The holiday spirit is all over Georgia with these 16 can't-miss Christmas lights displays

No matter what holiday you celebrate, this is the season for dazzling light displays. Millions of multi-color string lights are used to line houses, wrap around trees, and to create fantastical characters. Driving around neighborhoods to find the best and brightest displays is a popular family activity in December.

While there are surely great residential displays in your area, there are several must-see lights holiday displays across Georgia, ranging in size and cost.

Here are some of the Peach State’s biggest holiday attractions that have all the lights you are looking for:

A Country Christmas

337 Cassville Rd, Cartersville

Pettit Creek Farms is looking to create some feel-good vibes with "A Country Christmas." There's a mile-long light display that guests can drive through or enjoy from a hayride. There will also be a "Santa's Cottage" including the Saint Nick himself and two of his reindeer plus a petting zoo, s'mores and more fun.

It's open 6-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, and 6-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Prices vary and more information is available at pettitcreekfarms.com/a-country-christmas-final.

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December Nights & Holiday Lights

2 Canebrake Rd, Savannah

The 12th season of "December Nights & Holiday Lights" is on now through Dec. 23 at Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens. More than five acres of lush trails and gardens have been given a literal glow-up. This year's themes are "Alice in Wonderland," "Once Upon a Time" (including a fire-breathing dragon), "Octopus’s Garden" and "Carnival of Color." There will also be snacks and s'mores like hot cocoa available for purchase.

This is a walk-thru display that is open rain or shine. It's open 6-9 p.m. on weekends (Friday-Sunday), but is open Monday-Friday starting Dec. 18. There is free general parking at Southwest Middle School with a trolley service bringing guests to and from December Nights.

General admission is $15 per person. Children ages 3 and under get in free. Tickets must be purchased in advance with a specific time slot at coastalbg.uga.edu/holiday-lights.

Enchanted Garden of Lights

1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain

For about 30 years, Rock City Gardens on north Georgia's Lookout Mountain has had a festive Christmas tradition: Turning their naturally beautiful attraction into an "Enchanted Garden of Lights." Multi-color lights will shine against the mountain's rock faces and string lights will wrap around and hang down from trees. That's in addition to the "North Pole Village," "Arctic Kingdom" and other display areas featuring a variety of luminous characters.

Guests can also take photos with Santa Claus, make cookies with Mrs. Claus, and shop for snacks, gifts, and souvenirs to take home.

The Enchanted Garden opens 4:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and is open until 10 p.m. Friday-Sunday. It runs now through Jan. 6, but is closed Christmas Eve (Dec. 24). Tickets start at about $10 for children ages 3-12 and $20 for adults. For more information, go to seerockcity.com/events/enchanted-garden-of-lights.

Flowers Foods Christmas Lights Display

1919 Flowers Circle, Thomasville

Flowers Foods headquarters hosts an annual drive-thru lights display on its campus until Dec. 31. Open every night to the public from 6-10 p.m.

To maximize Christmas spirit, time your visit to the Flowers display with the town's annual downtown Victorian Christmas event. The 2023 Victorian Christmas takes place from Dec. 14-15 from 6-9 p.m.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights

Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta

Back for its 13th year, "Garden Lights, Holiday Nights" transforms Atlanta Botanical Garden into a bright and shiny winter wonderland. Some of the recurring headliners include a huge curtain of lights among the trees, orchestral orbs of light, and a tunnel of light to walk through. The garden is so big and popular that it will compete on ABC's "The Great Christmas Light Fight" at 9 p.m. Dec. 12.

The garden offers multiple food and beverage options, but only cards are accepted, no cash. Snack bars have s'mores kits and garden bars have beer, wine, soft drinks, hot chocolate and cider (spiked or regular).

This display is open rain or shine every day through Jan. 14 from 5-10 p.m. Tickets start at about $25 for children (ages 3-12) and $28 for adults. For more information, go to atlantabg.org.

Holiday Lights

Canton, Ellijay, Rome and Woodstock

"Holiday Lights of Georgia" has created a variety of displays across five different locations. Each carries a similar vibe and set pieces including big LED American flags, extremely tall Christmas trees, and a range of small and medium sized displays across the area.

Walk-thrus are located in at 1729 S. Main St. in Elijay, 363 Riverside Pkwy. NE. in Rome, and 6688 Bells Ferry Rd. in Woodstock. Rome's includes a dazzling maze to navigate. Drive-thrus are located at 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton and 1400 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Rome.

Prices and hours of operation vary depending on location. For more information, go to holidaylightsofga.com.

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Holly Jolly Jekyll

Across Jekyll Island

The sprawling lights display in Jekyll Island is a popular holiday destination each year. With more than 1.5 million light bulbs used to create the drive-thru light show, it truly has a wow factor. There are also several holiday events, like fireworks and a drive-in movie, to enjoy. Holly Jolly Jekyll runs through Jan. 7.

Go to jekyllisland.com for more information, trolley tickets and schedule of events.

