During the holiday season, more than 200,000 guests are expected to be drawn to Garden Lights, Holiday Nights — the light display now in its 14th year at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Behind the lights and the glitz, a team of 11 spent more than 7,288 collective hours installing lights around 150 trees and shrubs, as well as placing 265,980 light bulbs in Nature’s Wonders, a synchronized curtain of light hanging in Storza Woods. Tip your Santa hat to these tree-decorating comrades and be grateful you only have a few strands of lights to put up on your tree or stretch across your gutters!
“Installing this light show is a very tedious, painstaking task for our team, who work tirelessly for months to get the job done,” said Mary Pat Matheson, the garden’s president and CEO. “But once we flip that switch on Nov. 16, we all realize from the reaction on the faces of our guests, young and old, that it was all worth that herculean effort.”
Credit: Photo courtesy of Winter Lantern Festival
Credit: Photo courtesy of Winter Lantern Festival
In fact, super-heroic efforts take place across metro Atlanta to ready light shows that have grown into holiday traditions for families, couples and singles — plus the occasional dog.
“People love the convenience of a drive-through light show,” said Morgan Carden, spokesperson for Six Flags White Water’s World of Illumination, which features the drive-through light show Cosmic Sleigh Ride beginning Friday. “You can fit as many people as possible into the car — and I’ve seen a lot of people do that! You can also bring your own snacks and drinks, as well as the family dog. We see a lot of those too. We’re open Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve so people have their big meal then come and make it part of their holiday traditions.”
Along with the traditional reindeer and Yuletide displays, the cosmic-themed show will deliver Santa in a space helmet, rocket ships, aliens and, like the title promises, a cosmic sleigh ride.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Callaway Gardens
Credit: Photo courtesy of Callaway Gardens
At Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Fantasy in Lights continues its 30-year tradition and offers the Jolly Trolley that transports guests on a 7-mile drive-through experience with 17 holiday scenes and 10 million twinkling lights. For those who want a little bit of a more up-close-and-personal experience, there’s Bike Night on Saturday and Sunday where guests can view the lights on a bicycle, with littler ones rolling along on training wheels. (You can bring your own bike or rent one on site.)
Stone Mountain Park Christmas aims to dazzle as more than 2 million LED lights provide immersive holiday walk-through experiences. The park also features a giant Christmas Drone & Light Show with 250 drones lighting up the sky and creating holiday-themed aerial formations and displays.
Credit: Photo courtesy of Zoo Atlanta
Credit: Photo courtesy of Zoo Atlanta
Lighted lanterns are another popular kind of holiday lights presentation. Zoo Atlanta hosts IllumiNights, a milelong stroll with glowing lanterns of wildlife at every corner. The Winter Lantern Festival in Lawrenceville boasts more than 1,000 handmade Chinese lanterns, as well as entertainment by the Zigong Acrobatic Group.
For those who can’t make it to the extravagant light shows, don’t fret. There are plenty of other places to be greeted by glowing holiday displays and tree-lighting ceremonies, such as at The Battery Atlanta in Cobb County. Head over on Nov. 30 for the lighting of the tree followed by entertainment and then a showing of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” on the plaza.
“We do a lot of events during (this season) because we’re a place for the community to gather with family and friends for the holiday,” spokesperson Lauren Abernethy said. “It’s a time to come out and see the lights and trees and be a community.”
Credit: Photo courtesy of World of Illumination
Credit: Photo courtesy of World of Illumination
GUIDE TO HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOWS
A Country Christmas. Pettit Creek Farms. Nov. 28-Dec. 29. Open 6-9 p.m. most Sundays and Tuesdays-Thursdays; 6-10 p.m. most Fridays-Saturdays. Cars, $30-$35. Hayride (ages 2 and up), $10. 337 Cassville Road, Cartersville, 770-386-8688, pettitcreekfarms.com
Celebration at the Station. Atlantic Station. 5-9 nightly, Nov. 23-Dec. 25. Light the Station (tree lighting), 6-9 p.m. Nov. 23. Free. 1380 Atlantic Drive. 404-410-4010, atlanticstation.com
Fantasy in Lights. Callaway Gardens. Friday-Jan. 4, 2025. Trolleys start at 6 p.m. and run to 8 or 9 p.m. Adults, $24.99-$39.99; ages 3-12, $19.99-$34.99; free under 2. 4500 Southern Pine Drive, Pine Mountain. 800-225-5292, callawaygardens.com
Credit: GETZIMAGES
Credit: GETZIMAGES
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights. Atlanta Botanical Garden. Saturday-Jan. 12, 2025. 5-10 p.m. General admission: $39.95 adults, $36.95 ages 3-12. Value nights: $29.95 adults; $26.95 ages 3-12. Peak nights: $49.95 adults, $46.95 3-12. 1345 Piedmont Ave. 404-876-5859, atlantabg.org
Glow Light Show. Coolray Field. 6-10 nightly, Friday-Dec. 29. $39.99-$59.99. 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville. 678-277-0340, glowlightshow.com
Holiday in the Park. Six Flags Over Georgia. Times and dates vary. $45. 275 Riverside Parkway, Austell. 770-739-3400, sixflags.com
Holiday Lights of Georgia. Nov. 29-Dec. 30. 6-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 6-10 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays. $10 per person; free under 12. $25 season pass. 6688 Bells Ferry Road, Woodstock. holidaylightsofga.com
Holiday Tree Lighting. Veterans Park at Atlanta History Center. 7 p.m. Friday. $35 (includes train rides and other events); free, ages 3 and under. 130 W. Paces Ferry Road. 404-814-4000, atlantahistorycenter.com
IllumiNights. Zoo Atlanta. 5:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday-Jan. 19, 2025. Adults (12 and up), $20.99-$24.99; ages 3-11, $17.99-$19.99; ages 65+, $17.99-$21.99. 800 Cherokee Ave. 404-624-5600, zooatlanta.org
Lights of Life. Life University. Dark-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; dark-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Nov. 28-Dec. 31. $10 per car. 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta. 770-426-2600, life.edu
Magic of Lights. Dixie Speedway. Sunday-Dec. 31. 6-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 6-10 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. $18.50 standard vehicle. 150 Dixie Drive, Woodstock. 980-285-2105, magicoflights.com
Credit: Photo courtesy of Margaritaville at Lake Lanier
Credit: Photo courtesy of Margaritaville at Lake Lanier
Margaritaville’s Lakeside Lights Spectacular. Margaritaville at Lake Lanier Islands. Times vary, Nov. 27-Jan. 20, 2025. Adults, $19.99; $14.99 ages 4-7 and 62 and older. Parking fee, $20. 7650 Lanier Island Parkway, Buford. 470-323-3440, margaritavilleresorts.com
Stone Mountain Park Christmas. Through Jan. 5, 2025. Adults, $39.99; ages 3-11, $34.99; package prices also available pairing Stone Mountain Park Christmas with additional holiday attractions. 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain. 478-478-6686, stonemountainpark.com
Winter Lantern Festival. Through Jan. 5, 2025. 5-9:30 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays. $16.99-$26.99. 2045 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville. winterlanternfestival.com
World of Illumination Cosmic Sleighride. Six Flags White Water. Friday-Dec. 29. 6-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Also open Mondays, Dec. 9, 16, 23. $39.99-$199.99. 250 Cobb Parkway N., Marietta. 480-454-8024, worldofillumination.com
