Best Public Lights Display (2014)

During the Festival of Lights from November 28 to January 6, Main Street in Downtown Riverside transforms into a colorful winter wonderland (but with pleasant SoCal weather), featuring 4 million lights at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa. The free event also includes seasonal shopping and more holiday decor on Main Street, appearances by Santa, the world's largest man-made mistletoe and the Inland Empire's first outdoor skating rink.
Photo courtesy of The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

Historic Downtown St. Augustine gets decked in millions of tiny white lights during the holiday Nights of Lights celebrations from November 22 to February 1. The oldest city in the USA draws on the Spanish tradition of placing white candles in the window during the holidays, but takes it to new festive heights with more than 2 million points of light within the 144-square-block historic district during the free holiday event.
Photo courtesy of FloridasHistoricCoast.com

During Charleston's Holiday Festival of Lights at James Island County Park, taking place November 14 to January 1, visitors enjoy a driving tour of more than 700 displays and 2 million lights. The event also offers the chance to park the car and see lights up close on a holiday train, ride a Victorian carousel, sample treats from Santa's Sweet Shoppe and admire seasonally-themed sand sculptures and gingerbread houses.
Photo courtesy of Piwakawaka Photo

The Holiday Lights Show, the nation's largest on-the-water lights display, illuminates Idaho's Coeur d'Alene Resort with more than 1.5 million bulbs from November 28 to January 4. Aboard a Journey to the North Pole cruise on Lake Coeur d'Alene, guests are transported to Santa's North Pole Toy Workshop, home to one of the world's tallest Christmas trees.
Photo courtesy of Dustin Weed from Quicksilver Studios

The beautiful Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga. celebrates the season with more than 8 million lights and 15 holiday scenes during Fantasy in Lights. From November 21 to December 30, visitors can experience one of the top lights displays in the South, and the on-site Christmas Village includes photo ops with Santa, gift shopping and holiday treats.
Photo courtesy of Callaway Gardens

Just outside of Mobile, Ala., Bellingrath Gardens celebrates the holidays with Magic Christmas in Lights. From November 28 to January 3, over 3 million lights illuminate some 1,000 displays scattered throughout the 65-acre garden estate. Nightly choral performances and holiday finery inside the Bellingrath home add to the holiday cheer.
Photo courtesy of Bellingrath Gardens

Christmas on Main Street, part of the park-wide An Old Time Christmas event at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Mo., sees the park bedecked in some 5 million lights. Taking place from November 1 to December 30, the highlight of the event is the 5-story special effects Christmas tree covered in 350,000 LED lights, which along with the lights on nearby storefronts and trees, dance in unison during the Light Spectacular several times each evening.
Photo courtesy of Silver Dollar City

From Thanksgiving night to Dec. 31, visitors to the Norfolk Botanical Garden can see over a million lights from the comfort of their cars during Dominion Garden of Lights. Displays along the 2-mile drive celebrate the four seasons during the 20th installment of this popular regional holiday tradition.
Photo courtesy of Norfolk Botanical Garden

Atlanta Botanical Garden gets transformed into a magical holiday fantasy land during Garden Lights. From November 5 to January 3, the garden lights up with multihued displays (more than 1 million bulbs in total) including the guest favorite Orchestral Orbs and Radiant Rainforest. Guests are encouraged to meander through the displays, hot beverage in hand, to the sounds of wandering carolers.
Photo courtesy of Atlanta Botanical Garden

The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill in Clifton, Ohio lights up with over 4 million lights from November 28 to January 1. The historic mill, gorge, riverbanks, bridges and trees are covered in twinkling bulbs for the event, which includes a 100-foot "waterfall" of lights. The event also features an outdoor miniature Christmas village, Santa Claus Museum, a Toy Collection from holidays past and Santa's Workshop, where visitors can peek in on Mr. Claus as he checks his list and heads up the chimney to load his sleigh.
Photo courtesy of Tina Lawson/Flickr