When it comes to beloved holiday traditions, taking a tour of impressive holiday lights displays with hot chocolate in hand is high on the list.
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Thankfully, there are numerous places throughout Dayton and Cincinnati to catch a glimpse of magical holiday lights displays.
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Here are some of our favorite places to go to see Christmas light displays throughout the holiday season:
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🎄🚶LEGENDARY LIGHTS AT CLIFTON MILL
Unlike other lighting festivals where the lights are already on when you arrive, Clifton Mill stages a dramatic opening where people who arrive at 6 p.m. get to see all four million lights turn on at once, producing a Fourth of July-like “ooh and aah” moment. Throughout the evening, either on the hour or every half hour, the lights will be turned off and then turned on again so the later-comers can experience it as well. Don't miss the Santa Claus Museum on site. Refreshments for sale.
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When: Nov. 29 – Dec. 30, 2019
Times: 5-9 p.m. Lights go on at 6 p.m. Closes at 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Closed on New Year’s Eve.
Location: 75 Water St., Clifton
Cost: $10. Kids 3 and under are free. Parking is free.
More info: 937-767-5501 | Facebook | Website
🎄🚶PNC FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS AT THE CINCINNATI ZOO
The Cincinnati Zoo will once again be transformed into a “Wild Wonderland” for the 37th annual PNC Festival of Lights. The display voted the best holiday zoo lights by USA TODAY for two consecutive years features 3 million LED lights and giant animal lanterns. Visitors can search for Fiona fairies in Fiona’s Fairyland, watch a Madcap black-light puppet show, ride the BB&T Toyland Express or see the spectacular Wild Lights show on Swan Lake. Santa will be available for visits starting at 4 p.m. through Dec. 23, an hour before the rest of the festivities begin.
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When: Nov. 16, 2019 – Jan. 4, 2020
Times: Sundays to Thursdays from 5-9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 5-10 p.m.
Location: 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati
Cost: Packages start at: Adults: Online $15, Child/Sr: Online $9.
Ticket deals: Plan-ahead pricing allows guests to save by purchasing tickets for select dates online in advance. Prices for traditionally lower traffic nights, such as Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, will be as much as half less than those purchased for the most popular nights. Prices will go up based on demand for certain nights, so buy early to get the best rate. Discount tickets are available at Kroger.
More info: Website | Facebook | Buy tickets online here
🎄🚶WOODLAND LIGHTS
Woodland Lights celebrates its 27th anniversary season with the lights and sights people have come to love and a month of holiday activities. The half-mile wooded path is perhaps the signature feature of Woodland Lights, featuring lighted holiday-themed figures and vignettes such as reindeer, elves and snowflakes, but also regular objects such as airplanes and helicopters. In addition to the lights, the event includes amusement rides, live animals, concessions and activities for kids. Santa and his elf welcome children nightly through Dec. 23 to their historic log cabin that’s decorated for the holidays. Costumed characters visit many nights and local arts organizations take the stage on weekends.
>> Wander through the enchanted forest at Woodland Lights
When: Nov. 22-Dec. 23, 2019. The display is open Friday through Sunday, Nov. 22-Dec. 1 and nightly Dec. 6-23.
Hours: 6-9 p.m.
Location: Countryside Park on the Washington Township Recreation Campus, 895 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Washington Twp.
Cost: Tickets are available at the gate, any Washington Twp. recreation facility or online. Tickets are $9 age 3 and up. Tickets are free for children 2 and younger.
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🎄🚶KINGS ISLAND WINTERFEST
WinterFest, one of the Cincinnati area’s most beloved annual traditions, returned in 2017 after a 12-year hiatus. Visitors throughout Southwest Ohio and beyond can experience Snowflake Lake Ice Skating on International Street, take in Charlie Brown’s Christmas Town, and enjoy Rivertown Wonderland as part of Kings Island’s WinterFest celebration. The park is transformed into 10 enchanting winter wonderlands featuring ice skating on the Royal Fountain, the Eiffel Tower transformed into a magical 314-foot tall Christmas tree and a number of rides to enjoy including Mystic Timbers. Carriage rides will allow you to take in the lights and sights of WinterFest atop a horse-drawn carriage. Overall, the experience features more than 5 million lights.