Lights of Joy

510 Ben King Rd NW, Kennesaw

As the name would suggest, the mission of "Lights of Joy" is to brighten families' spirits by brightening a woodsy landscape. There are 246 lit trees, four of them have more than 15,000 lights and 40 have been synchronized to Christmas music. Sixty holly bushes have been lit and shaped into Christmas trees. There is also a "Tunnel of Joy" with more than 100,000 lights. With more than 1.2 million lights overall, it's no surprise "Lights of Joy" was a contender on "The Great Christmas Light Fight" in 2019.

There will also be a trombone concert for guests to enjoy, but a date has not been determined as of Nov. 29.

The display is open every night 6-11 p.m. now through Jan. 2. Families are encouraged to park across the street at Futures Church. Parking costs $5. Admission is free, but donations are requested and appreciated. For more information, go to lightsofjoy.net.

Lights of the South

633 Louisville Rd, Grovetown

Lights of the South is one of the Augusta area's biggest light displays. Guests can walk or take a hay ride through an illuminated trail featuring everything from superheroes and movie scenes to a salute to service members. There is also an LED maze.

When not on the trail, families can purchase snacks and souvenirs or get their photos taken with Santa Claus.

It's open now through Dec. 30, except for Christmas Day, every day from 6-10 p.m. General admission starts at $16 Sunday-Thursday. For more information and to buy tickets in advance, go to lightsofthesouth.com.

Macon Christmas Light Extravaganza

Downtown Macon

The city of Macon itself has been turned into Christmas show. More than 1 million lights have been put up that are synchronized to music arranged and produced by Macon Pops, a local orchestra. The shows are free to the public and run through Jan. 3, starting at 6 p.m. every night, running 45 minutes every hour until 10 p.m. Lights stay until 11 p.m.

The orchestra performs at the intersection of First and Poplar streets, but the lights span 5.5 blocks along Poplar Street from First Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and along Third Street from Plum Street to Cherry Street. For more information, go to maconchristmaslightextravaganza.com.

Mountain Country Christmas in Lights

1311 Music Hall Rd, Hiawassee

The Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds light show features Christmas music, arts and crafts, food, fun, entertainment, photo opportunities, and a visit with Santa Clause, according to the event's website.

You can visit from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Friday, & Saturday from Nov. 23 to Dec. 9. The display is then open every night from Dec.14-23! It is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

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Six Flags' Holiday in the Park

275 Riverside Pkwy, Austell

Fans of Six Flags Over Georgia will get to enjoy a more seasonal celebration. There's a lot to enjoy from a 28-foot tall LED Christmas tree and a "Merry Lane" light tunnel to an immersive North Pole experience including Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their elves.

Holiday in the Park is open 2-8 p.m. the weekend of Dec. 9 and every day Dec. 16-31 except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. General admission starts at $40. For more information, go to sixflags.com.

Stone Mountain Christmas

Stone Mountain Park, 1000 Robert E Lee Blvd

Here is another family-fun park that is decked out for the holidays. Stone Mountain's 4-D theatre is showing "The Polar Express," a luminous music-synched forest, and there's other activities, but the main event is mountainside light show, which now is geared towards the holidays including an huge illuminated Christmas tree and a festive drone show.

Stone Mountain Christmas is open the weekend of Dec. 8 and every day Dec. 15 through Jan. 2 except Christmas Day. Tickets start at about $20. More information including a full schedule of the attraction is available on stonemountainpark.com.

TMT Farm Christmas Lights Drive-Thru

16710 Old River Rd N, Statesboro

Tucked away in the outskirts of Statesboro, the Thompson-McCranie-Thompson family has a tradition of turning their wide-open homes into the "TMT Farm Christmas Lights Drive-Thru." Dozens of acres of country property are covered in lights and displays, including a music-synched house and a Christmas village built with vintage buildings. There are also many repurposed decorations like snowmen and wreaths made of old tires.

The drive-thru is open 6 p.m. to midnight every day through the end of the holiday season. Admission is free, but the family is collecting donations of cash, nonperishable food items, new unwrapped toys and pet items. All of the proceeds go to area nonprofits and organizations working to help the needy. For more information, follow the drive-thru's Facebook page.

Winter WonderLights

2450 S. Milledge Ave, Athens

The State Botanical Garden is once again hosting its "Winter WonderLights." The winter light show follows a half-mile trail through a "Winter Wondercave," along a "Jingle Bell Lane," into the "Northern Lights" and through a "Cone Tree Forest."

It's open most nights now through Dec. 30 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. It's closed Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 24 and 25. Tickets are $15 for ages 4 and older, and are free for younger children. Fore more information, go to botgarden.uga.edu.

World of Illumination

Six Flags White Water, 250 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta

Across the US, World of Illumination has created some of the biggest drive-thru light displays. There are only six locations, and one of them is outside Atlanta. Over 1 million lights make up the "Enchanted Safari" with jungle-themed displays and 20 to 30 minutes of audio-visual entertainment.

It's open 6-10 p.m. every day now through Dec. 31, except for Dec. 11. Tickets start at about $40 per carload. For more information, go to worldofillumination.com.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Best Christmas lights displays in Georgia