11 Christmas Light Displays In Georgia That Are Pure Holiday Magic

It's no surprise that Atlanta has one of the best displays of Christmas lights in Georgia - it is our capital city, after all! Illuminights at Atlanta Zoo is an incredible collection of hand-crafted lanterns. Some of these sculptures are more than 20 feet tall! This is a must visit for anyone looking for the best Christmas lights in Atlanta, GA. This year's display will be set up from November 16, 2023 to January 14, 2024 and is perfect for the whole family. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the Zoo Atlanta website.

Callaway Gardens is a popular year-round destination for anyone looking for outdoor fun, and the magnificent Fantasy In Lights display here has some of the best Christmas lights near Columbus, GA. There are more than 10 million lights on display here, and you can even ride on the Jolley Trolley to enjoy one of the best drive through lights in Georgia. This real life winter wonderland opens for the season on November 11, 2023. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at the Callaway Gardens website.

Winter Wonderlights at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a relatively new event that's only been around for a few years, but already this event is proving to have some of the best Christmas lights in Athens, GA. The half-mile, fully-accessible trail is perfect for the whole family and takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get through. This year's festivities run from November 22 to December 30, 2023. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the State Botanical Garden of Georgia website.

If you've never visited Barnsley Resort at Christmas, you are really missing out! This magnificent Southern estate has the best Christmas lights near Rome, Georgia. Whether you're staying at the resort or just stopping by to see the light display, this is a wonderfully relaxing (and beautiful) place for a winter trip. Find out more and check out the calendar of events at the Barnsley Resort website.

The Lockerly Arboretum is a beautiful garden in the historic town of Milledgeville, and this year's Lockerly in Lights Christmas celebration is set to be bigger and better than ever! The festivities start on November 17, 2023 and run Fridays and Saturday evenings through December 23. One of my favorite things about these Christmas lights in Milledgeville, GA is that Fridays feature drive through viewing only and Saturdays feature walk through viewing only, so you can pick your experience (or enjoy both on separate days!). Tickets must be purchased in advance for Saturdays, but advanced tickets are not available for Fridays. Learn more from the Lockerly Arboretum website.

Lookout Mountain is one of the most fairy tale places in Georgia: you'll feel like you walked straight into a story book exploring this beautiful place! Come winter, you can enjoy some of the most magical Christmas lights near Chattanooga at this epic landmark. The Enchanted Garden of Lights celebration is still going strong after nearly three decades and has been a family favorite for many Georgia families. This year's festivities run from November 17, 2023 to January 6, 2024. Tickets must be purchased in advance from the See Rock City website.

Macon's main drag really goes all out for Christmas - the Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza features the best Christmas lights in Macon, GA. The festivities take over the entire downtown area from November 24, 2023 to January 3, 2024, and feature over a million lights set to music played by the Macon Pops. It's easy to see why this central city is nicknamed the Heart of Georgia: there are so many great local shops and businesses to support here!

The beach seems like an odd place to go for Christmas, but once you see Holly Jolly Jekyll, you'll see why this is considered to be the best Christmas lights in the Golden Isles. More than 350 light displays are set up throughout the town, and you can even take a ride on an open air trolley to check out all the lights! Holly Jolly Jekyll is a celebration that belongs on everyone's holiday bucket list.

The Hostess City may not get too chilly in the winter, but that doesn't prevent the December Lights & Holiday Nights extravaganza at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens from being one of the best Christmas lights in Savannah, GA. This display has had both drive-through experiences in the past, but this year's is set to include walking trails with a charming fairy tale theme. Learn more and purchase tickets from the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens website.

The Ludy's Christmas Light Display is a years-long tradition with the best Christmas lights in Columbus, GA. This residential display of lights is absolutely magnificent and features over 500,000 lights. The display is free to check out and you can even get out and walk around. Last year's display was greatly reduced, but the Ludys hope to be back in full swing this year. Keep an eye on the Ludy's Christmas Light Spectacular Facebook page for all the details.

Wild Adventures is one of the best theme parks in Georgia, and this winter brings an all new experience: the Christmas Wild & Bright celebration. We're not quite sure what to expect, but we know this will have some of the best Christmas lights in Valdosta, GA! More than two million lights will be on display, and there are several shows planned as well. The experience starts on November 18, 2023 and runs select dates through December 31, 2023.