'Tis the season to be jolly! What better way to get in the holiday spirit than going to see Christmas lights, visiting Santa and ice skating? Here's a list of some of the Winter wonderlands around the Metroplex.
Farmers Branch - Farmers Branch Tour of Lights
Drive through an amazing display of over 300,000 lights in the Farmers Branch Historical Park. The tour starts at Valley View Lane and Interstate 35. The light display runs from November 29 through December 30 and will be turned on every evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. On Dec. 7, the city will close the tour for a special Christmas tree lighting event. Additionally, on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, the tour will not be open.
Grand Prairie - Prairie Lights -- Powered by Gexa Energy
The must see light display of the season resides in Grand Prairie. Over 4 million Christmas lights adorn the World’s longest light tunnel. Open Thanksgiving night until New Years Eve, this light display offers fun family activities from pictures with Santa Claus, walk-through light displays and much more. Vehicle admission ranges from $20 for cars on non-holiday weekdays to $50-$80 for shuttle vans and buses.
Mesquite - Mesquite Parks and Recreation - Christmas in the Park
Taking place Dec. 5-7, 2013, the annual event at Westlake Park will be overflowing with holiday cheer. Live music and entertainment throughout the weekend will get everyone singing and dancing with holiday tunes. Free admission and free parking are available.
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Fort Worth - The T's Holiday Lights Tours
The T and Stockyards Station will host their annual Holiday Lights tours of more than 200 decorated homes on Dec. 14 and 15, 2013. The tour begins at 5:30 p.m. with pre-tour festivities and bus boardings from 6:30 to 7 p.m. at Stockyards Station, at 130 East Exchange Avenue. Tickets are $5 per person, children 5 and under are free. Read More Here
Fort Worth - Panther Island Ice
NBC 5 and Trinity River Vision Authority invite you to enjoy Fort Worth’s first outdoor ice
skating rink, Panther Island ICE located at the Coyote Drive-in. It’s great family fun and
open seven days a week starting now through January 5.
Arlington - Holiday Lights Parade
A downtown Arlington Christmas tradition continues this year, where a flurry of floats adorned with lights marches through the streets surrounding City Hall. Families set up "camp" along the parade route, so make sure you plan accordingly to snag a good spot to view the parade. The parade begins at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7, 2013, and ends with the lighting of the Christmas tree on the steps of City Hall. Santa will even be there to take pictures at the Levitt Pavilion.
Arlington - The Lights at Interlochen
Once again, over 200 homes in the Interlochen neighborhood have decked their walls with bright lights. The drive-through extravaganza runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Dec. 13 to 22, and 7 to 11 p.m. on Dec. 23, 24, and 25. Attendees will want to have several hours free for the tour, as the bumper to bumper traffic of thousands of vehicles normally gridlocks the area. Cars can enter at Randol Mill and Westwood Dr. in Arlington, then make their way through the neighborhood. Click here for the official map of the route. Read More Here
Cleburne - Whistle Stop Christmas
Come celebrate Cleburne’s Whistle Stop Christmas. Over 3.5 million lights have transformed Hulen Park into a Christmas Wonderland. The celebration runs from Nov. 25 and continues through Dec. 31, 2013. There will also be live entertainment by a community choir and live theater groups presenting holiday plays.
Grapevine – The Christmas Capital of Texas
Grapevine offers the ultimate in Christmas celebration. Every weekend in December come celebrate Christmas on Main Street. Bring your family and friends to enjoy free activities, decorations, shopping, and Santa -- of course. Other Christmas activities in Grapevine include a North Pole Express Train, ice-skating, Christmas movies, and a whole lot more. Don’t miss this one and only Christmas extravaganza. Complete details on all the city's events can be found on their official website: The Christmas Capital of Texas.
Frisco - Christmas in the Square
If you’re in the Frisco area be sure to check out the dazzling light display in the Frisco Square. The holiday lights and music show run nightly from Nov. 29, 2013 through Jan. 4, 2014. Drawing in 650,000 visitors annually, the holiday events range from a hot air Balloon Glow, to the traditional visit from Santa, and Frisco's first outdoor ice rink. Plus, they're making snow!
NBC 5 is a media sponsor of this event.
McKinney - Heard Holiday Trail of Lights
Escape hibernation! Bundle up your family, get out of the house, and experience the most unique holiday lighting display in North Texas. Enjoy the Heard Holiday Trail of Lights on Dec. 14, 20 and 21 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. See thousands of holiday décor and lights—many synchronized to holiday music—along a half mile Heard nature trail.
NBC 5 is a media sponsor of this event.
Have other Holiday Light locations we should know about? Click here to e-mail us.
