If you’re searching for a fun, festive, and completely FREE holiday outing, Kannapolis’ Village Park should be at the top of your list. This charming Christmas experience has plenty to enjoy, but two things truly steal the show: the beautiful Christmas lights and the absolutely adorable Singing Bear Orchestra.
The Christmas House in Inman celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and is a real showstopper in the Upstate. You'll want to drive through at least twice to see all the displays. Their sheer number is beyond impressive. You will not be able to keep from getting over the top excited about Christmas!
Lindsey's Christmas House is a magnificent winter wonderland with thousands of twinkling lights, dozens of picture-perfect backdrops for family photos, and even the holiday model train displays. The upside is, it's free and open to the public.
Each year for the holidays, this community garden comes alive with Christmas lights, classic decorations, fairies, garlands, bows and so much more. This year, the garden highlights beloved classic Christmas stories you can walk through to experience a childlike sense of wonder.
Each evening, the Billy Graham Library grounds come alive with a festive celebration of Christmas and magical experiences for everyone. A live nativity scene, carolers, story time for kids, The Journey of Faith, Christmas lights, photo ops, horse-drawn carriage rides, handbell concert, and much more!
In December, stroll through Stowe Park in Belmont, NC, to view the forest of elaborately decorated Christmas trees and larger-than-life holiday decorations.
Dubbed as Christmas Town USA, this small community near Charlotte, NC, puts on quite a show during the holidays. It’s a pure Christmas gold. Every single facade and yard is steeped in lights and elaborate holiday decor. Drive or stroll through downtown to see half a million twinkling lights, floating Christmas trees and so many decorated houses you will lost the count of them.
There’s a free holiday experience at The Market at the Mill in Pickens, SC. Photo ops, holiday installations, the Merry Maze, kids games and even chalk you can use to draw on the floor inside. Plus, you can shop local businesses and visit the Happy Kids Playhouse. Santa will also visit every Saturday through December 23.
We used to live close to Galveston, TX, and mostly went there in the summer to laze on the beach or leisurely stroll along Seawall. Truth be told, there's so much more to Galveston than just the beaches. And the holidays are a special time to visit. The annual Dickens on The Strand festival, the holiday lights and decorations throughout the island, and myriad festive events keep visitors' spirit merry and bright.
Climb aboard an old-vintage train and ride through the Christmas illuminated
grounds decorated with over 300,000 lights, large-than-life storybook illustrations and
gingerbread decorations at Victory Camp in Alvin, TX.
All Aboard! Model Trains Station in Taylors, SC, has a one-of-a-kind holiday experience. The exhibit includes a seasonal Christmas Alpine village display, nine incredibly elaborate model train scenes, lots of interactive buttons to operate the railroad, activity tables for kids, and a special Thomas the Train display.
Downtown Tryon, NC, is such a beautiful walkable area with a ton of Christmas spirit and small European town vibes. We strolled down Trade Street, surrounded by delightful decorations and feeling like characters out of a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Around the holidays, the Space Center Houston becomes its own galaxy. A space-themed interactive display illuminates the grounds and draws a lot of attention and a big crowd. Although this experience is not free, there are other great light experiences in the area that you don't have to pay for to enjoy.
When the holidays start hovering on the horizon, year after year, League Park in League City dresses up for the season and its signature event – Holiday in the Park.
