Lake Lanier's Magical Nights of Lights for 2008

Visiting Lake Lanier's Magical Nights of Lights is a tradition that we began five years ago, and we look forward to it every year. The Lake Lanier Islands Resort, located north of Atlanta, presents the Magical Nights of Lights display on its grounds, and 2008 is its sixteenth year. Every year, we discover something brand new and are always amazed that they can add more lights and displays.

This year, Magical Nights of Lights runs from November 22nd through December 30th, from 5:00pm to 10:00pm nightly. The holiday lights display is viewed from your vehicle and is a 6 1/2 mile drive, which includes a stop where you can opt to get out of your car and view the live nativity scene, which is now in its fourth year. The route for viewing the lights displays is clearly marked with arrows and they have people directing traffic so that it all flows the same way. I highly recommend driving this lights tour with your headlights turned off - the lights themselves provide plenty of illumination to see the road. In fact, if you make the Nights of Lights tour with your headlights on, be prepared to endure the dirty looks and headlight flashes of other drivers.

The lights display ends at the Holiday Village, where there is a holiday shop, carnival rides, pony rides, a concession area and two very large, round gas-fueled fire pits. In the concession area, and at a small stand outside the shop, you can purchase marshmallows for roasting, as well as kits for making s'mores. Inside the shop, there are more holiday trees than you can count, all decorated with lights and ornaments that you can purchase at the shop. Though my girls won't sit on Santa's lap anymore, he's in the shop for pictures and to tell him your wishes.

We have carried on a tradition that my family created when we where children. Our girls pick out one ornament each, then those ornaments are wrapped up and saved for the following year, to be opened and put on our tree. By the time the following year rolls around, they can't remember what they picked out and it's a surprise.

Admission to Magical Nights of Lights is priced per vehicle, and for 2008 is as follows: 1-10 passenger car (we take our mini-van, which qualifies in this category) - $30 M-Th, $40 Sat., Sun. & Holidays. If you buy your tickets online, the price is $30 for ANY night, plus a $1.95 convenience fee; 11-19 passenger van - $70; 20+ passengers (bus) - $200.

Lake Lanier Islands Resort also offers accommodations packages for the Magical Nights of Lights event at their Legacy Lodge, Legacy Villas or Lake Houses. You can make reservations online.

If you get a chance, visit the Magical Nights of Lights. My daughters are ages 17 and 11, and they both still look forward to this outing. It truly is a wonderful trip for all ages. Be sure to take your camera!

Lake Lanier Magical Nights of Lights web site: http://www.lakelanierislands.com/mnol.php