christkindlmarkt

This was our second year attending the Christkindlmarkt and we had a great time. Our only regret was waiting until later in the day to start our adventure. The crowds had increased significantly by the time we arrived. However, the lines were well managed and the atmosphere was full of holiday cheer. We are already looking forward to year #3!

Christkindlmarkt is the trendy place to be between Thanksgiving and Christmas and is worth a visit. The market, on the grounds of the Allied Solution Center for Performing Arts, includes booths filled with German themed foods, ornaments and kitschy trinkets. There is a large and popular skating rink. Santa was on hand to visit with kids and discuss their lists. We appreciated the opportunity for the kids to do a craft. The market was packed with visitors during our visit. Many people huddled around nice fire pits to warm their hands as they ate brats and sipped beer. I had a German pretzel, which was warm and huge and a Beir beer. I thought the food was good, but pricy and we had to stand in multiple long lines to get food and drink. The people were friendly and welcomed us with maps of the market layout. Plan an extra 20 minutes to find parking. We went 30 minutes before opening, and still sat in line to find a space. Parking is a mess.

A German Christmas market, with a vibrant bustling vibe. This is a great destination to hang out with friends and family as well as to get your Christmas shopping done. There are many vendors selling German cuisine including Bratwurst, Pretzel, Dumplings, Strudels, Chocolate and Alcoholic drinks.You can find variety of German crafts as well. There is a live music and an ice skating ring there.Definitely recommended

This was my first year at the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. And it won't be my last!!! I felt like being back at home in Germany when I walked across the Christkindle market. The cozy Christmas atmosphere, German wooden booth with delicious German foods and treats. Glühwein and Feuerzangenbowle ( you must try it!! It's delicious!!). I am so happy to have found this Christmas market. I also loved the ice skating ring in the middle of the market. If you want to experience a piece of Germany - this is it! Tip: I would recommend to go early. The market gets very! crowded. And even though there were no pet signs I saw people bringing their dogs. I can only imagine how frightened they must be walking in those crowds seeing legs and feet only. The market is very! pricey. $14 for a Glühwein in a mug and about $13 for a brat, hot chocolate costs a whopping $8.00. Yikes. Parking is ok. Don't spend $10 on those parking lots leading to the Christkindle market. There is free public parking and a parking garage right of Veterans Way. From there you walk only about 3 minutes to the market.

If there's anything that will get me outside on a cold December day, it's good food--and the Carmel Christkindlmarkt delivers with a wide selection of German cuisine and numerous flavors of gluhwein.That said, you'll need to brave large crowds and long lines to enjoy it, and be prepared for steep prices. My husband wanted gluhwein, but the line was so long he settled for an $8 cup of hot chocolate--which we watched them make by adding powder to hot water. (I really hope it wasn't just Swiss Miss...)The food we tried was yummy, but $45 for cheesy potatoes and sausage feels pretty steep.The crowd management is another drawback. At times, it feels like you're cattle being herded through the aisles, which is made worse by strollers and people walking their dogs. I wish the market would establish some rules, improve queue management, and maybe take a page from Chicago's Christkindlmarkt: fence off the market and control entry so there's actually some elbow room.It's a fun attraction that I'm glad is nearby, but I'd think twice about going on the weekends if you can avoid it.

For years I had been searching for a Christmas market in the States that truly captures the magic of a German Christkindlmarkt. Well...I have to search no more! The Carmel Christkindlmarkt is the real deal! It would even be considered one of the nicest markets were it to be located in Germany! From the beautiful booths and the amazingly talented artisans to the scrumptious Glühwein offerings and the mouth-wateringly DELICIOUS food! This year we tried the Raclette, the Döner Kebap and the roasted Champions with the latter being our absolute favorite! We will be back again next year!

This wasn't what we expected at all, but in the best way! It's less like a festival and more like a traditional market. It's smaller, but that doesn't make it any less magical. Every booth was full of handmade items from all over the world. Every food stall had something unique and homemade. The prices on food and drink were extremely reasonable and we loved sipping our mulled wine and watching the ice skaters. This is truly a wonderful little experience and will make for the perfect romantic Christmas date for years to come.

Carmel's Christkindlmarkt was a favorite date spot in college, so we've gone a number of times over the years. Since then, it's only gotten more popular! All the food is delicious, and the vendors go out of their way to make it as authentically German as possible. Live music is played regularly, and vendors sell a variety of holiday treats and creations. The best time to visit is at night, when the entire market is lit up with Christmas lights. These days, it's a little far for us to travel, but it's still worth it. Definitely check it out this holiday season!

Stopped by Sunday around 6pm and it was pretty busy but not so busy we couldn't enjoy ourselves! Lecker (delicious) food and drinks everywhere and lots of shops to choose Christmas gifts from - we had a great time and can't wait to come back next year! Side note: if you're not familiar with the area in general, a lot of the items being sold (including food and beverage) can be pretty pricey so keep that in mind when planning to visit!

Beautiful set up with lots of food. Very food focused, and expensive items for sale. Organizers unfortunately underestimated the popularity and many items were sold out early in the season