Temperatures are dropping, snow is falling and the smell of turkey is in the air. The holidays are upon us. 10Best Local Experts and Editors have combed the nation for the 20 best, brightest and most beautiful holiday lights shows put on by neighborhoods, cities and parks, and our readers have voted for their favorites.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Public Holiday Lights Display are as follows:
- Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” - Duluth, Minn.
- Christmas Town USA - McAdenville, N.C.
- Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill - Clifton Mill
- Bright Nights at Forest Park - Springfield, Mass.
- Festival of Lights - Riverside, Calif.
- Nights of Lights - St. Augustine, Fla.
- Holiday Light Show - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
- Austin Trail of Lights - Austin
- Balboa Park December Nights - San Diego
- The Lights of Christmas Festival - Stanwood, Wash.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning holiday events!
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The Experts
Marla Cimini
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel,... Read More
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work on her website.
Joanne DiBona
You'll never see Joanne without a camera or two... Read More
You'll never see Joanne without a camera or two strapped around her neck as she travels around the world, together with her photographer husband Tony, to unearth new and exciting destinations to share with her readers. Her professional career includes a long tenure in communications with the San Diego Tourism Authority, where she gained expertise with both the camera and the descriptive word. When she’s not adding fresh images to her SCENIC PHOTOGRAPHY website, she's posting her current adventures on her popular TRAVEL BLOG Joanne is a member of the esteemed Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).
Joanne DiBona
You'll never see Joanne without a camera or two strapped around her neck as she travels around the world, together with her photographer husband Tony, to unearth new and exciting destinations to share with her readers. Her professional career includes a long tenure in communications with the San Diego Tourism Authority, where she gained expertise with both the camera and the descriptive word. When she’s not adding fresh images to her SCENIC PHOTOGRAPHY website, she's posting her current adventures on her popular TRAVEL BLOG Joanne is a member of the esteemed Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels... Read More
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Sharon Rigney
Sharon is a native to the Philadelphia area, but... Read More
Sharon is a native to the Philadelphia area, but loves to wander from its familiar borders. She has traveled to more than 30 countries, trekked five continents, ventured out with family, friends and on solo trips and tackled numerous adventures that were both in and well out of her comfort zone. When she's not traveling, you may find her out on her bicycle on the local roads and trails dreaming up her next adventure. Her other works can be found at Trekaroo.com, FWT Magazine, NJ Family and a variety of other online publications.
Sharon Rigney
Sharon is a native to the Philadelphia area, but loves to wander from its familiar borders. She has traveled to more than 30 countries, trekked five continents, ventured out with family, friends and on solo trips and tackled numerous adventures that were both in and well out of her comfort zone. When she's not traveling, you may find her out on her bicycle on the local roads and trails dreaming up her next adventure. Her other works can be found at Trekaroo.com, FWT Magazine, NJ Family and a variety of other online publications.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home... Read More
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in politics, culture, entertainment, food and pure unadulterated fun.
In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits, concerts and activities that blow?"
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in politics, culture, entertainment, food and pure unadulterated fun.
In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits, concerts and activities that blow?"
Chelle Koster Walton
Chelle Koster Walton – the Local Expert for... Read More
Chelle Koster Walton – the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean – has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.
Chelle Koster Walton
Chelle Koster Walton – the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean – has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she... Read More
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
10Best Editors
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased... Read More
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
