31 Holiday Light Displays in Atlanta You Won’t Want to Miss
Atlanta is a lively city year-round with so many things to do even when it’s raining. The holidays are no exception: There’s always some neighborhood so decked out in lights and decorations you could swear it was Disneyland. Here we bring together all the favorite holiday light displays around Atlanta — everything from neighborhood gatherings to the great Christmas display at Lenox Square Mall — so if you’re looking for some seasonal fun this holiday season, you’ll know where to find it.
1. World of Illumination Drive-Through Christmas Lights Show
What’s better than a drive through Christmas Lights show where you can just stay in your car? A Christmas Lights Display that is set to music! At the World of Illumination in Marietta, just a bit north of Atlanta, you can experience this winter wonderland explosion of beautiful colored lights that surround your car. And you can sing along to the choreographed light show set to Holiday themed music!
2. Buckhead Holiday House Tour + with Christmas Lights
This annual tour features spectacular homes decked out in designer holiday décor, each with a different theme. From an elegant English Tudor mansion inspired by Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to a tropical Christmas tree surrounded by floor-to-ceiling palm trees, there is something for everyone at this fabulous holiday event.
3. Christmas in Marietta – an enchanted Lights display
This annual tradition features a parade, live entertainment, and the lighting of Lake Park. The festivities culminate with a special appearance by Santa Claus, who visits those children who have been good all year and leaves gifts for them under the tree. Then sit back and watch as a 70-foot Georgia red cedar transforms into a glowing wonderland by more than 1 million lights.
4. Christmas in the Park at Tanyard Creek
The annual Christmas in the Park celebration kicks off with a parade featuring Santa Claus, floats, and marching bands from local schools, churches, and youth groups. The fun continues with an entire day of free family activities, including live entertainment, pony rides, crafts, train rides, and visits with Santa Claus
5. Christmas on Ponce – fantastic nightly Christmas Light display
It is a common site to see Eccentric artists like pop singer Michael McDonald presiding over the annual lighting of the life-sized Nutcracker at Ponce City Market on December 4. Its 64 LED bulbs glow nightly through New Year’s Day, while an ice-skating rink is open throughout the holiday season
6. Crawick Multiverse Holiday Light Display in Duluth
The popular display features more than three million lights synchronized to music at 92 decibels over a six-minute show that you’ll have to hear to believe. It’s located off Old Peachtree Road in Duluth.
7. Stone Mountain – Enchanted Forest Holiday Light Show – a spectacular Holiday Light display
The annual holiday light show has been enchanting visitors at Stone Mountain Park since 1996, and the spectacular display is sure to dazzle you with its larger-than-life size and vivid colors — think dancing fairies with changing wings and flying dragons that spit fireballs.
8. Holiday Stroll in Downtown Chamblee
This popular annual event is filled with holiday music and magic as it ushers in the holiday season downtown. Families will enjoy carolers dressed in period costumes, festive décor lining Peachtree Street, and lots of fun activities for kids.
9. Holiday Road Walking Trail Christmas Lights Display, Fairburn, Atlanta
Enjoy the sights of our immersive walking trail. Get a bite to eat at the area’s best food trucks. For the grown-ups, enjoy a seasonal cocktail from our Holiday Bar. Don’t forget to get yourself a keepsake from the souvenir shop. More information is here – https://holidayroadusa.com/location-atl/
10. Brookhaven’s Holiday Stroll -twinkling Christmas Lights display
Every year, Brookhaven hosts an annual holiday stroll where residents gather to admire the twinkling lights decorating the homes of their adopted “street.” Santa Claus even makes an appearance, handing out candy canes to children.
11. Lake Lanier Islands Holiday Light Show
LanierWorld is known for its two-acre, walk-through light maze that takes visitors on a journey through the magic of Christmas. The show includes several lights displays, animated characters, and plenty of family entertainment.
12. Holiday Lights at Stone Mountain Park
This family-friendly holiday spectacular features more than two million twinkling lights at the country’s largest theme park. You’ll also see visits from Santa; enjoy an ice show, and other festive entertainment.
13. Six Flags over Georgia Holiday in the Park – plus some magical Christmas Lights Displays
This holiday festival is one of America’s second-largest theme park holiday events and includes lots of festive food, rides, and entertainment. The highlights include more than two million LED lights throughout the park and a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree!
14. Vinyard Christmas (Sandy Springs Christmas Lights tradition)
This holiday tradition has been a Sandy Springs staple for nearly 30 years. Walkthrough the “North Pole” and enjoy all of Santa’s whimsical decorations and displays.
15. Prism Winter Lights display in downtown Atlanta
PRISM: Winter Lights is a 2-month art exhibition with light dislplays and works of art from national and local artists. This year, PRISM has expanded to a second Downtown location and will have artwork installed at Peatchtree Center (225 Peachtree St) as well as Woodruff Park (91 Peachtree St). These free and public art experiences will be displayed from December 4, 2021 through January 31, 2022.
