Dazzling Displays

Further north, Milwaukee, WI spreads the magic around with their own Holiday Lights Festival at three parks: Cathedral Square (520 E Wells St), Pere Marquette (900 N Plankinton Ave) and Zeidler Union Square (301 W Michigan St). Each park focuses on a different theme, with entertaining scenes of frolicking penguins, Santa's elves, and an astounding 40+ Christmas trees decorated by area school children. Wisconsin Avenue also shines with twinkling wreaths and Moravian stars. You can view the sights on foot or ride the Potawatomi Jingle Bus, a 40-minute narrated downtown tour that takes in all the highlights.

Atlanta, GA has several options as well. If you prefer to stay downtown, visit Holiday in Lights at Centennial Olympic Park, aglow with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights. The cheerful illumination takes over the entire World Congress Center campus – a stroll through the park, whether by lengthy route or a quick circuit, is the perfect way to welcome the holidays. If you're up for a drive, Magical Nights of Lights at Lake Lanier Islands is called the "world's largest animated light extravaganza." This is a pricey one, but with 6.5 miles of light exhibits, a live nativity scene, pony rides, a holiday village, games and even storytelling, the cost is worth it!

If the nation's capital is on your holiday travel itinerary, by all means visit the Ellipse to see the national Christmas tree, a massive beauty surrounded by smaller trees representing every state and territory. Seen it? Venture forth to the National Zoo for ZooLights, where many of the light sculptures take the form of favorite animals. Music, arts and crafts, puppet shows and ice carving demonstrations are also on the schedule. Alternatively, head to Garden of Lights in nearby Wheaton, MD where you can walk through a fantasy world of smiling dragons, twinkly flowers and brightly lit trees.

The Hartford, CT area has two great options. The city's Goodwin Park gets all dressed up for Holiday Light Fantasia (unfortunately canceled for the 2008 season) with over a million twinklers on all sorts of patriotic and Christmas displays. In nearby Springfield, MA, Bright Nights at Forest Park attracts over a million visitors each year with a panoply of festive figures that range from whimsical to serene, including a Dr. Seuss panorama that elicits squeals of delight from youngsters.

One of the largest holiday light displays in the country is the Oglebay Resort's Festival of Lights in Wheeling, WV (about 60 minutes from Pittsburgh). Along the six-mile drive (use your own car or take a trolley) you'll see millions of lights on dozens of individual sculptures depicting everything from poinsettia-wreathed candles to the beloved Peanuts gang. Before or after the drive-through tour, be sure to check out the fabulous "Gardens of Light" exhibit with 150 lighted hanging baskets and a plethora of decorated trees. The resort also has a small zoo which gets into the festivities with a light-and-music show and a model train exhibit – kids will love it.

Wherever you are this holiday season there's bound to be an entertaining, enchanting, flamboyant or grandiose display of glowing holiday lights to get you in the mood. Happy Holidays!