10 best botanical gardens with holiday lights this year

Photo courtesy of Nicola Colombo // Getty Images

Throughout the holiday season, spectacular light shows brighten up botanical gardens across North America. Instead of spring flowers, visitors find twinkling holiday lights, often accompanied by a range of other festivities. To find the best for the 2022 holiday season, a panel of experts provided 20 nominees, then readers voted for their 10 favorites.  These are the 10 best botanical garden holiday lights events.

Photo courtesy of New Mexico BioPark Society

No. 10: River of Lights at ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden - Albuquerque, New Mexico

New Mexico’s largest walk-through light show, River of Lights at the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, features more than 700 hand-welded light displays, animated and 3D sculptures, and millions of lights. 

Photo courtesy of F. Todd Lasseigne, P.h.D., Executive Director

No. 9: Magic Christmas in Lights at Bellingrath Gardens - Theodore, Alabama

Just outside of Mobile, Alabama, Bellingrath Gardens celebrates the holidays with Magic Christmas in Lights. Over 3 million lights illuminate scenes arranged throughout the 65-acre historic garden. Choral performances and holiday finery inside the Bellingrath home add to the holiday cheer.

Photo courtesy of Rick Mcpherson

No. 8: Illuminations at Botanica - Wichita, Kansas

Illuminations at Botanica in Wichita features nights illuminated with some two million twinkling bulbs, paired with thousands of luminaries to light the way. Carolers and live music set the scene each evening, and Santa is on-site for visits with young visitors. 

Photo courtesy of Kristina DeYong

No. 7: Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden - St. Louis, Missouri

The Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden features nearly 2 million lights, in addition to concessions selling s’mores, hot chocolate and traditional holiday treats. 

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Photo courtesy of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

No. 6: Lights in Bloom at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - Sarasota, Florida

More than 2 million lights illuminate Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota during Lights in Bloom. Walkways become sensory light tunnels, and the garden comes alive with illuminated flowers, rainforest butterflies and dragonflies. 

Photo courtesy of Norfolk Botanical Garden

No. 5: Dominion Energy Garden of Lights - Norfolk, Virginia

Visitors immerse themselves in a magical holiday wonderland as they walk the garden of lights under the Norfolk Botanical Garden’s canopy of trees. A million dazzling LED lights create an experience like none other in coastal Virginia.

Photo courtesy of Brookgreen Gardens, by Austin Bond Photography

No. 4: Nights of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Gardens - Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

On select nights in December, Brookgreen Gardens celebrates the holiday season in the glow of more than 2,700 hand-lit candles and countless more sparkling lights. Visitors can walk through the display with a warm cup of cider, cocoa or wine in hand to the sounds of live holiday music.

Photo courtesy of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Tory Paxson photo.

No. 3: Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens - Boothbay, Maine

Gardens Aglow at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay ranks among the biggest and brightest lights displays in New England, with more than 750,000 bulbs. 

Photo courtesy of James H Loving Photography

No. 2: Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights - Richmond, Virginia

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond lights up with over a million LED bulbs during the Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights. Check out model trains nightly at the Kelly Education Center.

Photo courtesy of Longwood Gardens

No. 1: A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens - Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

During A Longwood Christmas, Longwood Gardens celebrates the nostalgic traditions of the season. The outdoor gardens are sheer magic with more than half a million lights by way of illuminated trees to glowing orbs to dancing fountains. Outdoor fire pits and music add a note of holiday cheer. Inside, the celebration continues with elegantly adorned spaces featuring thousands of colorful poinsettias, living wreaths and towering trees inspired by the horticultural grandeur of Longwood.