16. Ice Skating at the St. Regis Atlanta
Everyone knows that ice skating is twice as fun when it’s done atop a skyscraper with the twinkling of downtown lights views, so why not take advantage of this magical opportunity? New Year’s Eve event includes a hosted bar and hors d’oeuvres.
17. Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Located in the heart of Midtown, the Atlanta Botanical Gardens area treat any time of year, but the Christmas lights are exceptionally magnificent. If you are hosting family from out of town or just want to get out of the house with the family, you’ll enjoy this spectacular lights display.
18. Illuminate Chinese Lantern Festival
Wednesday through Sunday nights in Lawrenceville is a spectacle of lights!
Taking place at Sugarloaf Mills Mall, you can walk through a maze of Illuminated sculptures, some reaching as high as 30 ft. This traditional Chinese Lantern Festival features scenes like the Forbidden City, life Under the Sea, and a Christmas Village.
19. The Great Tree Lighting and Community Celebration in Atlantic Station
This popular annual tradition is sure to entertain visitors with musical entertainment, appearances by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, a special visit from Rudolph and his friends, plus all kinds of family-friendly activities such as caroling, photos with Santa ice-skating, and children’s crafts.
20. Ice Skating at the Battery Atlanta
The place to be every winter is the Ice Rink at The Battery Atlanta. It offers an outdoor rink that’s covered by a climate-controlled tent, so visitors can skate even when it’s cold outside.
21. Santa’s Wonderland at Stone Mountain – catch some festive Christmas Lights displays here
Bring your little ones and enjoy a day filled with holiday fun at Santa’s Wonderland. There’s a huge, walk-through light maze and state-of-the-art toy factory, plus Santa himself is there to take photos with the kiddos.
22. Skate atop SkyView Atlanta
This unique attraction lets you skate under the stars as you enjoy views of all the city’s holiday lights around Centennial Olympic Park. Be sure to bundle up and bring your own skates!
23. Felix Family Christmas Lights display
The family’s Christmas display has been a Peachtree Road tradition since the 1980s and is one of the largest holiday home light displays in the area. Visitors can drive slowly by to see over 300,000 lights synchronized to music.
24. The Sparkling Nights of Lights Show
Located in the Northwest suburbs. Check out this cool holiday happening in Woodstock. Taking place in the parking lot at The Gifted Ferret, this nightly Christmas light show is synchronized to holiday music. And it is completely free! The lights will run daily from 8 p.m. until midnight until Dec. 31. More info about this fantastic lights display is here.
25. 3D Illuminated Drive-Through Christmas Lights Display at Ritz Theatre
If you live in Atlanta, you’ve no doubt heard of this beloved display that has been lighting up the nearby Thomaston, GA since 1990s. The theater features giant teddy bears with carousel horses, an eight-story Christmas tree, a volcano spewing Santa and his reindeer, plus much more.
26. Holiday Lights Display at Callaway Gardens
This breathtaking site features more than two million lights spread across 200 acres in Pine Mountain. There’s a nightly light show set to music over the lake and a magic fountain show. Plus, there’s a Santa experience many children won’t want to miss.
27. The Enchanted Forest of Lights
More than one million lights sparkle in the darkness at this beloved holiday light display at Stone Mountain Park. Visitors can view twinkling scenes from fairy tales along with Snoopy and his friends as they race through the night sky on their rocket sleds.
28. Skating at Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Olympic Park has been transformed into an outdoor ice rink! It’s open from 11 a.m.–11 p.m., weather permitting. There is also a daily skating show performed by local Atlanta skaters who love to get down.
29. Brookhaven’s Holiday Parade of Lights (wonderful Christmas Lights display in the. city)
Every year, more than 100 floats and marching bands take to Brookhaven’s scenic Buford Highway during this holiday parade. The best part? It’s free to attend the annual event in the city’s historic district.
30. New Year’s Eve at SkyView Atlanta
Every December 31, SkyView Atlanta offers a spectacular view of the New Year’s Eve fireworks extravaganza. The only place to be is atop this popular attraction located in Centennial Olympic Park.
31. New Year’s Eve in Buckhead + Countdown Atlanta! Holiday Lights
Looking for a fun way to celebrate with friends and family? Head out to Buckhead, where locals gather from all over Atlanta for an unforgettable time on New Year’s Eve. This epic celebration includes rockin’ concerts, food trucks, arts & crafts booths and amazing fireworks show that will ring in the New Year at midnight!
Atlanta surely is a place filled with spectacular holiday light displays. Whether you’re looking for some old favorites (Stone Mountain Park) or something new (SweetWater Brewing Company), this list is sure to give you enough options to make it through the rest of December!
Author Bio:
Eun Rockwell is a blogger and academic writer from the United States who works with A-writer.com. She enjoys exploring new topics and is always committed to demonstrating her writing skills in new and difficult genres. Her interests include reading novels and traveling. You may get in touch with her on Twitter at Eun Rockwell.