>> Kings Island to transform into winter wonderland
When: Select nights Nov. 22-Dec. 31. Remaining dates in December are Dec. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Hours: WinterFest operating hours are 5-10 p.m. each night except for Saturdays (4-10 p.m.) and New Year’s Eve (5 p.m. – 1 a.m.).
Where: Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason
Cost: Ticket packages start at $27.99 per person
🎄🚶A CARILLON CHRISTMAS
See Carillon Historical Park’s 65-acre campus transformed into a winter wonderland of sparkle, magic and holiday cheer. The Carillon Tree of Light, decorated with thousands of lights, stands at 200 feet, affixed to the top of 151-foot tall Deeds Carillon that was dedicated in 1942 by Col. Edward A. and Mrs. Edith Walton Deeds as a gift to the Dayton community. The first concert played on the Carillon took place on Christmas Eve, 1941, just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The tree consists of over 20,000 light bulbs on nearly 100 separate strands that come to life each night at dusk and blaze through until dawn for the entire month of December. Special activities include photos with Santa, carolers, model train displays, train rides and scavenger hunts for extra fee.
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When: Nov. 21-Dec. 30, 2019 (closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
Times: Sunday-Thursday, 5-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 5-10 p.m.
Location: Carillon Historical Park, 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton
Cost: $12 per adult (18-59), $10 seniors (60 and older), $8 children (3-17), free for children under 3 and Dayton History members.
🎄🚗LIGHT UP MIDDLETOWN
With over a million sparkling lights, themed displays and Santa, Light Up Middletown has been a part of the holiday tradition for two decades. This drive-through light display offers themed displays, such as a floating sea serpent in the reflecting lake, whales giving Santa’s reindeer a ride, Santa’s Workshop, an American flag, a penguin village and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available in the Santa House from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings through Sunday, Dec. 21. Admission by donation. Open nightly, 6-10 p.m., Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, including holidays and regardless of the weather.
When: Nov. 28–Dec. 31, 2019
Hours: 6–10 p.m.
Location: Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave. in Middletown
Cost: Donations accepted.
🎄🚗HOLIDAY LIGHTS ON THE HILL
For the second year in a row, the creators of Lumenocity and BLINK Cincinnati will have an art installation in the pavilion as part of Holiday Lights on the Hill at Pyramid Hill. This popular drive-through display will offer guests a holiday light experience that brings art and nature together in the 300-acre sculpture park. A few of the traditional features will include decorated ponds with swans, a skating pond with a sequence of skaters that light up and doves overhead.
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When: Nov. 22, 2019, through Jan. 5, 2020. Open holidays
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 6-9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 6-10 p.m.
Location: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton
Cost: Monday through Thursday $20; Friday through Sunday $25 (Per carload). Admission for Pyramid Hill members presenting a current membership card is $15 every day.
More info: (513) 863-8336 | Facebook | Website
🎄🚶THE CHRISTMAS RANCH
Walk through more than 1 million dancing holiday lights synchronized to holiday music. Stroll through seven Christmas shops and stop in Santa’s Bakery. Get your picture taken with Santa and take a train or wagon ride. Be sure to pick up your 3D glasses to experience the show in an entirely new way.
When: Open Nov. 22- Dec. 23, 2019. Closed Thanksgiving Day.
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 5-9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday 5-10 p.m.
Location: 3205 S. Waynesville Road in Morrow
Cost: $20 per carload. Free parking
More info: (513) 444-9362 | Facebook | Website
🎄🚗CHRISTMAS NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AT CONEY ISLAND
This two-and-a-half-mile, drive-through light display features more than one million LED lights synchronized to festive holiday music. Features include larger than life trees, glowing snowflakes, dancing candy canes and tunnels of lights.
