Sparkling Holiday Lighting Displays in the Atlanta Area

The Atlanta, Georgia area has plenty of spectacular holiday lighting displays this year. Some are free and some have an admission price, but all are definitely worth viewing.

The 14th annual Magical Nights of Lights at Lake Lanier Islands Resort, has more than six miles of large illuminated characters made from millions of twinkling lights. You can also see the 2nd annual live nativity scene presented by Blackshear Place Baptist church. The Night of Lights has been called Georgia's largest animated holiday light spectacular. The 1200 acre resort itself is an hour north of Atlanta and the six and a half miles of lights includes Teddy Bear Lane, Icicle Bridge, the Sailboat Regatta and the Northpole Express.

There is a Santa Shop, pony rides, bonfires for marshmallow roasting and an ice rink. The Lights are on from

November 18th through December 30th, from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm nightly, weather permitting. Cars drive through for $30 Monday through Thursday and $40 Friday through Sunday and on holidays. Call 770-932-7200 for more information.

Southeast of Atlanta, Pine Mountain's Callaway Gardens is hosting a five-mile drive through called a Fantasy in Lights. The display includes topiaries and florals, the Callaway Christmas Village, crafts, food and entertainment.

The 15th annual Fantasy In Lights boasts eight million lights creating more than a dozen beautiful scenes, and is often called the brightest holiday light and sound shows in the South.

The Fantasy in Lights show runs November 17th through December 31st, 2006. Lights are turned on at 6 p.m. You can ride an open air trolley or drive your own car through the show. On busy nights, tickets are higher in price. For non-busy times, adult tickets are $15 and $7.50 for children age 6 to 12, and children under 5 are free admission. On busy nights, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm, adult tickets are $20, children age 6 to 12 $10 and under age 5 free. From 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, all later tickets are $16 for adults, $8 for children and kids age under 5 get in free. Call (800) CALLAWAY (225-5292) for more information.

Just east of Atlanta, Stone Mountain Park is decorated with an impressive display of lights on all the trees around the 3,200-acre park. Many of the lighting displays cast reflections of elves and reindeer and other creatures of the season in the park's lake. Around the base of the mountain are unique light displays of cold north wind blowing, a street adorned with dangling strands of lights called "Snowflake Lane" and also a Yuletide laser show.

Centennial Olympic Park's annual Holiday in Lights is in its 7th season. The park display runs through January 7th. There is a different theme every year. There is no admission to the Park and the Park is open 365 days of the year, including December 25th, Christmas Day. The 21 acre park even has a Penguin Train that you can ride for only $2 for a tour of the lights.

Pack up the family and drive out to see some of these fantastic holiday light displays. Even if you make the trip on your own, you will come away with a twinkle in your eyes that is much more than the lights.