One favorite holiday tradition for families happens when everyone piles into the car and the entire family takes a drive to various local hotspots where they can soak in the area holiday flavor. Seeking big-scale, grand light displays is big on everyone’s list, and depending on where you live, you could easily spend much more than one entire evening in just taking in all of the wondrous light and fixture displays of the holiday best. If you’ve got a little more time and half a mind to, you could set the GPS for one of these nationally-leading displays, that continue to make the superlative lists of many holiday top light shows to see.

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland
This super colossal Christmas extravaganza is spread out over three different cities this year. The show is moved from location to location every year, but they are now increasing in numbers, too! This year, your family can catch the wonder in Asheville NC, Sevierville, TN and Myrtle Beach, SC. Each location will involve over 300K lights, strategically arranged to coordinate blinking in accompaniment of some of the most lively and beautifully arranged music of the holiday season. Listen to these beautiful holiday favorites as the twinkling lights magically dance before your eyes, awakening the child in every visitor. Watch with your family from the comfort and warmth of your car.

Louisville MEGA Cavern
How about a colossal-sized cavern full of spectacular Christmas lighting? Every year, celebrants in Louisville, KY transform the Louisville Mega Cavern into a showcase of 35 different displays with 300 LED lit-up characters. In all, you’ll enjoy over one million lights! Since 2009, the public has been viewing this spectacle by car. A one of a kind Christmas wonderland to experience.

Austin Trail of Lights
Austin TX offers a mile’s length of illuminated holiday wonder, from 42 lighted scenes, the Yule Log, a stage featuring holiday entertainment, and of course–Santa’s house! The famous 180 feet diameter, 155 feet tall Zilker Tree lighting ceremony begins the festivities. To light up this tree, it takes 39 strings of lights strung from the Moonlight Tower of historical Austin, which contains 3,309 individual light bulbs in all. The winning colorist from the city’s annual coloring contest is given the privilege of flipping the light switch on the first Sunday in December each year.

Magical Nights of Lights
In Georgia, Lake Lanier Islands Resort puts on its annual Magical Nights of Lights celebration for the holidays. Believed to be the world’s largest animated light show of its kind, it has become a popular component of many a family’s Christmas and holiday tradition. Now, in its 16th year, with shows nightly. A delicious drive through an expansive winter wonderland consisting of six full miles revealing holiday lights twinkling into the night, with numerous holiday light displays and the focal display of a living Nativity scene that includes live actors and real animals.

Enchanted Garden of Lights
Now in its 21st year, this Chattanooga TN favorite has much to do for visitors! With over 30 illuminated holiday scenes these magical gardens come alive with evening holiday fantasy for the family. With a calendar of events that features nightly top local entertainment from bands and choruses. The kids will love meeting the characters along the trail–Jack Frost, Frosty the Snowman, the Ice Queen, Inara, elves, Merry the polar bear and of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus. Visit with Santa himself and have your picture taken. Jerry the Toy Soldier is performing every Thurs. – Sun. Have fun decorating gingerbread cookies while sipping hot cocoa. Get a Sugar Plum Fairy Makeover! VIP dinners with Santa can be arranged, and the Reindeer View Terraces, Christmas Plaza and outside the North Pole Lodge, warm up at the nightly fire pits. Do some holiday shopping within the fabulous holiday marketplace. Check out Starbucks Winter Weekend music on the patio from 5:30-9:30 weekend evenings. Glitter tattoos for kids. At the Christmas Shoppe you can even design your own Christmas stocking. This place has it all down!