When: Open every night Nov. 8, 2019-Jan. 5, 2020, including holidays
Hours: Dusk until 10 p.m.
Location: Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave. in Cincinnati
Cost: $6 per person. Children 3 and under free. Tickets are available online or at the gate. Local charities who will benefit from Christmas Nights of Lights: Salvation Army, The Ruth Lyons Children’s Fund, St. Vincent DePaul, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Starshine Hospice and Toys for Tots.
🎄🚗🚶LAND OF ILLUSION CHRISTMAS GLOW
Celebrate the season at The Christmas Glow, a mile of 3 million lights at the Christmas Around the World drive-thru experience. If you’re willing to get out of your car, you can visit Santa at the Christmas Village Santa Workshop and warm up by the fire pit. There are also shops and a petting zoo.
When: Nov. 22-Dec. 30, 2019
Hours: Monday-Wednesday drive-through only, 6-10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday drive-through and Christmas Village open, 6-10 p.m. Thursday-Sunday 6-11 p.m.
Where: Land of Illusion, 8762 Thomas Road in Middletown
Cost: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday drive-through only $18 per carload. Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday drive through and village tickets $22 per carload. Bring a canned good for $2 off park admission and it will be donated to The Hope House Mission of Middletown. Additionally, there will be a Toys for Tots drop-off location at the venue. Group tickets by bus load (eight or more people) are $35 Monday to Wednesday drive-through only and $45 per bus load Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (drive-through and village).
🎄🚗HOLIDAY IN LIGHTS AT SHARON WOODS
This drive-through lights display is built over a mile of wooded roadway and has been a Cincinnati family tradition for nearly three decades. Holiday-themed displays depict everything from Santa Claus and his elves to every animal on the ark. If you’re up to getting out of your warm car, stop by Santaland for warm beverages, carolers, baked goods, a gift shop, a train display and photos with Santa.
When: Nov. 16-Dec. 31, 2019 (Santaland closes after Dec. 23)
Hours: 6-9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Location: 11450 Lebanon Road, Route 42, Sharonville
Cost: $15 per vehicle ($45 for buses/large passenger vans). A portion of the proceeds will go to A Child’s Hope International.
🎄🚗HOLIDAY LIGHTS AT LOST CREEK RESERVE — NEW IN 2019!
The first season of the Holiday Lights at Lost Creek Reserve in Troy will begin on Nov. 29 and run through Dec. 29. Located on a scenic 456-acre reserve, the mile-long drive-through tour will feature 80 light displays that work to enhance the natural beauty of the surroundings. The tour will end with a special glimpse of the historic homestead and barns decorated for the season.
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When: Open on weekends from Nov. 29-Dec. 29, 2019
Hours: Fridays and Saturdays from 6-10 p.m., Sundays from 6-9 p.m.
Location: Lost Creek Reserve: 2385 E. St. Rt. 41 in Troy
Cost: $10 per car and $15 for groups of 15+. Cash only.
More info: (937) 335-6273 | Facebook | Website
🎄🚗WHISPERING CHRISTMAS IN EATON
Since 1987, the Whispering Christmas lights display has been a holiday favorite in the city of Eaton. The display features over two million lights in total, casting a jolly glow over Fort St. Clair State Park. Throughout the end of December, the lights display will be open every night from 6-10 p.m. Santa Claus will be making an appearance every night from 6-9 p.m. until Dec. 23. Cabins are open to visitors through Dec. 24.
>> Eaton’s Whispering Christmas lights display has become a decades-old tradition
When: Open every night until Dec. 31.
Hours: 6-10 p.m., every night of the week
Location: Fort St. Clair State Park, 135 Camden Rd., Eaton
Cost: $5 per car
More info: Facebook