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Visit the North Pole and Catch a Holiday Light Show

posted by Teresa Farrell at 2019-12-21 10:23:00

With the holiday season upon us, now is the perfect time to start getting into a festive spirit. No matter how you celebrate this time of year, there’s one thing most everyone enjoys: the sparkling, shining sight of holiday lights. You’ll probably see plenty around your own neighborhood, but why not venture out a little further and enjoy one of the shows put on by professionals? No matter which part of Upstate New York you’re in, you’re sure to find one within a decent distance.

 
The Adirondacks boast perhaps the most festive spot in the entire state: the village of North Pole, New York, near Whiteface Mountain, which is home to Santa’s Workshop, a theme park dedicated exclusively to keeping the Christmas spirit alive all year round. Of course, winter is prime time to visit, and on weekends in December the Village of Lights is also in full swing, transforming the park into a twinkling wonderland complete with activities like caroling, roasting marshmallows over a fire, feeding reindeer and more.

 
 
If you’re closer to the Capital Region, take a drive to the Capital Holiday Lights in the Park. Set up in Albany’s Washington Park and running from just after Thanksgiving to just after New Year’s, this festive light display has been a local tradition for 23 years and features more than 125 unique light displays to enjoy. A bit further south, in the Catskills region, check out A Frosty Fest in Ulster Park, which features a variety of different themed light displays to walk, drive or take a hayride through, along with gift shops, Santa visits, and a stage show.

 

If you’re in Central New York, you can visit Lights on the Lake in at Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool (near Syracuse), a local favorite for the past 30 years that, at two miles long, clocks in at one of the longest drive-through light shows in the state. Further out in Western New York, visit the Fairgrounds Festival of Lights in Hamburg, a weekends-only light display that includes not only drive-through and walk-through light shows, but also holiday shows and kid-friendly activities to enjoy as well.

 

Of course, check the calendar before you go; most of the time, these displays run from November until late December or early January and often are only open on the weekends. While some require tickets, kids and adults alike love to see the different themed light displays set up throughout these drives—and those smiles are worth the price of admission! So bundle up with family or friends, pack a thermos of hot cocoa, turn the radio to the holiday music station and enjoy the show.


 
PHOTO CREDITS
North Pole Station photo credit Lights on the Lake
Santa's Workshop Village of Lights photo credit Santa's Workshop
Capital Holiday Lights photo credit UpstateNYer
Lights on the Lake photo credit Lights on the Lake
Polar bear pose photo credit A Frosty Fest


 

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