Thanks to Terri Weeks, who enlightens Midwest Guest readers today with a great guest post about the holiday light show scene in and around Cincinnati, Ohio!
No matter what your entertainment budget is this holiday season, there’s a light display in Cincinnati for you. And I don’t mean just driving around your neighborhood. Here’s a roundup of a half dozen dazzling displays of light at various price points.
Newport on the Levee has been decked out for the holidays with over a million lights. Every evening, starting at 6:10 p.m., a show of lights synchronized to music starts every 20 minutes. A 30-ft. Christmas tree is covered in multiple strings of lights of various colors. Other trees on the outdoor riverwalk blink on and off during the show. That’s over a million lights in all. While this is a fun show, I’m not sure it’s worth a drive to the Levee just for the lights, but if you’re planning to be there to visit the Shillito’s Elves, Newport Aquarium, or have dinner, it’s definitely worth a look.
Cost: Free (but you’ll probably have to pay for parking)
Although this event has far more to offer than just lights, walking through the beautifully lit garden and seeing the reflection of the lights on the water is one of my favorite parts. This annual free event happens Friday and Saturday evenings in December and includes a live nativity and live dramatic performances in addition to the lights. For an additional fee, you can ride a camel or see a planetarium show. Arrive early; it gets very crowded very quickly.
Cost: Free (additional fee for camel rides and planetarium shows)
Sharon Woods Holiday in Lights
Colorful lit figures line the one-mile path of the Holiday in Lights display at Sharon Woods park. Pack some travel mugs filled with hot cocoa and load the kids in the minivan and enjoy the display. Many of the figures are animated. After you see the lights, stop in Sharon Centre for the free Santaland festivities that include performances, puppet shows, a train display, and a talking Christmas tree.
Cost: $12 per car
Pyramid Hill Holiday Lights on the Hill.
During the holiday season, this outdoor sculpture museum transforms into a drive-through light display with over two million lights displayed throughout the park. This beautiful display includes lit trees, figures, and a decorated pavilion. You can literally see the sculptures in a different light, and all from the warmth of your car.
Cost: $20 per car on weeknights; $25 per car on weekends.
The Legendary Lights at Clifton Mill
This is the granddaddy of light displays. It takes six men almost three months to string up a total of 3.5 million lights. They turn the lights on each evening with a single flip of a switch, instantly blanketing the dark gorge with light. A light show synchronized to music plays once an hour. The covered bridge blinks on and off to the music. An outdoor miniature village and a collection of antique Santa figures are also on display.
Cost: $10 per person; Ages 6 and under are free.
Cincinnati Zoo Festival of Lights
One of Cincinnati’s favorite holiday traditions, the Festival of Lights fills the zoo with 2 million LED lights. Trees throughout the zoo glow with light and walking paths become features like the Candy Cane Forest, Twinkle Trail, and Lollipop Lane. Swan Lake is the stage for a dancing light show. Be sure to bundle up because it takes at least a couple hours to see it all. If you get cold, you can step inside one of the indoor exhibits like Manatee Springs to warm up for a while. Visit cute characters including a gingerbread boy and girl and Blizzard and Snowflake, the talking tigers. Don’t miss the Winter Wonders puppet show—it’s entertaining for all ages.
Cost: $15 adults; $10 kids; $8 parking.
Text and Photos © Terri Weeks 2012. All rights reserved, used with permission.
Terri Weeks is a family travel writer in the Cincinnati area. Her family is on a mission to visit all 50 states by the time her kids graduate from high school. She blogs about family travel in the US at www.travel50stateswithkids.com. TTerri is also a local travel guru in Cincinnati and is co-author of Adventures Around Cincinnati: A Parent's Guide to Unique and Memorable Places to Explore with your Kids. She’s also the Cincinnati Editor at www.wanderingeducators.com.
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