Oglebay Park's Festival of Lights

Its getting cold outside and getting darker earlier, that always gets me to start thinking about the holidays .My favorite thing about the holiday season is Christmas lights, I love driving around with my family looking at the various assortment of colors. Our favorite trip to make each year is to Oglebays Park in Wheeling, WV. They began this tradition is 1985 and have been going strong since. They have more then 300 acres of lights set up. It's a six-mile drive through the winter wonderland. The Winter Festival of Lights has been listed on the American Bus Association's Top International Events, was named as a top 100 event by Eventcrazy.com, and was recently listed as one of the top 200 events in the country by Discover America. Each year they add new displays and also retire a few of the older ones. You begin by driving through the Snowflake Tunnel, then you pass by several favorites including The Twelve days of Christmas, candy canes, along with Willard the snowman named for the TV weatherman Willard Scott who turned on the lights in 1986.They have snoopy and the peanut gang along with pink flamingos. There is a display for everyone's liking. They also have a variety of activities to do after you view the lights; they have their Christmas tree garden that features thirty live trees all decorated different. They also have the Good zoo, which offers lots of things for the children to see, and do, they have kangaroos, goats, reindeer, and reptiles. This year they are going to have animated displays choreographed to the exciting music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Also to be seen is the O-Gauge Model Railroad, its over 1200 square feet. There are seven specialty shops offering all kinds of unique Christmas decorations and collectibles. They have wonderful restaurants offering nightly buffets.

The Winter Festival of Lights is viewable nightly from dusk to 11:00 p.m. A per car donation is requested and is valid for the entire festival season. Trolley tours are offered several times each night beginning at Wilson Lodge. Seats are sold on the day of the tour only, first-come, and first-served. Oglebay, and the Winter Festival of Lights, is located 4 miles from I-70 at Exit 2A. It is 60 miles from Pittsburgh via I-79 south and I-70 west; 120 miles from Columbus via I-70 east; and 150 miles from Cleveland via I-77 south and I-70 east. This is really a great family night trip you won't be sorry. There is nothing more magical then to see the kids eyes light up over the different displays. Be prepared when you come to sit in traffic for a while weekends are the busiest we have sat in line for 3 hours waiting but it's really worth it. They play Christmas music while your there and it can be picked up on the car radio for miles around .So while your in line waiting you can sing a few Christmas carols. Make sure to take your camera the pictures will turn out wonderful and you will always have them to remember how great it was. You won't be rushed through the park neither you can stop at each display and take your time admiring it. The festival begins November 8, 2006 and runs through January 7,2007, you can visit several times if you wish, and it only costs a one time donations, I believe it was $10.00 last year, which to me was worth it for one time, let alone being able to return several more .So on a chilly night gather up the kids and hop into the car and head out for a great night of fun. Or they offer overnights packages as well if you want to make a weekend of it.