Top Christmas Lights & Activities Around The South East

My family loves to go see Christmas lights and taking a trip to see them is definitely part of our holiday traditions.

There are lots of great Christmas Lights & Activities to checkout in the South.  While you may not be up for a drive, you might find that there are some close by that you’ve never seen.

If this isn’t a part of your families traditions maybe it’s time to include them, look for the events nearest you.

Alabama

Birmingham – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland through 1/7/18. Cost is $25 per family car or van.

Huntsville – Huntsville Botanical Garden Galaxy of Lights through 12/31, cost is $25 per car (for up to 10 people in a vehicle and $3 each additional person) or $20 per car on discount nights.

Mobile – Bellingrath Gardens and Home Magic Christmas in Lights through 12/31 (excludes 12/25). Price is $13 for children (5-12) and $24 for adults if you want to see the Gardens and the House.

Montgomery – Christmas Lights Festival at the Montgomery Zoo. Event is November 30 – December 3, Dec 7-10 and 14-31. Cost is $15 and includes the train ride.

Florida

Kissimmee – ICE! featuring Christmas Around the World at Gaylord Palms. See this entire attraction make with ice through 1/7/2018. Cost is $28.99 for adults and $14.99 for children (3 and under are free).

Orlando – Checkout all the fun Christmas Festivities at all the Theme Parks in the area, such as Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resorts, Lego Land, and Sea World.

Pensacola – Pensacola Winterfest where there are fun activities for everyone. Prices range depending on night you go, but it starts at $12 for adults and $5 for kids, events run through Dec. 24.

Tampa – Christmas Town at Busch Gardens through Dec. 31. This is an upgrade to your regular ticket.

Georgia

Atlanta – Atlantic Station has several events including a daily “Snow Show”, Ice Skating and more. Event runs through 1/27/2018

Lake Lanier Islands – Lake Lanier Magical Nights of Lights. Through Jan. 3rd you can drive through these lights. Cost is $35 per car (up to 10 people) with advanced online purchase, otherwise it’s $45 per car.

Lookout Mountain – Rock Cities Enchanted Garden of Lights. This event is through 1/6/2018 from 6-9pm and cost $19.95 for adults and $11.95 for children (3-12) on weekdays.

Pine Mountain – Callaway Gardens Fantasy of Lights. Event runs through 12/31. Cost is $28 for adults and $14 for children (6-14). Kids 5 and under are FREE!

Stone Mountain – Christmas at Stone Mountain Park includes lights, music and favorite holiday characters through 1/3/18. Cost is $29.95 for kids (3-11) and adults are $31.95.

Kentucky

Lexington – Southern Lights at the Kentucky Horse Park. Cost is $15 per car on weeknights (up to 7 people per vehicle).

Louisville – Christmas at the Galt House Hotel has several fun activities including Kalightoscope Christmas that runs through 1/1/18. Price is $14.99 on weekdays and a child (12 and under) ticket is FREE with each adult ticket, additional children tickets are $9.99.

Louisville – Louisville MEGA Cavern runs the Lights Under Louisville through 12/31, see lights underground! Cost is $27 per standard vehicle and you can get a $5 off coupon!

Louisiana

Natchitoches – See the Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights through 1/6/18. Pricing varies depending on the night you go, range is from FREE to $6.

New Orleans – Celebration in the Oaks Christmas Event runs through 1/1/18. Price is $9 per person, kids under 3 and Friends of City Park members are FREE.

Mississippi

Canton – The city of Canton has their annual Victorian Christmas Festival through 12/23. This is a FREE event as they light up the Historic Courthouse Square for all to see the decorations.

Gulfport – Head to the Harbor Lights Christmas Festival in Gulfport through 12/23. Cost $4 for large ride and $2 for small rides.

Tylertown – Checkout their Christmas in the Park celebration through 12/31. Admission is just $5 for adults and $2 for children.

North Carolina

Asheville – Christmas Christmas Evening at Biltmore runs through 1/6/18. This is a higher price event costing $70 for regular times, but you do get to see the whole Biltmore house as well.

Tip: After you go through at night you can upgrade your ticket for a small fee to annual pass.  It’s a pretty sweet deal.

Asheville – View the winners of the National Gingerbread House Competition at the Grove Park Inn through 1/6/18. The event is free but you will need to pay $20 for holiday parking is your driving to the inn.

Clemmons – Tanglewood Festival of Lights plus S’moresville sponsored by Lowe’s Foods runs through 1/1/18. Cost is just $15 per family car, van or truck.

McAdenville – Christmas Town USA runs through Dec. 26. You can drive through or walk through and admission is FREE!

Wilmington – Drive through the Enchanted Airlie Gardens on various night running through 12/22. Cost is $27 per car, truck, SUV & Mini Vans.

South Carolina

Charleston – Head to James Island County Park for the Holiday Festival of Lights through 1/1/18. Cost is $15 per vehicle (up to 15 guest) on the weeknights.

Columbia – River Banks Zoo has their Light Before Christmas event through 12/30. Cost is $11 for Adults and $9 for children 2-12.

Columbia – Saluda Shoals Holiday Lights on the River, runs through 12/31.  Cost is $10 per car (so load it up).

Murrells Inlet – Brookgreen Gardens’ Night of a Thousand Candles event runs through 12/17. Cost is $20 for adults and $12 children (4-12) 3 and under are FREE.

Sumter – Checkout Fantasy of Lights at Swan Lake Iris Gardens through 12/31. Admission is FREE!

Spartanburg – Christmas House is open through 12/31.  Admission is FREE.

Wellford – HollyWild has their annual Holiday Lights Safari event through 12/31. Cost is $6.75 per person and free for kids under 2.

Tennessee

Bristol – Checkout the Bristol Motor Speedway in Lights event through 1/6/18. This is a free event but you can donate to help raise money for Speedway Children’s Charities.

Chattanooga – Ruby Falls has their Christmas Underground event that runs through 12/23. Cost is $11.95 per person, $2 and under are free.

Clarksville -The city of Clarksville has their Christmas on the Cumberland light event through 1/1/18. Event is FREE!

Gatlinburg – Checkout Gatlinburg’s Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights through 1/27/18. Cost if just $5 per person.

Memphis – Head to Graceland to checkout their lights during the Christmas at Graceland event through 1/6/18.

Nashcille – Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas and ICE! through 1/1/18. There are lots og great events going on and activities to choose from.

Pigeon Forge – Checkout DollyWood’s Smokey Mountain Christmas through 1/1/18. Must purchase a ticket to Dollywood to see all the festivities.

Virginia

Duffield – Natural Tunnels State Park light up the tunnels during the Christmas Lighting of the Tunnel event through 12-23. Cost is $5 per vehicle.

Norfolk – head to the Norfolf Bontanical Gardens to drive through their Garden if Lights 12/1-12/31.  Cost is $25 per car on the weekdays.

Richmond –  The GardenFest of Lights on Richmond runs through 1/8/18. Cost is $13 for adults and $8 for children 3-12. Garden members pay just $7 for adults and $5 for children 3-18.

Williamsburg – There is a lot to checkout in this town from Christmas at Colonial Williamsburg to Busch Gardens Christmas Town.

Where does your family like to go to see Christmas lights?