The Atlanta area is already lighting things up for the holiday season! There is nothing more festive than hopping in the car with family and friends to look at Christmas lights, but these exciting Atlanta-area holiday attractions turn it up a notch from your usual neighborhood display! If you’re looking to brighten up the season and enjoy some of the best holiday lights around Atlanta and beyond, keep reading for some of our favorites.
Beginning on Thanksgiving night, the Life University campus (Life U) will once again welcome thousands of people to its campus for the annual Lights of Life. Life U gives thanks to the visitors who have been loyally returning to campus for the past 34 years and welcomes all newcomers to enjoy a spectacular holiday light show and festivities. Lights of Life has grown to be one of the most popular light shows in the Southeast, attracting nearly half a million spectators from the surrounding region each year.
The 34th Annual Lights of Life begins on Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 23, 2023, and runs through New Year’s Eve, Sunday, December 31. Lights of Life is one of the most affordable holiday lights shows in the metro Atlanta area, costing $10 per car or $20 per bus while showcasing more than one million LED bulbs in total over its 110-acre campus. This event is a labor of love for Life U and a lasting legacy offered to the community during the holiday season. Monies charged are used to pay the electricity bills and other expenses incurred from this event, with no profit to the University. The display opens at dark every night and runs until 9:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Families are encouraged to come during the week to avoid the busier weekend traffic.
Also offered are train rides, a petting zoo and a concession stand. Life U wishes to further support the community during this special season by bringing in independent vendors for the concession stand. These vendors offer a variety of food and beverages. Because they are independent of Life U, they set the menu and the prices. The Life U campus is situated in the heart of Marietta, Georgia and offers visitors a chance to experience the campus, illuminated in holiday lights. To learn more, click here.
Back for the 13th year, Garden Lights, Holiday Nights is hosted by the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, this extravagant light display is back once again through January 14, 2024! Presented by Invesco QQQ, this light display features familiar favorites and new installations, including Skyline Frost, a new skynet by Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics; illuminated metal birds and deer by Cédric Le Borgne and the return of White Rabbit to the Skyline Garden.
A Country Christmas at Pettit Creek Farms
All is merry and bright down on the farm! Opening for the season on Thanksgiving at 6 p.m., this country Christmas spectacular offers plenty of warmth and southern charm. Guests can enjoy driving through the farm’s miles of beautiful Christmas lights, as well as find Santa’s Cottage, a live nativity scene, a petting zoo, concession stands, and live Christmas trees for sale. To learn more, click here.
Mararitaville’s Lakeside Lights Spectacular
Visit Margaritaville’s Lakeside Lights Spectacular for a night of nostalgic wintry fun. The Lakeside Lights Spectacular will take you on a magical walk through an amazing lighting extravaganza with festive seasonal music. Great for the whole family, now through January 15, 2024! To learn more, click here.
World of Illumination at Six Flags Whitewater
Gear up for one wild holiday adventure with your host, Toukie Toucan! Trek over land, sea, and air to hear the jingle of the jungle at Enchanted Safari, produced by World of Illumination. A host of exotic animals will greet you, from peacocks to piranhas. Soar among the clouds as you fly with reindeer then outrun a T-Rex whizzing past a land lost in time. Your journey ends at Santa’s Bazaar, where all your new animal friends will be decking the halls! More information? Click here.
If you’re looking for more metro Atlanta holiday events or are interested in buying a home in the Atlanta area, be sure to keep up with the latest event news and community updates by visiting www.atlantarealestateforum.com.